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Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EHE) is a rare borderline vascular tumor. Due to its rarity and protean behavior, the optimal treatment of hepatic EHE has not yet been standardized. This single-center study describes outcomes in patients with hepatic EHE who underwent living donor liver transplantation (LDLT).The medical records of patients who underwent LDLT for hepatic EHE from 2007 to 2016 were reviewed.During 10-year period, four patients, one man and three women, of mean age 41.3±11.1 years, underwent LDLT for hepatic EHE. Based on imaging modalities, these patients were preoperatively diagnosed with EHE or hepatocellular carcinoma, with percutaneous liver biopsy confirming that all four had hepatic EHE. The tumors were multiple and scattered over entire liver, precluding liver resection. Blood tumor markers were not elevated, except that CA19-9 and des-γ-carboxy prothrombin was slightly elevated in one patient. Mean model for end-stage liver disease score was 10.8±5.7. All patients underwent LDLT using modified right liver grafts, with graft-recipient weight ratio of 1.11±0.19, and all recovered uneventfully after LDLT. One patient died due to tumor recurrence at 9 months, whereas the other three have done well without tumor recurrence, resulting in 5-year disease-free and overall patient survival rates of 75% each. The patient with tumor recurrence was classified as a high-risk patient based on the original and modified hepatic EHE-LT scoring systems.LDLT can be an effective treatment for patients with unresectable hepatic EHEs that are confined within the liver and absence of macrovascular invasion and lymph node metastasis.

Laparoscopic treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has increased. We retrospectively compared the perioperative and long-term oncological outcomes of laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) with those of open liver resection (OLR) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in well-matched patient groups using propensity score matching (PSM). We reviewed medical records of patients with HCC who underwent liver resection between July 2007 and April 2016 at our center. In total, 2335 patients were included in this study and divided into LLR (n = 264) and OLR (n = 2071) groups. For group comparisons, 1:2 PSM was used with covariates of baseline characteristics, including tumor characteristics and surgical liver resection procedures. After PSM, there were 217 and 434 patients in the LLR and OLR groups, respectively. The LLR group had shorter hospital stays (8.9 vs. 14.8 days; P

Simple Summary Less morbidity is considered among the advantages of laparoscopic liver resection for HCC patients. However, our previous international, multi-institutional study of laparoscopic repeat liver resection (LRLR) failed to prove it. We hypothesize that these results may be since the study included complex cases performed during the procedure’s developing stage. To examine it, subgroup analysis based on propensity score were performed, defining the proximity of the tumors to major vessels as the complexity. A propensity score matching earned 115 each patient of LRLR and open repeat liver resection (ORLR) without the proximity to major vessels, and the outcomes were compared. With comparable operation time and long-term outcome, less blood loss and less morbidity were shown in LRLR group than ORLR. Even in its worldwide developing stage, LRLR for HCC patients could be beneficial in blood loss and morbidity for the patients with less complexity in surgery. Abstract Less morbidity is considered among the advantages of laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) for HCC patients. However, our previous international, multi-institutional, propensity score-based study of emerging laparoscopic repeat liver resection (LRLR) failed to prove this advantage. We hypothesize that these results may be since the study included complex LRLR cases performed during the procedure’s developing stage. To examine it, subgroup analysis based on propensity score were performed, defining the proximity of the tumors to major vessels as the indicator of complex cases. Among 1582 LRLR cases from 42 international high-volume liver surgery centers, 620 cases without the proximity to major vessels (more than 1 cm far from both first–second branches of Glissonian pedicles and major hepatic veins) were selected for this subgroup analysis. A propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was performed based on their patient characteristics, preoperative liver function, tumor characteristics and surgical procedures. One hundred and fifteen of each patient groups of LRLR and open repeat liver resection (ORLR) were earned, and the outcomes were compared. Backgrounds were well-balanced between LRLR and ORLR groups after matching. With comparable operation time and long-term outcome, less blood loss (283.3±823.0 vs. 603.5±664.9 mL, p = 0.001) and less morbidity (8.7 vs. 18.3 %, p = 0.034) were shown in LRLR group than ORLR. Even in its worldwide developing stage, LRLR for HCC patients could be beneficial in blood loss and morbidity for the patients with less complexity in surgery.

Laparoscopic living donor hepatectomy for transplantation has been well established over the past decade. This study aimed to assess its safety and feasibility in pediatric living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) by comparing the surgical and long-term survival outcomes on both the donor and recipient sides between open and laparoscopic groups. The medical records of 100 patients (≤17 years old) who underwent ABO-compatible LDLT using a left lateral liver graft between May 2008 and June 2016 were analyzed. A total of 31 donors who underwent pure laparoscopic hepatectomy and their corresponding recipients were included in the study; 69 patients who underwent open living donor hepatectomy during the same period were included as a comparison group. To overcome bias from the different distributions of covariables among the patients in the 2 study groups, a 1:1 propensity score matching analysis was performed. The mean follow-up periods were 92.9 and 92.7 months in the open and laparoscopic groups, respectively. The mean postoperative hospital stay of the donors was significantly shorter in the laparoscopic group (8.1 days) than in the open group (10.6 days; P < 0.001). Overall, the surgical complications in the donors and overall survival rate of recipients did not differ between the groups. Our data suggest that the laparoscopic environment was not associated with long-term graft survival during pediatric LDLT. In addition, the laparoscopic approach for the donors did not adversely affect the corresponding recipient's outcome. Laparoscopic left lateral sectionectomy for living donors is a safe, feasible, and reproducible procedure for pediatric liver transplantation.

Background Split liver transplantation (SLT) has been occasionally performed in Korea. This study compared the incidence and prognosis of SLT with whole liver transplantation (WLT) in adult patients. Methods Between June 2016 and November 2019, 242 adult patients underwent a total of 256 deceased donor liver transplantation operations. SLT was performed in 7 patients (2.9%). Results The mean age of SLT donors was 29.7 ± 7.4 years, and the mean age of recipients was 55.7 ± 10.6 years, with the latter having a mean model for end-stage liver disease score of 34.6 ± 3.1. Mean split right liver graft weight was 1,228.6 ± 149.7 g and mean graft-recipient weight ratio was 1.97 ± 0.39. Of the seven SLT recipients, Korean Network for Organ Sharing (KONOS) status was one in status 1, one in status 2 and five in status 3. The graft (P = 0.72) and patient (P = 0.84) survival rates were comparable in the SLT and WLT groups. Following propensity score matching, graft (P = 0.61) and patient (P = 0.91) survival rates remained comparable in the two groups. Univariate analysis showed that pretransplant ventilator support and renal replacement therapy were significantly associated with patient survival, whereas KONOS status category and primary liver diseases were not. Multivariate analysis showed that pretransplant ventilator support was an independent risk factor for patient survival. Conclusion Survival outcomes were similar in adult SLT and WLT recipients, probably due to selection of high-quality grafts and low-risk recipients. Prudent selection of donors and adult recipients for SLT may expand the liver graft pool for pediatric patients without affecting outcomes in adults undergoing SLT., Graphical Abstract

Background: A cryopreserved iliac artery homograft (IAH) has not been considered suitable for middle hepatic vein (MHV) re construction during living donor liver transplantation (LDLT), primarily due to the low patency from its small diameter. We revised our surgical techniques for MHV reconstruction using an IAH to improve its patency. Methods: This study analyzed the causes of early conduit occlusion and developed revised techniques to address this that had clinical application. Results: The potential risk factors for early conduit occlusion were the small IAH size, small graft V5/V8 opening, and small recipient MHV-left hepatic vein stump. These factors were reflected to our revised surgical methods which included endarter ectomy of the atherosclerotic plaque, unification of the internal and external iliac artery branches for large V5, and branch-patch arterioplasty for large V8. IAH endarterectomy was applied to eight patients and resulted in a 1-month occlusion rate of 37.5%. Branch unification technique was applied to five patients and a 1-month occlusion rate of 20.0% was obtained. Branch-patch arterioplasty was applied to five patients leading to a 1-month occlusion rate of 40.0%. The overall patency rates of the IAH-MHV conduits in our 18 patients were 66.7% at 1 month, 38.9% at 3 months, and 33.3% at 1 year. Conclusions: Our refined MHV reconstruction using an IAH improved short-term MHV conduit patency, but did not effectively prevent early conduit occlusion, particularly with a small- or medium-sized IAH. Individualized reconstruction designs during LDLT operation are needed when an IAH is used for a modified right liver graft.

According to recent international consensus conferences, pure laparoscopic donor hepatectomy (PLDH), particularly right and left hepatectomies, is not yet considered a standard practice because studies remain limited. Thus, we present the outcomes of more than 500 PLDH patients, mostly receiving a right hepatectomy. To our knowledge, this is the largest study to date on PLDH. Data from all living liver donors who underwent PLDH at 5 centers in Korea until June 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. The outcomes of both donors and recipients were included. Pearson correlation analysis was used to explore the relationship between the duration of surgery and cumulative experience at each center, which reflects the learning curve. Overall, 545 PLDH cases were analyzed, including 481 right hepatectomies, 25 left hepatectomies, and 39 left lateral sectionectomies (LLS). The open conversion was necessary for 10 (1.8%) donors, and none of the donors died or experienced irreversible disability. Notably, there were 25 (4.6%) patients with major complications (higher than Clavien-Dindo grade 3). All centers except one showed a significant decrease in surgery duration as the number of cases accumulated. Regarding recipient outcomes, there were 110 cases (20.2%) of early major complications and 177 cases (32.5%) of late major complications. This study shows the early and late postoperative outcomes of 545 donors and corresponding recipients, including 481 right hepatectomies and 25 left hepatectomies, from 5 experienced centers. Although the results are comparable to those of previously reported open donor hepatectomy series, further studies are needed to consider PLDH a new standard practice.

Background & Aims Living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT) can simultaneously cure hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and underlying liver cirrhosis, improving long-term results in patients with HCC. ABO-incompatible LDLT could expand the living-donor pool, reduce waiting times for deceased-donor liver transplantation, and improve long-term survival for some patients with HCC. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients undergoing LDLT for HCC from November 2008 to December 2015 at a single institution in Korea. In total, 165 patients underwent ABO-incompatible and 753 patients underwent ABO-compatible LDLT for HCC. ABO-incompatible recipients underwent desensitization to overcome the ABO blood group barrier, including pretransplant plasma exchange and rituximab administration (300–375 mg/m2 /body surface area). Results We performed 1:1 propensity score matching and included 165 patients in each group. 82.4% of ABO-incompatible and 83.0% of -compatible LDLT groups had HCC within conventional Milan criteria, respectively, and 92.1% and 92.7% of patients in each group had a Child-Pugh score of A or B. ABO-incompatible and -compatible LDLT groups were followed up for 48.0 and 48.7 months, respectively, with both groups showing comparable recurrence-free survival rates (hazard ratio [HR] 1.14; 95% CI 0.68–1.90; p = 0.630) and overall patient-survival outcomes (HR 1.10; 95% CI 0.60–2.00; p = 0.763). Conclusions These findings suggested that ABO-incompatible liver transplantation is a feasible option for patients with HCC, especially for those with compensated cirrhosis with HCC within conventional Milan criteria. Lay summary Despite hypothetical immunological concerns that the desensitization protocol for breaking through the ABO blood group barrier might have a negative impact on the recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma, our experience demonstrated no significant differences in the long-term overall survival and recurrence-free survival rates between patients receiving ABO-compatible or ABO-incompatible liver transplantation. In conclusion, results from our institution indicated that ABO-incompatible living-donor liver transplantation constitutes a potentially feasible option for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, especially those with compensated cirrhosis with hepatocellular carcinoma within conventional Milan criteria.

Liver resection is a potentially curative therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). LLR is a newly developed and safe technique associated with shorter hospital stay, less pain, better cosmetic outcomes, and similar complication rates as open surgery; however, data on its long-term outcomes remain scarce. We retrospectively examined the clinical and follow-up data of 234 patients who underwent LLR (performed by a single surgeon in all cases) for the primary treatment of HCC between July 2007 and December 2015 at Asan Medical Center. The mean patient age was 55.63 (range 31–76) years; 167 were men. The median follow-up duration was 38 (range 6–116) months. A total of 227 patients (97.0%) had Child–Turcotte–Pugh grade A disease. Of them, 167 (71.4%) underwent anatomical resections and 63 (28.6%) underwent non-anatomical partial hepatectomies. Overall survival rates were 98.3, 91.7, and 87.1%, and recurrence-free survival rates were 82.1, 67.5, and 55.3% at 1, 3, and 5 years, respectively. In Cox regression analysis, anatomical resection was a risk factor for recurrence (univariate analysis: hazard ratio [HR] 0.49; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.31–0.75; p = 0.001; multivariate analysis: HR 0.59; 95% CI 0.38–0.94; p = 0.025). LLR is an acceptable primary treatment for patients with HCC with good hepatic function and with an appropriate anatomical structure, and is associated with improved prognosis. LLR can achieve lower recurrence rates through anatomical resection.

The large volume of adult living donor liver transplantations (ALDLTs) at our center affords a unique opportunity to examine the impact of acute‐on‐chronic liver failure (ACLF) among high–Model for End‐Stage Liver Disease MELD score patients. From February 1998 to March 2010, 1958 cirrhotic recipients were analyzed to study the relationship between MELD scores and ALDLT outcomes. A total of 327 high‐MELD score recipients were categorized into ACLF and non‐ACLF groups, and their outcomes were compared. The 5‐year graft and patient survival in the high‐MELD group were 75.2% and 76.4%, respectively, which were significantly worse than the low and intermediate MELD groups. The presence of ACLF associated with higher MELD scores appeared to be the dominant factor responsible for the inferior results of patients with MELD score of 30–34 points. The 5‐year graft survivals in the ACLF group was 70.5% and in the non‐ACLF group it was 81.0% (p = 0.035). Therefore, ALDLT should be performed as soon as possible in high‐MELD score patients prior to ACLF development. Moreover, ACLF patients should be separately categorized when analyzing the outcomes of ALDLT. ALDLT for ACLF patients should not be discouraged because favorable outcomes can be expected through timely ALDLT and comprehensive management., While adult living donor liver transplantation should be performed as soon as possible before acute‐on‐chronic liver failure develops, it should not be discouraged for patients with acute‐on‐chronic liver failure since timely transplantation and comprehensive management can bring a favorable outcome.

Background: Adult living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) is one of the best treatments for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, when recurrence of HCC after LDLT occurs, the prognosis is poor because of rapid progression. Preoperative level of α-fetoprotein (AFP) and protein induced by vitamin K antagonist-II (PIVKA-II) reportedly correlate with recurrence of HCC after LDLT. Methods: We examined AFP and PIVKA-II preoperatively as predictors of HCC recurrence in 461 patients who underwent LDLT using right liver graft for HCC from May 2007 to December 2013. Results: Among these, 77 patients (16.7%) who experienced recurrence were retrospectively reviewed. Multivariate analysis revealed tumor size >5 cm, AFP >150 nag/mol and PIVKA-II >100 maul/mol as significant independent risk factors for recurrence. The median time to recurrence was 10 months. The median survival time after recurrence was 26 months, and the 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rates after recurrence were 80.5%, 58%, and 28.3% respectively. Conclusions: Preoperatively, not only morphology of the tumor but also AFP and PIVKA-II levels can offers important information for the recurrence after LDLT for HCC. Thus, combination of tumor markers might be used for expansion of pre-existing strict selection criteria of liver transplantation for HCC.

Backgrounds/Aims To understand the changing demands for hepatic resection (HR), we collected data regarding HR performed in a tertiary centre over a period of 10 years. Methods We carried out extensive search of institutional databases to identify HR cases performed between January 2005 and December 2014. A study cohort of 9,016 patients were divided into 5 disease categories, namely hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC), intrahepatic duct stone disease (IHDS), colorectal cancer liver metastasis (CRLM), and uncommon/rare diseases (URD). Results There were 5,661 (62.8%) HCC cases, followed by 1441 (16.0%) CRLM, 942 (10.5%) ICC, 638 (7.1%) IHDS and 334 (3.7%) URD. The number of annual HR cases gradually increased from 443 in 2005 to 1,260 in 2015. Annual HCC cases also gradually increased, but the annual proportion of HCC cases fluctuated narrowly between 58.3% and 70.2%. Annual CRLM cases increased rapidly, and their proportion increased progressively from 4.7% to 20.5%. Annual ICC cases increased slowly, and their annual proportion fluctuated between 7.2% and 15.6%. Annual IHDS cases decreased slowly, and their annual proportion decreased progressively from 17.2% to 3.4%, while annual URD cases fluctuated, with annual proportions varying between 2.3% and 5.6%. Conclusions Annual cases of HR increased over the last 10 years in a tertiary center probably due to a center-specific centralization effect. The number of CRLM cases increased rapidly; those of HCC and ICC increased gradually, and those of IHDS declined gradually. We believe that these results reflect real changes in the types of liver disease requiring HR.

Background Prophylaxis for hepatitis B virus (HBV) recurrence is essential after liver transplantation (LT) in HBV-associated recipients. This study established an individualized HBV prophylaxis protocol, through optimization of hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) administration, with application of simulative half-life (SHL). Methods This study involved five parts: Part 1 developed the SHL estimation method with 20 patients; Parts 2 and 3 assessed the SHL variability and developed a simulation model to apply SHL in 100 patients; Part 4 validated the simulation model in 114 patients, and Part 5 was a cross-sectional study on the current status of HBIG infusion intervals in 660 patients. Results In Part 1, infusion of 10,000 IU HBIG induced add-on rise hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs) titer of 5,252.5 ± 873.7 IU/L, which was 4.4% lower than actual measurement. Mean SHL of 20.0 ± 3.7 days was 2.2% longer than actual measurement. In Part 2, the medians of the intra- and inter-individual coefficient of variation in SHL were 13.5% and 18.5%, respectively. Pretransplant HBV DNA load and posttransplant antiviral therapy did not affect SHL. In Part 3, a simulation model was developed to determine the interval of HBIG infusion, by using SHL. In Part 4, all 114 patients were successfully managed with regular HBIG infusion intervals of ≥ 8 weeks, and the interval was prolonged to ≥ 12 weeks in 89.4%, with a target trough anti-HBs titer ≥ 200 IU/L. In Part 5, 47.4% of our patients received HBIG excessively, at a target trough titer of 500 IU/L. Conclusion SHL estimation using only clinically available parameters seems to be reliably accurate when compared with actual measurements. We believe that SHL estimation is helpful to establish a personalized HBV prophylaxis protocol for optimizing HBIG administration., Graphical Abstract

ABO-incompatible (ABOi) dual-graft (DG) adult living donor liver transplantation (ALDLT) is not commonly performed due to its inherently intricate surgical technique and immunological complexity. Therefore, data are lacking on the short- and long-term clinical outcomes of ABOi DG ALDLT. We performed a retrospective study by reviewing the medical records of patients who underwent ABOi DG ALDLT between 2008 and 2014. Additionally, computed tomography volumetric analysis was conducted to assess the graft regeneration rate. The mean age of a total of 28 recipients was 50.2 ± 8.5 years, and the mean model for end-stage liver disease score was 12.2 ± 4.6. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year patient survival rate was 96.4% during the mean follow-up period of 57.0 ± 22.4 months. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year graft survival rate was 96.4%, 94.2%, and 92.0%, respectively, and no significant differences were observed between ABO-compatible (ABOc) and ABOi grafts (P = .145). The biliary complication rate showed no significant difference (P = .195) between ABOc and ABOi grafts. Regeneration rates of ABOi grafts were not significantly different from those of ABOc grafts. DG ALDLT with ABOi and ABOc graft combination seems to be a feasible option for expanding the donor pool without additional donor risks.