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In situ normothermic regional perfusion (NRP) and ex situ normothermic machine perfusion (NMP) aim to improve the outcomes of liver transplantation (LT) using controlled donation after circulatory death (cDCD). NRP and NMP have not yet been compared directly. In this international observational study, outcomes of LT performed between 2015 and 2019 for organs procured from cDCD donors subjected to NRP or NMP commenced at the donor center were compared using propensity score matching (PSM). Of the 224 cDCD donations in the NRP cohort that proceeded to asystole, 193 livers were procured, resulting in 157 transplants. In the NMP cohort, perfusion was commenced in all 40 cases and resulted in 34 transplants (use rates: 70% vs. 85% [p = 0.052], respectively). After PSM, 34 NMP liver recipients were matched with 68 NRP liver recipients. The two cohorts were similar for donor functional warm ischemia time (21 min after NRP vs. 20 min after NMP; p = 0.17), UK-Donation After Circulatory Death risk score (5 vs. 5 points; p = 0.38), and laboratory Model for End-Stage Liver Disease scores (12 vs. 12 points; p = 0.83). The incidence of nonanastomotic biliary strictures (1.5% vs. 2.9%; p > 0.99), early allograft dysfunction (20.6% vs. 8.8%; p = 0.13), and 30-day graft loss (4.4% vs. 8.8%; p = 0.40) were similar, although peak posttransplant aspartate aminotransferase levels were higher in the NRP cohort (872 vs. 344 IU/L; p < 0.001). NRP livers were more frequently allocated to recipients suffering from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC; 60.3% vs. 20.6%; p < 0.001). HCC-censored 2-year graft and patient survival rates were 91.5% versus 88.2% (p = 0.52) and 97.9% versus 94.1% (p = 0.25) after NRP and NMP, respectively. Both perfusion techniques achieved similar outcomes and appeared to match benchmarks expected for donation after brain death livers. This study may inform the design of a definitive trial., (© 2022 The Authors. Liver Transplantation published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.)

Background: Loco-regional complications of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) may adversely affect technical aspects of the liver transplantation (LT). This study reviewed the impact of those complications on postoperative outcomes encompassing implications on graft selection., Methods: A retrospective, propensity score matching (1:1) analysis accounting for donor and recipient confounders was performed on a dataset of patients undergoing LT for hepatocellular carcinoma. Outcomes of patients who had TACE (TACE-group) were compared with those who did not (NoTACE-group)., Results: A total of 57 matched pairs were analyzed. TACE achieved effective tumor control (Pre-TACE vs Post-TACE; Median: 44 mm [interquartile range: 43-50] vs 17 mm [0-36]; P = .002) on imaging follow-up. TACE group had, at the hepatectomy, higher incidence of ischemia-related complications (adhesions of the necrotic tumor, cholecystitis, and/or bile duct necrosis) (40.4% vs 10.5%; P = .001). Overall major post-LT complications rate (Dindo-Clavien ≥3) were similar (P = .134). Those in the TACE group with donors after circulatory death (DCD) had 4.6% 90-day mortality and 54.3% major complication rate compared to 6.9% and 77.3% (P = .380 and P = .112, respectively)., Conclusion: TACE was an effective bridging procedure that may complicate LT inducing ischemic-related complications; nevertheless, it has not shown repercussions on mortality or morbidity after the procedure, even using donors after circulatory death., (© 2018 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Introduction: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is increasing in incidence in the UK and globally. Liver cirrhosis is the common cause for developing HCC. The common reasons for liver cirrhosis are viral hepatitis C (HCV), viral hepatitis B and alcohol. However, HCC caused by non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)-cirrhosis is now increasingly as a result of rising worldwide obesity., Aim: : To compare the clinical presentation, treatment options and outcomes of HCC due to HCV and NAFLD patients., Methods: Data were collected from two liver transplant centres in the UK (Birmingham and Newcastle upon Tyne) between 2000 and 2014. We compared 275 patients with HCV-related HCC against 212 patients with NAFLD- related HCC., Results: Patients in the NAFLD group were found to be significantly older ( P < 0.001) and more likely to be Caucasian ( P < 0.001). They had lower rates of cirrhosis ( P < 0.001) than those in HCV-HCC group. The NAFLD group presented with significantly larger tumours ( P = 0.009), whilst HCV patients had a higher alpha fetoprotein ( P = 0.018). NAFLD patients were more commonly treated with TACE ( P = 0.005) than the HCV patients, whilst the HCV group were significantly more likely to be transplanted ( P < 0.001). In patients selected for liver transplantation, 5-year survival rates in NAFLD were not significantly different from HCV-HCC (44 and 56% respectively, P = 0.102)., Conclusion: In this study, NAFLD patients presented with larger tumours that were less likely to be amenable to curative therapy, as compared with HCV patients. Despite this disadvantage, patients with NAFLD had similar overall survival compared to patients with HCV., (© The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Association of Physicians.)

Objectives: Orthotopic liver transplant is the treatment of choice for hepatocellular carcinoma in cirrhotic patients with satisfactory oncologic and survival outcomes. Incidental hepatocellular carcinoma is frequently a reported finding in the explant pathology after orthotopic liver transplant., Material and Methods: The present study retrospectively analyzed the tumor characteristics and outcomes of 50 incidental hepatocellular carcinomas compared with 252 transplants for known hepatocellular carcinoma., Results: Patients with incidental hepatocellular carcinoma had lower peak alpha-fetoprotein level (P = .001), lower pretransplant alpha-fetoprotein level (P = .002), smaller total tumor size (P = .0001), fewer tumor numbers (P = .0001), lower level of microvascular invasion (P = .001), more cases within Milan criteria (P = .005), and more well-differentiated tumors (P = .017). However, no difference in survival rates was observed between the 2 groups. In 35 patients (70%) who had incidental hepatocellular carcinoma, pretransplant imaging studies were normal; ultrasonography was used as the only screening tool in 25 of 35 patients (71%) who had incidental hepatocellular carcinoma, and 15 patients (30%) who had incidental hepatocellular carcinoma had regenerative or dysplastic nodules. The accuracy of ultrasonography in our unit for diagnosing hepatocellular carcinoma was 97.5%. A quarter of hepatitis B recipients had incidental hepatocellular carcinoma with a younger median recipient age. Tumor recurrence was higher with incidental hepatocellular carcinoma in hepatitis C recipients (22%). However, the overall recurrence was similar between all hepatitis and nonhepatitis recipients who were transplanted for incidental or known hepatocellular carcinoma., Conclusions: Incidental hepatocellular carcinoma has similar outcome as known hepatocellular carcinoma. Early screening of hepatitis B patients is recommended, and cross-sectional imaging is not mandatory for hepatocellular carcinoma screening in patients who are on the waiting list.

Background & Aims: The role of liver transplantation in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma in livers without fibrosis/cirrhosis (NC-HCC) is unclear. We aimed to determine selection criteria for liver transplantation in patients with NC-HCC., Methods: Using the European Liver Transplant Registry, we identified 105 patients who underwent liver transplantation for unresectable NC-HCC. Detailed information about patient, tumor characteristics, and survival was obtained from the transplant centers. Variables associated with survival were identified using univariate and multivariate statistical analyses., Results: Liver transplantation was primary treatment in 62 patients and rescue therapy for intrahepatic recurrences after liver resection in 43. Median number of tumors was 3 (range 1-7) and median tumor size 8 cm (range 0.5-30). One- and 5-year overall and tumor-free survival rates were 84% and 49% and 76% and 43%, respectively. Macrovascular invasion (HR 2.55, 95% CI 1.34 to 4.86), lymph node involvement (HR 2.60, 95% CI 1.28 to 5.28), and time interval between liver resection and transplantation < 12 months (HR 2.12, 95% CI 0.96 to 4.67) were independently associated with survival. Five-year survival in patients without macrovascular invasion or lymph node involvement was 59% (95% CI 47-70%). Tumor size was not associated with survival., Conclusions: This is the largest reported series of patients transplanted for NC-HCC. Selection of patients without macrovascular invasion or lymph node involvement, or patients ≥ 12months after previous liver resection, can result in 5-year survival rates of 59%. In contrast to HCC in cirrhosis, tumor size is not a predictor of post-transplant survival in NC-HCC., (Copyright © 2012 European Association for the Study of the Liver. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) arising in noncirrhotic and nonfibrotic liver (NC-HCC) is a rare type of malignancy frequently found in healthy young individuals. Partial liver resection is the treatment of choice with expected 5-year survival rates between 40% and 70%. As a result of absence of any symptom, a considerable number of patients are diagnosed when the malignancy has progressed to an advanced stage and the tumor has turned already unresectable. Some other patients suffer from intrahepatic recurrence after previous liver resection that cannot be re-resected or locally ablated. In these situations, liver transplantation (LT) may be the only potentially curative treatment. The indication for LT in NC-HCC patients, however, is not well established. The preliminary results of recent analysis of the European Liver Transplant Registry (ELTR) together with a literature review identified over 150 patients transplanted for NC-HCC during the last 15 years. In contrast to the historical data, these studies showed 5-year survival rates at 50-70% in well-selected patients. Important determinants of poor outcome are macrovascular invasion, lymph node involvement, and time interval of <12 months when LT is used as rescue therapy for intrahepatic recurrence after a previous partial liver resection. Interestingly, outcomes after both liver resection and LT for NC-HCC are much less influenced by tumor size than is the case with cirrhotic HCC. A large tumor size per se should, therefore, not to be seen as a strict contraindication for performing LT in patients with NC-HCC.

Objectives: This study was designed to compare multidetector row computed tomography (MDCT) and CT-assisted hepatic arteriography (CTHA)/CT during arterial portography (CTAP)/angiography/contrast-enhanced CT (CECT) findings prospectively for accuracy in the detection of liver metastasis and vascular involvement of the tumor., Methods: The study included 43 patients with pancreatic cancer who were evaluated from September 2002 to December 2003. These patients underwent preoperative evaluation by angiography/CTHA/CTAP/CECT (7-mm thickness) and by MDCT (1.25-mm thickness)., Results: The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of liver metastasis diagnosis were all superior using MDCT relative to CTHA/CTAP. The diagnostic accuracy of liver metastasis for patients with tumors less than 10 mm in diameter was particularly superior with MDCT relative to CTHA/CTAP. The surgical and pathological findings of vascular involvement were more accurately diagnosed by MDCT than by CTHA/CTAP/angiography/CECT. Although MDCT findings were generally similar to surgical findings of vascular involvement, MDCT overestimated the incidence of pathological vascular involvement., Conclusions: Multidetector row CT imaging can potentially offer more accurate staging of pancreatic cancer and may be useful to surgeons both in preoperative planning and for intraoperative guidance.