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Analyses on pure laparoscopy in donor hepatectomies, including the middle hepatic vein (MHV), are still scarce. This study aimed to compare the outcomes of donor right hepatectomy, including the MHV, when performed laparoscopically with conventional open surgery.Data from living donors who underwent donor right hepatectomy between January 2012 and December 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. The intraoperative and postoperative complication rates of the pure laparoscopic donor right hepatectomy (PLDRH) with MHV inclusion (PLDRHM) group were compared with the conventional open donor right hepatectomy with MHV inclusion (CDRHM) group and the PLDRH without MHV inclusion [PLDRHM(-)] group.Compared to the CDRHM group, the PLDRHM group had a longer bench time (P0.001) and higher Δ%, calculated as [(preoperative value - postoperative value)/preoperative value] × 100, of AST (P0.001), ALT (P0.001), and total bilirubin (P = 0.023), but shorter hospital stay (P = 0.004) and a lower rate of complications (P = 0.005). Compared to the PLDRHM(-) group, the PLDRHM group had fewer male donors (P0.001) and a lower body mass index (P0.001), estimated total liver volume (P0.001), and real graft weight (P0.001). Results of laboratory changes, hospital stays, and complication rates were similar between the 2 groups.PLDRH with the inclusion of the MHV in selected donors and recipients is feasible and safe when performed by surgeons experienced in laparoscopic surgery, with favorable complication rates compared to CDRHM and PLDRHM(-).

Backgrounds/aims To evaluate our initial experience of bridging role of trans-arterial radio-embolization (TARE) before major hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in risky patients with small expected remnant liver volume (ERLV). Methods We reviewed the data of patients with HCC who underwent major hepatectomy after TARE during the period between March and December 2017. Patients included had uni-lobar large HCC (＞5 cm) requiring major hepatectomy with small ERLV. Results Five patients were included in our study. All patients were Child Pugh class A. A single session of TARE was applied in all patients. None developed any adverse events related to irradiation. The mean tumor size at baseline was 8.4 cm and 6.1 cm after TARE (p=0.077). The mean % of tumor shrinkage was 24.5%. ERLV improved from 354.6 ml at baseline to 500.8 ml after TARE (p=0.012). ERLV percentage improved from 27.2% at baseline to 38.1% after TARE (p=0.004). The mean % of ERLV was 39.5%. The mean interval time between TARE and resection was 99.6 days. Four patients (80%) underwent right hemi-hepatectomy and one patient (20%) underwent extended right hemi-hepatectomy. The mean operation time was 151 minutes, and mean blood loss was 56 ml. The mean hospital stay was 13.8 days, and one patient (20%) developed postoperative morbidity. After a mean follow-up of 15 months, all patients were alive with no recurrence. Conclusions Yttrium-90 TARE can play a bridging role before major hepatectomy for borderline resectable HCC in risky patients with small ERLV.

Depending on a transplant center’s level of experience, utilization of pure laparoscopic donor right hepatectomy (PLDRH) may be limited due to graft size or anatomical variations. Here, we aimed to evaluate the influence of large hepatic grafts (≥ 1000 g) when performing PLDRH in both donors and recipients of such grafts. Medical records of living donors who underwent either PLDRH from November 2015 to August 2019 or open conventional donor right hepatectomy (CDRH) from January 2010 to August 2019 and those of the graft recipients were retrospectively reviewed. Donors were separated into three groups: PLDRH graft ≥ 1000 g (n = 10; study group), PLDRH graft < 1000 g (n = 280; control-I group), and CDRH graft ≥ 1000 g (n = 24; control-II group). Total operative duration (P = 0.017) and warm ischemia time (P < 0.001) were significantly longer in the study than in the control-I and control-II groups, respectively. ΔAlanine aminotransferase% was significantly lower in the study than in the control-I group (P = 0.001). There was no significant difference in minor complication incidence between the study and control-I (P = 0.068) and control-II (P = 0.618) donors. There were no major complications in the study and control-II donors, whereas six control-I donors (2.1%) experienced a major complication (P = 1.000). Length of hospitalization was significantly shorter in the study than in the control-II group (P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in early and late major complication incidence for recipients between the study and control-I and control-II groups. PLDRH for grafts weighing ≥ 1000 g appears to be safe and feasible when performed by experienced surgeons in a well-equipped center.

Background/Aims: Considering the high prevalence and mortality of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in Korea, accurate statistics for HCC are important. We evaluated the characteristics of Korean patients with newly diagnosed HCC. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated data from the Korean Primary Liver Cancer Registry (KPLCR). The baseline characteristics, treatment modalities, and overall survival (OS) of 4,572 patients with HCC registered in the KPLCR between 2012 and 2014 were investigated. Results: At the time of HCC diagnosis, the median age was 60.0 years, with male predominance (79.6%). Hepatitis B virus infection was the most common etiology (59.1%). The rates of Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stages 0, A, B, C, and D at diagnosis were 3.9%, 36.9%, 12.5%, 39.4%, and 7.3%, respectively. The proportion of very early or early stage HCC at diagnosis (BCLC stage 0 or A) in the 2012-2014 cohort was significantly lower than that in the 2008-2011 cohort (40.8% vs. 48.3%, P

Background Although autologous, cryopreserved, or artificial vascular grafts can be used as interpositional vascular substitutes for MHV reconstruction during LDLT, they are not always available, are limited in size and length, and are associated with risks of infection. This study aimed to evaluate the parietal peritoneum as a novel substitute for middle hepatic vein (MHV) reconstruction during living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). Methods Prospectively collected data of 15 patients who underwent LDLT using the right liver with reconstruction of MHV using the recipients' own parietal peritoneum graft were retrospectively reviewed. Results The 1-, 2-, 3-, and 5-month patency rates were 57.1%, 57.1%, 57.1%, and 28.6%, respectively. Among the 15 cases assessed, the most recent 6 cases showed patent graft flow until discharge with 1-, 2-, 3-, and 5-month patency rates of 80.0%, 80.0%, 80.0%, and 20.0%, respectively. All patients survived with tolerable liver function tests. There were no significant congestion-related problems, except for 1 patient who experienced MHV thrombosis requiring aspiration thrombectomy and stent insertion. There were no infection-related complications. All patients survived to the final follow-up, with a minimum follow-up duration of 8 months. When comparing the latter 6 cases of peritoneal grafts and the recent 28 cases of conventional polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE) graft, the overall patency rate of the PTFE group was higher (P = 0.002). There were no major differences other than long-term patency rate. Conclusions Parietal peritoneum may be a novel autologous substitute for MHV reconstruction during LDLT.

Donor safety and cosmetic outcome are the main concerns raised by most living-donors. Pure laparoscopic living-donor hepatectomy (PLLDH) can provide the balance between those concerns. No studies evaluated the donors’ satisfaction after PLLDH. The aim of this study is to evaluate the donors’ satisfaction after PLLDH compared with donors who underwent open approach. We randomly assigned a questionnaire (Donor satisfaction questionnaire) to the donors, operated between 2011 and 2017, during their follow-up visits in the outpatient clinic. Donors who responded to the questionnaire were included in our study. Donors were divided into 3 groups: L group (conventional inverted L incision), M group (midline incision), and PL group (laparoscopic approach). 149 donors were included in our study. L group included 60 donors (40.3%), M group included 39 patients (26.2%), and PL group included 50 patients (33.5%). There were no significant differences between the groups regarding preoperative and perioperative outcomes apart from shorter operation time in PL group and higher wound infection in M group. Body image scale was significantly better in PL group (p = 0.001). Cosmetic scale was significantly higher in PL group (p = 0.001). Regarding self-confidence scale, it was significantly higher in PL group (p = 0.001). There was no significant difference between the groups regarding the sense of dullness or numbness on the scar (p = 0.113). PLLDH is safe and feasible for living-donor hepatectomy. Donors operated by pure laparoscopic approach have better satisfaction scores compared to conventional open approach.

Backgrounds/Aims: Backgrounds/Aims: In Korea, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most common cancer and results in the second-highest cancer death rate among all cancers. We aimed to describe the characteristics of patients who were newly diagnosed with HCC in Korea between 2008 and 2011. Methods: The Korean Primary Liver Cancer Registry (KPLCR) is a random sample consisting of approximately 15% of patients with newly diagnosed primary liver cancer registered in the Korean Central Cancer Registry. We investigated the baseline characteristics, treatment modalities, and overall survival (OS) of patients with HCC registered in the KPLCR between 2008 and 2011. Results: A total of 6,083 patients were histologically or radiologically diagnosed with HCC. The hepatitis B virus was the predominant HCC etiology (72.0%). According to the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) staging system, stages 0, A, B, C, and D accounted for 8.6%, 39.7%, 11.5%, 33.8%, and 6.9%, respectively. Transarterial therapy (41.7%) was the most commonly performed initial treatment, followed by best supportive care (21.7%), surgical resection (16.7%), and local ablation therapies (10.6%). The overall rate of adherence to the BCLC treatment guideline was only 37.7%. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS rates were 65.6%, 46.2%, and 36.8%, respectively. Conclusions: Between 2008 and 2011, approximately half of patients with HCC (48.3%) were candidates for curative treatment (BCLC stage 0 or A), but one-third of patients (33.8%) had advanced HCC (BCLC stage C). Transarterial therapy was the most commonly conducted initial treatment and the 5-year OS rate was 36.8% in this period. (J Liver Cancer 2020;20:41-52)

Backgrounds/aims As the development of surgical video recording technologies, educational videos have become widely utilized for trainee education. However, the current forms of surgical video are limited because they do not show all the roles of the participants. Aim of this study is to make optimal training material about living donor liver transplantation for residents and fellows using wearable recording system. Methods Three video clips about procedure of liver transplantation were made. A head mount was used to fix the camera on the surgeon or assistant's head. Anastomosis of vessels, bench operation and trocar insertion for laparoscopic donor hepatectomy were recorded. Each video clips were edited including indicators, subtitles, and narration. The edited videos were shown to 20 General Surgery trainees (18 residents, 2 fellows) and we received feedback. The results of the questionnaire were quantitatively analyzed to show how efficient and informative it is compared to existing educational materials. Results Sixteen of the 20 trainees (80%) responded that this video helped them improve their surgical skills. Eighteen trainees (90%) responded that they gained new knowledge through this video. Sixteen trainees (80%) responded that the action camera image material was more educational than existing text-based and video-based materials, with an average score of 8.5 and 6.5 (action camera materials vs. text-based materials, respectively). Conclusions A head-mounted action camera video recording system is a good model for making high-quality educational video modules and can be a useful teaching tool for living donor liver transplantation.

Background Combined hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma (cHCC-CC) is commonly diagnosed as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) preoperatively. Therefore, unexpected recurrence occurs in some patients after liver transplantation (LT). The aim of this study was to identify the risk factors of recurrence. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the data of 20 patients who underwent LT for cHCC-CC from January 2005 to December 2015. Results Of the 20 patients, 11 (55%) had concurrent HCC and 10 (50%) had multiple cHCC-CCs. Before LT, 13 patients had undergone transarterial chemoembolization (TACE, n = 9), radiofrequency ablation, and TACE (n = 3) or surgical resection (n = 1). Four of the patients (20%) had the classical type, whereas 16 (80%) had subtypes with stem cell features. Six of the 16 patients (37.5%) with subtypes with stem cell features and 3 of the 4 patients (75%) with the classical type showed recurrence after LT. In multivariate analysis, the classical type was significantly associated with poorer recurrence-free survival (RFS) (hazard ratio [HR]: 8.65, confidence interval [CI]: 1.25–60.05, P = .03) and poorer overall survival (HR: 8.89, CI: 1.37–57.84, P = .02). Spontaneous tumor necrosis also showed significance on RFS (P = .03) among 11 patients with nontreated lesions. Conclusion In cHCC-CC, the classical type and spontaneous tumor necrosis were associated with recurrence. If these risk factors are found after LT, short-interval follow-up and strategies such as chemotherapy and/or use of mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors to prevent recurrence are needed.

p21-activated kinase 4 (PAK4), an oncogenic protein, has emerged as a promising target for anticancer drug development. Its role in oxidative stress conditions, however, remains elusive. We investigated the effects of PAK4 signaling on hepatic ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury.Hepatocyte- and myeloid-specific Pak4 knockout (KO) mice and their littermate controls were subjected to a partial hepatic I/R (HIR) injury. We manipulated the catalytic activity of PAK4, either through genetic engineering (gene knockout, overexpression of wild-type [WT] or dominant-negative kinase) or pharmacological inhibitor, coupled with a readout of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) activity, to test the potential function of PAK4 on HIR injury. PAK4 expression was markedly up-regulated in liver during HIR injury in mice and humans. Deletion of PAK4 in hepatocytes, but not in myeloid cells, ameliorated liver damages, as demonstrated in the decrease in hepatocellular necrosis and inflammatory responses. Conversely, the forced expression of WT PAK4 aggravated the pathological changes. PAK4 directly phosphorylated Nrf2 at T369, and it led to its nuclear export and proteasomal degradation, all of which impaired antioxidant responses in hepatocytes. Nrf2 silencing in liver abolished the protective effects of PAK4 deficiency. A PAK4 inhibitor protected mice from HIR injury.PAK4 phosphorylates Nrf2 and suppresses its transcriptional activity. Genetic or pharmacological suppression of PAK4 alleviates HIR injury. Thus, PAK4 inhibition may represent a promising intervention against I/R-induced liver injury.

Although the main action of human hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) of neutralizing the hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg) in the serum is known, HBIG is known to be localized in the cell. However, the effect of intracellularly located HBIG is not well elucidated due to the low purity of conventional plasma-derived HBIG (cHBIG). We attempted to clarify the mechanism of action of internalized HBIG using recombinant HBIG (lenvervimab). We used HBsAg cell lines, non-HBsAg cell lines and human HBsAg-producing hepatocytes. Autophagosome lysis pathway related proteins and Rab5, calnexin, giantin, and Rab7 were used to localize HBsAg and anti-HBs-IgG in the cytoplasm with Western blot and confocal microscopy.Intracellular anti-HBs-IgG (lenvervimab and cHBIG) transported by Fc receptor-mediated endocytosis increased the autophagosomes, but there was no change in autolysis. HBsAg and anti-HBs-IgG precipitated in the cytoplasm and co-localized in the multivesicular body. HBsAg secretion in the culture medium was decreased after lenvervimab. Simultaneously, the amount of cellular HBsAg increased in the cell lines but decreased in the human hepatocytes. Furthermore, intracellular lenvervimab was not easily washed out only in the HBsAg cell lines.Lenvervimab decreases the secretion of HBsAg, and HBsAg-antibody precipitation in the multivesicular body might play an important role.

The aim of this study was to compare surgical outcomes after liver resection for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) according to tumor size using a large, nationwide cancer registry-based cohort and propensity score matching.From 2008 to 2015, a total of 12,139 patients were diagnosed with liver cancer and registered in the Korean Primary Liver Cancer Registry. Patients without distant metastasis who underwent hepatectomy as a primary treatment were selected. We performed 1:1 propensity score matching between the small (5 cm), large (≥5 cm and10 cm), and huge (≥10 cm) groups.Overall, 265 patients in the small and large groups were compared, and 64 patients each in the large and huge groups were compared. The overall and progression-free survival rates were significantly lower in the large group than in the small group (P0.001 and P0.001, respectively). Overall survival tended to be poorer in the huge group than in the large group (P = 0.051). The progression-free survival rate was significantly lower in the huge group than in the large group (P = 0.002).Although primary liver resection can be considered even in patients with huge HCC, greater caution with careful screening for recurrence is needed.

Background: Post-reperfusion syndrome (PRS) results in sudden hemodynamic instability following graft reperfusion. Although PRS is known to influence outcomes following liver transplantation, little is known regarding the effects of anesthetics on PRS. This study investigated the association between the type of anesthetic agent and PRS in liver transplantation. Methods: This single-center retrospective cohort study included patients who underwent liver transplantation between June 2016 and December 2019. Patients were divided into sevoflurane and propofol groups according to the anesthetic agent used. Stabilized inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) analysis was performed to investigate the association between PRS identified based on blood pressure recordings and the type of anesthesia. Associations between the anesthetic agent and the duration of hypotension as well as early postoperative outcomes were also investigated.Results: Data were analyzed for 398 patients, 304 (76.4%) and 94 (23.6%) of whom were anesthetized with propofol and sevoflurane, respectively. PRS developed in 40.7% of the 398 patients. Following stabilized IPTW analysis, the association with PRS was lower in the sevoflurane group than in the propofol group (odds ratio, 0.47; P = 0.018). However, there was no association between the type of anesthetic used and early postoperative outcomes. Conclusions: The association of PRS was lower in the sevoflurane group than in the propofol group. However, there was no association between the type of anesthetic and the early postoperative outcomes. Further studies are required to determine the optimal anesthetic for liver transplantation.

Simple Summary The effectiveness of surgical resection and radiofrequency ablation in early hepatocellular carcinoma is still controversial because previous studies show conflicting results. In addition, previous studies did not consider the antiviral treatment-related factors, even though there is now robust evidence that antiviral therapy is crucial for determining the prognosis of patients with chronic hepatitis B-related liver cancer. After adjusting for the antiviral treatment, we demonstrated that radiofrequency ablation may provide comparable overall survival to resection in the treatment of very early or early hepatocellular carcinoma, although recurrence-free survival is marginally shorter than in the resection group. Abstract It remains controversial whether surgical resection, compared to radiofrequency ablation (RFA), improves overall survival (OS) in patients with early hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study aimed to compare OS after RFA with that after resection for HCC. This retrospective study included patients who underwent RFA or surgical resection as initial treatment for hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related HCC at a very early or early stage. A total of 761 patients (RFA, n = 194; resection, n = 567) from Seoul National University Hospital (Seoul, South Korea) and 1277 patients (RFA, n = 352; resection, n = 925) from the Korean Primary Liver Cancer Registry were included in the hospital and nationwide cohorts, respectively. Primary and secondary endpoints were OS and recurrence-free survival (RFS), respectively. Additional analysis was performed when the history of the antiviral treatment and the type of prescribed nucleos(t)ide analogue were confirmed. The rate of complications was compared between the two treatment groups in the hospital cohort. Baseline characteristics were balanced, using inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW). In the hospital cohort, the RFA group had a smaller mean tumor size (1.7 vs. 3.9 cm) but a higher proportion of cirrhotic patients than the resection group (85.6% vs. 63.1%) (both p < 0.01). During 81.0 (interquartile range, 62.3–107.1) months of follow-up, there was no difference in OS (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) = 0.870, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.400–1.897, p = 0.73) and RFA was associated with shorter RFS (aHR = 1.562, 95% CI = 1.099–2.219, p = 0.01) after employing IPTW. Antiviral treatment was independently associated with longer OS (aHR = 0.444, 95% CI = 0.251–0.786, p = 0.01) as well as RFS (aHR = 0.544, 95% CI = 0.391–0.757, p < 0.01) in the hospital cohort. In the nationwide cohort, there was no difference in OS (aHR = 0.981, 95% CI = 0.661–1.456, p = 0.92) between the two treatment groups when adjusted for antiviral treatment, which was a negative independent risk factor for mortality (aHR = 0.655, 95% CI = 0.451–0.952, p = 0.03) after IPTW. Among patients treated with tenofovir (n = 96) or entecavir (n = 184) in the hospital cohort, there was no difference in either OS (aHR = 0.522, 95% CI = 0.058–4.724, p = 0.56) or RFS (aHR = 1.116, 95% CI = 0.738–1.688, p = 0.60). The overall incidence of complications was higher in the resection group (26.3%) than in the RFA group (13.9%) (p < 0.01). RFA may provide comparable OS to resection in the treatment of very early or early HCC with a lower rate of complications, although RFS is marginally shorter than in the resection group after adjusting for antiviral treatment. Regardless of the type of NA, antiviral treatment in patients with HBV-related HCC is strongly associated with both OS and RFS.

Background: Liver transplantation (LT) is considered a contraindication in patients with a history of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) rupture because ruptured HCCs are classified as T4 in the current American Joint Committee on Cancer TNM system. This study aimed to assess living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) in these patients and elucidate the factors that may have affected their outcomes.Methods: Data of patients with a history of ruptured HCC who underwent LDLT between January 1999 and December 2019 were retrospectively reviewed.Results: Among 789 patients who underwent LDLT for HCC, five (0.64%) had a history of HCC rupture. Three patients (60%) were treated with transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) or transarterial embolization (TAE) for hemostasis, and two patients (40%) achieved spontaneous hemostasis. One of two patients who achieved spontaneous hemostasis underwent surgical resection and LT at 1 week and 6 years after the rupture, respectively. The other patient underwent LT 2 days after the rupture. Four patients (80%) survived for >5 years, while two patients (40%) experienced recurrence and succumbed during the median follow-up duration of 85.3 months (range, 12.4–182.7). The recurrence first developed at 4.3 and 17.0 months after LT; these patients were managed well using surgical resection for peritoneal seeding and TACE for intrahepatic HCC.Conclusion: LDLT can be considered a treatment method even in patients with a history of HCC rupture after full evaluation of tumor biology and risk of recurrence.

Graphical Abstract

Factors of early and late recurrence after curative resection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) may be different. The aim of this study was to identify clinical factors, including liver stiffness measurement (LSM), which are associated with HCC recurrence after curative resection.Patients who underwent preoperative LSM and primary curative resection for HCC between October 2015 and May 2018 were retrospectively reviewed, with 1 year as the cut-off between early and late recurrence.Recurrence was observed in 42/149 (28.2%) patients over a median follow-up of 38.3 months (early recurrence: 10 [6.7%] patients; late recurrence: 32 [21.5%] patients). Multivariate analysis identified LSM (P = 0.026) and tumor size (P = 0.010) as the only factors that were significantly associated with recurrence-free survival. Compared with patients without recurrence, those with early recurrence had larger tumor size (P = 0.035) and those with late recurrence had higher LSM (P = 0.024). Receiver-operating characteristic analysis indicated that the optimal LSM cut-off value for predicting HCC recurrence was 7.4 kPa.Tumor size was associated with early HCC recurrence after curative resection and LSM was associated with late recurrence. LSM cut-off of 7.4 kPa is recommended in predicting recurrence.

This report describes a purely laparoscopic/robotic technique for successful living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). Purely laparoscopic explant hepatectomy followed by purely laparoscopic and robotic graft implantation can be performed in LDLT.

BACKGROUND: Donors positive for hepatitis B core antibody (HBcAb) are an important source of organs in hepatitis B virus (HBV) endemic areas despite the risk of occult infection. We analyzed the long-term outcomes of hepatitis B immunoglobulin in de novo HBV prevention following liver transplantation (LT) using HBcAb-positive grafts. METHODS: The prospectively collected data from 2,201 recipients at Seoul National University Hospital (SNUH) and Seoul National University Boramae Medical Center between 1988 and 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. A total of 1,458 patients were enrolled. Of the 1,458, 478 (32.8%) grafts were core-positive, 152 (10.4%) of which belonged to HBV surface antigen-negative recipients. During the anhepatic phase, hepatitis B immunoglobulin 4,000 IU was administered intravenously and daily until postoperative day 3. RESULTS: The 152 patients with hepatitis B surface antigen-negative received HBcAb-positive graft. De novo HBV developed in 21 (13.8%) of these recipients. De novo HBV occurred in 1, 11, 0, and 9 of the 4 HBcAb- and hepatitis b surface antibody (anti-HB)-negative, 49 HBcAb-negative and anti-HB-positive, 1 HBcAb-positive and anti-HB-negative, and 98 HBcAb- and anti-HB-positive recipients, respectively. Patients with higher Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD) score (23.8±8.7 vs. 19.5±9.2) or HBcAb-negative recipients (22.6% vs. 9.1%) had a higher risk of de novo infection. The median follow-up and serum HBV surface antigen-positivity detection time was 69 and 18 months, respectively. The median HBV surface antibody titer was 65.0 IU/L at de novo infection. Nineteen patients of 21 were treated with nucleoside analogs (NAs), and seven of 19 achieved seroconversion. No patient died of de novo HBV infection. CONCLUSIONS: With close monitoring of viral serum markers and appropriate initiation of NAs, de novo HBV infection can be prevented and treated appropriately with the hepatitis B immunoglobulin monoprophylaxis protocol.

Minimally invasive approaches are increasingly being applied in surgeries and have recently been used in living donor hepatectomy. We have developed a safe and reproducible method for minimally invasive living donor liver transplantation, which consists of pure laparoscopic explant hepatectomy and pure laparoscopic implantation of the graft, which was inserted through a suprapubic incision. Pure laparoscopic explant hepatectomy without liver fragmentation was performed in a 60-year-old man with alcoholic liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The explanted liver was retrieved through a suprapubic incision. A modified right liver graft, procured from his 24-year-old son using the pure laparoscopic method, was inserted through a suprapubic incision, and implantation was performed intracorporeally throughout the procedure. The time required to remove the liver was 369 minutes, and the total operative time was 960 min. No complications occurred during or after the surgery. The patient recovered well, and his hospital stay was of 11 days. Pure laparoscopic living donor liver transplantation from explant hepatectomy to implantation was performed successfully. It is a feasible procedure when performed by a highly experienced surgeon and transplantation team. Further studies with larger sample sizes are needed to confirm its safety and feasibility.

This study aimed to create a tailored prediction model of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)-specific survival after transplantation based on pre-transplant parameters. Data collected from June 2006 to July 2018 were used as a derivation dataset and analyzed to create an HCC-specific survival prediction model by combining significant risk factors. Separate data were collected from January 2014 to June 2018 for validation. The prediction model was validated internally and externally. The data were divided into three groups based on risk scores derived from the hazard ratio. A combination of patient demographic, laboratory, radiological data, and tumor-specific characteristics that showed a good prediction of HCC-specific death at a specific time (t) were chosen. Internal and external validations with Uno’s C-index were 0.79 and 0.75 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.65–0.86), respectively. The predicted survival after liver transplantation for HCC (SALT) at a time “t” was calculated using the formula: [1 − (HCC-specific death(t’))] × 100. The 5-year HCC-specific death and recurrence rates in the low-risk group were 2% and 5%, the intermediate-risk group was 12% and 14%, and in the high-risk group were 71% and 82%. Our HCC-specific survival predictor named “SALT calculator” could provide accurate information about expected survival tailored for patients undergoing transplantation for HCC.

BACKGROUND: Minimally invasive surgery has been widely used for hepatobiliary operations. This study aimed to determine the safety and feasibility of pure laparoscopic living donor right hepatectomy. METHODS: From November 2015 to April 2019, 300 cases of adult pure laparoscopic living donor right hepatectomy performed at Seoul National University Hospital were divided into three subgroups of periods 1–3 of 100 cases each: 1–100, 101–200, and 201–300, respectively. We retrospectively reviewed and analysed the safety and feasibility outcomes. RESULTS: The operative time (period 1: 318.9±62.2 min, period 2: 256.7±71.4 min, period 3: 227.7±57.4 min) and blood loss (period 1: 419.7±196.5 mL, period 2: 198.9±197.2 mL, period 3: 166.0±130.0 mL) gradually decreased (P

BACKGROUND Despite liver transplantation (LT) being the standard treatment for pediatric end-stage liver disease, complications often persist and can adversely affect the post-transplant outcomes. This study aimed to identify the risk factors affecting the outcomes in pediatric LT patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS Data from pediatric patients who underwent primary LT from March 1988 to December 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. Chronic liver disease was defined as an explanted liver showing fibrosis regardless of grade, cirrhosis, or any other underlying disease that may cause progressive liver injury leading to fibrosis or cirrhosis. RESULTS A total of 255 pediatric patients underwent LT during the study period. Their 1-, 5-, and 10-year overall survival rates were 90.5%, 88.4%, and 87.8%, respectively. According to multivariate analysis, while liver disease without underlying chronic liver disease (P=0.024) and a pediatric end-stage liver disease (PELD) score ≥30 (P=0.036) were the only factors associated with worse survival, body weight

BackgroundTherapeutic strategies and good prognostic factors are important for patients with single large hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This retrospective study aimed to identify the prognostic factors in patients with single large HCC with good performance status and Child-Pugh A cirrhosis using a large national cancer registry database and to recommend therapeutic strategies.MethodsAmong 12139 HCC patients registered at the Korean Primary Liver Cancer Registry between 2008 and 2015, single large (≥ 5 cm) HCC patients with Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status 0 and Child-Pugh score A were selected.ResultsOverall, 466 patients were analyzed. The 1-,2-,3-, and 5-year survival rates after initial treatment were 84.9%, 71.0%, 60.1%, and 51.6%, respectively, and progression-free survival rates were 43.6%, 33.0%, 29.0%, and 26.8%, respectively. Platelet count 9/L (P < 0.001), sodium level < 135 mmol/L (P = 0.002), maximum tumor diameter ≥ 10 cm (P = 0.001), and treatment other than resection (transarterial therapy vs. resection: P < 0.001, others vs. resection: P = 0.002) were significantly associated with poorer overall survival; sodium < 135 mmol/L (P = 0.015), maximum tumor diameter ≥ 10 cm (P < 0.001), and treatment other than resection (transarterial therapy vs. resection: P < 0.001, others vs. resection: P = 0.001) were independently associated with poorer progression-free survival.ConclusionResection as an initial treatment should be considered when possible, even in patients with single large HCC with good performance status and mild cirrhosis. Caution should be exercised in patients with low platelet level (< 100 × 109/L), low serum sodium level (< 135 mmol/L), and maximum tumor diameter ≥ 10 cm.

The feasibility and safety of laparoscopic left lateral sectionectomy were reported in previous studies.(1) With the increasing need for a minimally invasive approach, single-port laparoscopic hepatectomy is performed by some experienced liver surgeons with advanced techniques.(2-4) We demonstrated our experience of single incision laparoscopic multiple liver resection in this video.

Background: Large-for-size syndrome caused by organ size mismatch increases the risk of abdominal compartment syndrome. Massive transfusion and portal vein clamping during liver transplantation may cause abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS) related to mesenteric congestion. In general pediatric surgery—such as correcting gastroschisis—abdominal wall reconstruction for the reparation of defects using expanded polytetrafluoroethylene is an established method. The purpose of this study is to describe the ePTFE-Gore-Tex closure method in patients with or at a high risk of ACS among pediatric liver transplant patients and to investigate the long-term prognosis and outcomes. Methods: From March 1988 to March 2018, 253 pediatric liver transplantation were performed in Seoul National University Hospital. We retrospectively reviewed the cases that underwent abdominal wall reconstruction with ePTFE during liver transplantation. Results: A total of 15 cases underwent abdominal closure with ePTFE-GoreTex graft. We usually used a 2 mm × 10 cm × 15 cm sized Gore-Tex graft for extending the abdominal cavity. The median follow up was 59.5 (17–128.7) months and there were no cases of ACS after transplantation. There were no infectious complications related to ePTFE implantation. The patient and graft survival rate during the study period was 93.3% (14/15). Conclusions: Abdominal wall reconstruction using ePTFE is feasible and could be an alternative option for patients with a high risk of ACS.

Introduction Minimally invasive approaches have increasingly been applied in surgeries and have even recently been used in live donor hepatectomy. We have developed a safe and reproducible method for minimally invasive living donor liver transplantation (LDLT), which consists of pure laparoscopic explant hepatectomy and graft implantation using an upper midline incision. Methods From March 2020 to June 2020, minimally invasive LDLT was attempted in five patients. Explant hepatectomy was performed using the pure laparoscopic method, and graft implantation was performed using an upper midline incision. Results The procedure was completed in three of the five patients. The first two patients required open conversion due to bleeding. In the three successful procedures, the time required to remove the liver was 285, 180, and 166 minutes, respectively, and the total operative time was 640, 575, and 499 minutes, respectively. All patients recovered well, and the duration of hospital stay was 30, 26, and 15 days, respectively. Conclusions According to the data of the present study, minimally invasive LDLT in properly selected recipients is a feasible and safe procedure when performed by a highly experienced surgeon and transplantation team. Further studies with larger series are needed to confirm the safety and feasibility.

Backgrounds/aims From June of 2016, the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD)-based allocation system replaced the Child- Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) score-based system for organ allocation liver in Korea. The aim of this study was to analyze changes in outcomes and arising issues before and after the implementation of the MELD system. Methods From June 2014 to June 2018, 129 patients were selected from recipients who underwent deceased donor liver transplantation (DDLT) in Seoul National University Hospital. Pediatric cases were excluded. According to the allocation system, patients were divided into two groups (52 in the MELD group and 77 in the CTP group). Results MELD scores of the two groups differed significantly (37.8 ± 2.0 in the MELD group vs. 31.0 ± 8.2 in the CTP group; p = 0.001). The etiology of patients was changed for liver transplantation. The proportion of alcoholic liver cirrhosis increased in the era of the MELD allocation system. However, proportions of hepatitis B related liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma were decreased. Six-month mortality rate of the MELD group was 25.0%, which was higher than that (11.7%) of the CTP group (p = 0.022). The 90-day complication rate was significantly higher in the MELD group than in the CTP group (11.5% vs. 2.6%; p = 0.040). Conclusions When the MELD allocation system was used to distribute livers to severely ill patients, it resulted in poorer outcomes after surgery and higher proportion of alcoholic cirrhosis. Thus, it is necessary to adjust the MELD allocation system so that outcomes after DDLT could be improved.

Background Rituximab (RTx) desensitization protocol offered good outcome in ABO-incompatible (ABOi) living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). However, diffuse intrahepatic biliary stricture (DIHBS) is still inevitable hurdle. We selectively added postoperative high dose intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) and/or simultaneous splenectomy if ABO isoagglutinin titer just before liver transplantation after plasma exchange (PE) was higher than 1/16. Herein, we reported the excellent outcome of ABOi LDLT without DIHBS using tailored desensitization protocol and compared it with that of ABO-compatible (ABOc) LDLT. Methods Sixty-five cases (14.8%) of ABOi LDLTs were performed among 438 primary adult LDLTs in our center between March 2012 and June 2017. We performed 1-to-2 propensity score matching (PSM) to extract 60 cases of ABOi LDLTs and 120 cases of ABOc LDLTs. Results There were no significant differences in clinical characteristics between ABOi and ABOc recipients. There were no significant differences in complications and rejection. There was no DIHBS in both groups. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival rates were 98.3%, 86.7%, and 82.9% in ABOi group and 96.7%, 86.7%, and 85.4% in ABOc group, respectively (P=0.88). Most common cause of deaths of both groups was hepatocellular recurrence. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year biliary complication (anastomosis leakage or stricture) free survival rates were 81.4%, 69.5%, and 67.5% in ABOi group and 83.0%, 81.3%, and 80.0% in ABOc group, with no significant differences (P=0.11). Conclusions RTx-based tailored (optional IVIG + splenectomy) desensitization protocol for ABOi LDLT was feasible and acceptable.

Tolerance induction remains challenging following liver transplantation and the long-term use of immunosuppressants, especially calcineurin inhibitors, leads to serious complications. We aimed to test an alternative immunosuppressant, a chimeric anti-ICAM-1 monoclonal antibody, MD-3, for improving the outcomes of liver transplantation. We used a rhesus macaque liver transplantation model and monkeys were divided into three groups: no immunosuppression (n = 2), conventional immunosuppression (n = 4), and MD-3 (n = 5). Without immunosuppression, liver allografts failed within a week by acute rejection. Sixteen-week-long conventional immunosuppression that consisted of prednisolone, tacrolimus, and an mTOR inhibitor prolonged liver allograft survival; however, recipients died of acute T cell-mediated rejection (day 52), chronic rejection (days 62 and 66), or adverse effects of mTOR inhibitor (day 32). In contrast, 12-week-long MD-3 therapy with transient conventional immunosuppression in the MD-3 group significantly prolonged the survival of liver allograft recipients (5, 96, 216, 412, 730 days; p = .0483). MD-3 effectively suppressed intragraft inflammatory cell infiltration, anti-donor T cell responses, and donor-specific antibody with intact anti-cytomegalovirus antibody responses. However, this regimen ended in chronic rejection. In conclusion, short-term therapy with MD-3 markedly improved liver allograft survival to 2 years without maintenance of immunosuppressant. MD-3 is therefore a promising immune-modulating agent for liver transplantation.