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In living-donor liver transplantation, graft selection is especially important for the safety of the live donor and an acceptable outcome for the recipient. The essential medical requirements for living liver donation at Jikei University Hospital are as follows: an adult aged 65 years or younger, in good general condition, with partial liver volume of more than 35% of the standard liver volume (SLV) for the recipient, and without severe liver steatosis. Based on our criteria, we performed 13 living-donor liver transplantations between 2007 and 2013, including 1 retransplantation. Three cases were outside our standard donor criteria, including age (18 and 66 years) and 33% graft volume (GV) to SLV ratio for the recipient on preoperative volumetry using computed tomography. In 2 cases, the actual GV to SLV ratio at transplantation was less than 35%. Median postoperative hospital stay was 11 days for the donors, and 29 days for the recipients. All donors returned to their preoperative status, and all recipients were discharged in good condition. Our medical requirements for living liver donation seem to be acceptable because of the good outcome.

Introduction Radiation therapy, alone or in combination with chemotherapy, is effective for patients with locally advanced and recurrent pancreatic cancer. Ionizing radiation induces cell cycle arrest and cell apoptosis through enhancement several signals such as p53, p21 Waf1/Cip1 , and caspase. However, the therapeutic efficacy is attenuated by radiation-induced activation of NF-κB. Nafamostat mesilate, a synthetic serine protease inhibitor, inhibits NF-κB activation in pancreatic cancer. Therefore, we hypothesized that nafamostat mesilate inhibited radiation-induced activation of NF-κB and improves therapeutic outcome. Results In combination group, NF-κB activation was significantly inhibited in comparison with that of radiation group. Nafamostat mesilate obviously down-regulated the expression levels of Mdm2 compared with control cells or irradiated cells. Consequently, p53 expression was stabilized inversely in correlation with Mdm2 protein expression level. The expression levels of p53, p21 Waf1/Cip1 , cleaved caspase-3 and -8 were the highest in the combination group. Nafamostat mesilate enhanced ionizing radiation-induced cell apoptosis and G2/M cell cycle arrest. In combination group, cell proliferation and tumor growth were significantly slower than those in other groups. Conclusion Combination therapy of radiation with nafamostat mesilate exerts enhanced anti-tumor effect against human pancreatic cancer.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) recurrence after liver transplantation decreases survival rates. Improved understanding of the multiple factors influencing HCV recurrence could aid decision-making for donor-recipient pairing and maximize transplant outcomes. The aim of this study was to create a model based on pretransplant variables to stratify patients at risk of HCV-related allograft failure.This retrospective study enrolled 154 liver transplant recipients with HCV at Cleveland Clinic.Among the study population, 54 recipients (35.1%) experienced HCV recurrence, histologically defined as moderate to severe hepatitis and/or bridging fibrosis to cirrhosis. The multivariate analysis found donor age (≥60 years, P 0.002), donor body mass index (≥30 kg/mWhile the introduction of direct-acting antiviral agents has been changing the paradigm of HCV treatment, the natural history of recipients with HCV as shown in this study would help estimate the risk of HCV-related allograft failure in those who do not tolerate such new treatment.

The perioperative immunological response predicts long-term outcomes after resection for malignant tumors. The aim of the study was to evaluate the significance of perioperative change in the peripheral blood monocyte count regarding therapeutic outcome after pancreaticoduodenectomy for bile duct cancer.The study comprised of 51 patients who had undergone pancreaticoduodenectomy for bile duct cancer between January 2000 and December 2012. We retrospectively investigated the relation between perioperative change in peripheral blood monocyte count and disease-free as well as overall survival.In multivariate analysis, advanced TNM stage, and decrease in monocyte count on postoperative day 1 in comparison with those before surgery were independent and significant predictors of poor disease-free survival and overall survival (p=0.014 and 0.004, and 0.010 and 0.006, respectively).Perioperative change in peripheral blood monocyte count is an independent and significant indicator of therapeutic outcome after pancreaticoduodenectomy in patients with bile duct cancer.

Patients with obstructive jaundice due to cancer of the pancreatic head often undergo preoperative endoscopic biliary drainage (EBD). The aim of the study was to evaluate the long-term impact of preoperative EBD following pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.We studied 106 patients who underwent PD for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma between May 2000 and November 2013 at the Jikei University Hospital. We retrospectively examined perioperative findings as predictors of prognosis and the relationship between preoperative EBD and recurrence rate as well as overall survival.In univariate analysis, significant factors associated with poor disease-free survival consisted of the presence of EBD (p=0.0213), poor tumor differentiation (p=0.0023) and tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) classification IV (p=0.0027), while significant factors associated with poor overall survival consisted of the presence of EBD (p=0.0047), poor tumor differentiation (p0.0001), TNM classification IV (p=0.0031) and microscopic or macroscopic residual tumor (p=0.0184). In multivariate analysis, poor tumor differentiation (p=0.0033) and TNM classification IV (p=0.0020) were independent factors for poor disease-free survival, while the presence of EBD (p=0.0435), poor tumor differentiation (p=0.0009), TNM classification IV (p=0.0447) and microscopic or macroscopic residual tumor (p=0.0184) were independent factors for poor overall survival.Preoperative EBD may have a negative impact on prognosis after PD for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

A 68-year-old man underwent total gastrectomy and splenectomy for adenocarcinoma and low anterior resection for carcinoma in tubulo-villous adenoma of the rectum. Broad-spectrum antibiotics were administered for postoperative pancreatic fistula. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus enteritis occurred on the 50th postoperative day and cecal perforation followed. The patient underwent construction of cecostomy with peritoneal drainage, and vancomycin was administered orally and per cecostomy for 2 weeks. The patient recovered well and was discharged at 35 days after re-operation in good general condition.

When gene therapy is performed for malignant tumors, gene transfer efficiency and selectivity are extremely important. The delivery of anticancer agents and embolic agents through tumor feeding artery is known as transarterial embolization. We speculated that genes might be efficiently and selectively transferred to hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) by degradable starch microspheres (DSM) as the embolic agent, which could be trapped within the tumor and release a gene vector. Therefore, we studied the use of DSM for adenovirus vector-mediated gene transfer to HCC in vivo.HCC was induced in rats with diethylnitrosamine and phenobarbital, after which either AxCALacZ and DSM or AxCALacZ alone was injected through the hepatic artery.Histological examination revealed that beta-galactosidase expression was greater (P0.001), and more selective (P0.001) in tumors after injection of AxCALacZ and DSM, than after injection of the vector alone.Injection of DSM together with an adenovirus vector through the hepatic artery can result in efficient and cancer-selective transfer of genes to HCC.

We report a patient who underwent laparoscopic enucleation for a nonfunctioning pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor. The patient was a 55-year-old man who had a 12- × 11-mm tumor close to the main pancreatic duct (MPD) in the pancreatic body. To avoid and detect injury to the main pancreatic duct during operation, a nasopancreatic drainage stent (NPDS) was endoscopically placed prior to the operation. According to the NPDS, the relation between the tumor and MPD was easily identified by laparoscopic ultrasonography during enucleation, thus enabling the resecting line to be determined. Moreover, after enucleation, pancreatography through the NPDS was able to clarify the absence of injury to the MPD. The NPDS was removed postoperatively, and the patient was discharged uneventfully on postoperative day 8. Preoperative placement of the NPDS seems to be a useful option for performing safe laparoscopic enucleation of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor, especially when the lesion is located close to the MPD.

A 46-year-old man underwent living-donor liver transplantation and splenectomy for primary biliary cirrhosis. On postoperative day 22, cloudiness of ascites increased, and triglyceride concentration in ascites was as high as 1046 mg/dL. With a diagnosis of chylous ascites, total parenteral nutrition was started. Nine days after starting total parenteral nutrition, cloudiness of ascites decreased, and triglycerides in ascites decreased to 93 mg/dL. Oral intake was restarted, and the patient was discharged on postoperative day 46. Chylous ascites is a rare complication after living-donor liver transplantation for which total parenteral nutrition may be useful.

A 58-year-old male visited his primary physician for epigastric and back pain. Abdominal-enhanced computed tomography (CT) revealed a hypovascular pancreatic tumor measuring 17 × 11 mm in the uncinate process of the pancreas extending into the superior mesenteric plexus for greater than 180°. With a diagnosis of unresectable pancreatic cancer, the patient received gemcitabine and TS-1 with arterial infusion of nafamostat mesilate. After 3 courses of chemotherapy, enhanced CT revealed a decrease in size of the pancreatic tumor with no lymph node and distant metastasis and improved invasion of the superior mesenteric plexus down to 120°. The patient underwent R0 pancreaticoduodenectomy. The patient made a satisfactory recovery without complications and was discharged on postoperative day 10. We herein report the first curative resected case of a primarily unresectable pancreatic cancer after neoadjuvant chemotherapy using gemcitabine, TS-1, and nafamostat mesilate.

Background Inflammation plays a crucial role in tumor growth, metastasis, and survival. The preoperative platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) has been reported as a significant prognostic indicators in several digestive malignancies. Our objective was to evaluate whether preoperative PLR is a prognostic index in resected pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Methods Data from 131 patients who underwent pancreatic resection for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma were available from a prospectively maintained database. The patients were divided into groups according to a preoperative PLR of Results In univariate and multivariate analyses, a preoperative PLR of ≥150 was a significant and independent risk factor for cancer recurrence and poor survival, respectively (disease-free survival [DFS]; P= .0014, P = .047; OS, P ≤ .01each). Similarly, lymph node metastasis, and moderate or poor differentiation were independent risk factors for cancer recurrence, whereas tumor diameter, positive surgical margin, and moderate or poor differentiation were independent risk factors for poor patient survival (P ≤ .05 each). Conclusion The preoperative PLR in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma was an independent predictor in DFS and overall survival after elective resection. Measurement of the PLR may help decision making in the postoperative management of patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Despite improvements in surgical techniques, instruments and perioperative management, postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) remains a serious complication after pancreaticoduodenectomy. The aim of the present study was to characterize a high-risk group for POPF after pancreaticoduodenectomy using perioperative clinical variables of patients.This retrospective study comprised of 247 patients who had undergone pancreaticoduodenectomy between May 2000 and May 2013. Perioperative risk factors pertinent to development of POPF were investigated using univariate and multivariate analyses.POPF developed in 43 out of 247 patients (17.4 %). In univariate analysis, male gender (p=0.005), higher postoperative serum amylase (p=0.025) and lower postoperative serum albumin (p=0.041) were significant risk factors for POPF. In multivariate analysis, male gender (p=0.008) and lower postoperative serum albumin (p=0.010) were found to be independent risk factors.Male gender and postoperative lower serum albumin were associated with the development of POPF after pancreaticoduodenectomy.

Primary cystic duct carcinoma is a rare condition, for which preoperative diagnosis is difficult. We herein report a case of early primary carcinoma of the cystic duct, which was diagnosed preoperatively using endoscopic ultrasonography and endocholangioscopy. A 76-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with epigastric pain and liver dysfunction. Endoscopic ultrasonography revealed a cystic duct tumor, in diameter of 2.2 cm, which extended to the common bile duct. Endocholangioscopy revealed a well movable papillary tumor at the origin of the cystic duct. The patient underwent cholecystectomy and excision of the extrahepatic bile duct and lymph node. Histological findings confirmed the diagnosis of early papillary adenocarcinoma of the cystic duct.

Systemic inflammation as evidenced by the Glasgow prognostic score (GPS) predicts cancer-specific survival in various types of cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the significance of GPS in therapeutic outcome after surgical resection of gallbladder cancer.The subjects were 51 patients who underwent surgical resection for gallbladder cancer. For the assessment of systemic inflammatory response using the GPS, patients were classified into three groups: patients with normal albumin (≥3.5 g/dl) and normal C-reactive protein (CRP) (≤1.0 mg/dl) as GPS 0 (n = 38), those with low albumin (3.5 g/dl) or elevated CRP (1.0 mg/dl) as GPS 1 (n = 8), and those with low albumin (3.5 g/dl) and elevated CRP (1.0 mg/dl) as GPS 2 (n = 5). We retrospectively investigated the relation between patient characteristics including GPS, and disease-free as well as overall survival.In disease-free survival, advanced tumor stage based on pathology (p = 0.006), positive lymph node metastasis (p = 0.001), and GPS 1 or 2 (p = 0.006) were independent predictors of cancer recurrence in multivariate analysis. In overall survival, positive lymph node metastasis (p = 0.002) and GPS 1 or 2 (p = 0.032) were independent predictors of poor patient outcome in multivariate analyses.The GPS in patients with gallbladder cancer is an independent prognostic predictor after surgical resection.

To date, gemcitabine-based or fluoropyrimidine-based regimens are recommended for unresectable advanced biliary tract cancer. Then, we conducted a phase I study of gemcitabine/cisplatin and S-1 that is an oral fluoropyrimidine. The aim of this study was to determine the dose-limiting toxicity (DLT), maximum-tolerated dose, and a recommended phase II dose of S-1. Response was assessed as a secondary endpoint.Patients who have been diagnosed with unresectable or postoperative recurrent biliary tract cancer received cisplatin (25 mg/m² i.v. for 120 min) followed by gemcitabine (1,000 mg/m² i.v. for 30 min) on days 1 and 8, and oral S-1 on alternate days; this regimen was repeated at 21-day intervals. A standard '3 + 3' phase I dose-escalation design was adopted. This study was registered with University hospital Medical Information Network (UMIN) Center in Japan, number UMIN000008415.Twelve patients were evaluable in this study. No patients developed DLTs. Recommended dose of S-1 was 80 (1.25 m²), 100 (1.25 ≤ 1.5 m²), and 120 mg (1.5 m²≥) per day. One patient could achieve conversion to curative surgery.This phase I study was performed safely and demonstrated encouraging response.

Secondary malignancies are one of the late complications observed in long-term survivors of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). However, reports on secondary non-hematopoietic solid tumors derived from donor cells is extremely rare. We herein report a successfully-treated case of advanced bile duct cancer of donor-origin after allogeneic HSCT. A 44-year-old man was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. When he achieved the third complete response, allogeneic hematopoietic stem cells of one-mismatch female donor were transplanted at the age of 50 years. Post-transplant acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease was treated by increased immunosuppression. At the age of 59, the patient was diagnosed with lower bile duct cancer and underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy with lymph node dissection. Pathological findings revealed a well-differentiated adenocarcinoma of the bile duct. Additional fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis revealed female patterns of the tumor cells, which suggested that the tumor cells originated from the donor. The patient had a satisfactory recovery, and received adjuvant chemotherapy with S-1. He remains well with no evidence of tumor recurrence as of one year after resection.

A 63-year-old woman was admitted to our Hospital for treatment of pancreatic head ductal carcinoma, and underwent pancreaticoduodedectomy (PD) in October 2007. At one month after surgery, she received systemic adjuvant chemotherapy using S-1 for three months. Because the serum carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) value was elevated at 23 months after surgery, the patient underwent systemic chemotherapy using gemcitabine. The serum CA19-9 decreased, but abdominal Computed Tomography (CT) revealed a hepatic metastasis in the ventrolateral segment of left hepatic lobe at 28 months after surgery. The chemotherapy was changed to oral S-1. At 35 months after surgery, abdominal CT revealed reduction of liver metastasis and that the serum CA19-9 was normalized, but chemotherapy had to be withdrawn because of severe myelosuppression. Because of her good general condition, the patient underwent partial hepatectomy for the liver metastasis. Histopathological examination demonstrated a complete response. Thirty six months after hepatectomy and 6 years after PD, the patient remains well without recurrence. We herein report a case of successful treatment for metachronous liver metastasis from pancreatic ductal carcinoma after PD by chemotherapy and hepatectomy and review the current literature.

Because recent studies have reported that allogenic blood transfusion exerts negative immunomodulatory effects, we tried decreasing the use of blood products in perioperative management of hepatic resection since 2003. We retrospectively assessed the changes in our blood transfusion policy on hepatic resection for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).Subjects were 78 patients who underwent hepatic resection for HCC at Jikei University Hospital. Patients were classified into 2 groups; early period (2000-2002, n=25), and late period (2003-2006, n=53). Perioperative findings including age, gender, hepatitis virus, preoperative ICGR15, Child's classification, tumor factor, type of resection, duration of operation, blood loss, the amount of peri-operative red cell concentration (RC) and fresh frozen plasma (FFP) transfusion, incidences of post-operative complication, as well as disease-free and overall survival were analyzed.The amount of perioperative RC (p=0.041) and FFP (p0.001) transfusion in late period were significantly smaller and non-anatomical limited partial resection (p=0.004) in late period was greater than early period. The patients in late period had significantly better overall survival rate than those in early period (p0.001).Practice to minimize the use of blood products may improve patient's survival after hepatic resection for HCC.

Recent reports have demonstrated that patients with limited extrahepatic disease and bilobar disease can benefit from aggressive surgical resection in combination with chemotherapy. Therefore, we extended indication of hepatic resection for colorectal liver metastasis (CRLM) since 2004. In this report, we retrospectively assessed changes in our therapeutic strategy for CRLM.The subjects were 67 patients who underwent hepatic resection for CRLM between January 2000 and December 2008. Patients were classified into two groups; early period (2000-2003) and late period(2004-2008). We assessed prognostic factors and change in our hepatic resection policy on operative indication for CRLM in relation to therapeutic outcome.In multivariate analysis, more than 4 lymph node metastases (p=0.0277) and bilobar disease (p=0.0142) were significant predictors of disease- free survival, while significant predictor of overall survival were more than four lymph node metastases (p=0.0014) and bilobar disease (p=0.0392). Bilobar disease and presence of extrahepatic disease were significantly greater in late period. However, incidence of postoperative complications, disease-free and overall survivals in both periods were comparable.Practice to extend indication of hepatic resection for patients with advanced CRLM seems to increase the respectability rate without increasing morbidity and mortality, whenever a macroscopically curative resection with acceptable operative risk was thought possible.

良性胆管狭窄に対するメタリックステント(以下MS)留置の長期観察例を経験したので報告する.対象は7症例で,同時期に開腹下に胆管消化管バイパスをおいた7症例を対照群として成績を比較した.観察期間は8カ月から9年で原疾患は胆管空腸吻合後狭窄が3例,腫瘤形成性膵炎が2例,胆道結石術後が2例であった.留置前後のmortalityは0%, morbidityは14%であった.入院から治療完了までと入院期間は対照群に比べ有意に延長していた.再狭窄は1例に認め,開存率は1, 3, 5年それぞれ83.3%, 80.0%, 75%で,対照群は100%であった.外来では全例利胆薬と緩下剤にて胆汁の鬱滞を予防しており,胆汁の流出能の評価には胆道シンチグラフィーが有用であった.良性胆管狭窄に対するMS留置は論議の分かれるところであるが,われわれは2例の9年以上を含む経過良好な症例を経験し,注意深い術後の管理によって長期のpatencyを保ちうることが示唆された.

BACKGROUND: Benign retroperitoneal cystic masses are uncommon clinical entities, and those with high cyst fluid levels of cancer antigen 125 and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 are extremely rare. METHODS: A 38-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital due to a right abdominal cystic mass. Computed tomography revealed a unilocular cystic mass without nodule between the ascending colon and the right kidney. The cyst fluid levels of cancer antigen 125, carbohydrate antigen 19-9, and amylase were elevated to 2,798 U/ml, 49 U/ml, and 1,283 IU/l, respectively. RESULTS: The patient underwent excision of the retroperitoneal cystic mass, and histologic findings confirmed the diagnosis of benign retroperitoneal cyst. CONCLUSIONS: To the best of our knowledge, our patient is the second case of a benign retroperitoneal cyst containing fluid with a high concentration of cancer antigen 125, carbohydrate antigen 19-9, and amylase in the English literature.

BACKGROUND: A reliable method of fixation of intraperitoneal mesh is required both in laparoscopic and open surgery for ventral hernia. We evaluated anchoring capacity of 3 fixation devices available for clinical use. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Anchoring capacity of 3 commercially available fixation devices were compared by counting the number of sheets anchored by a single firing under a fixed pressure. A total of 5 trials were conducted for each device. RESULTS: The number of sheets fixed (mean+/-SD) were, 12.4+/-1.1 for a coil type; 11.4+/-1.3 for a helical type; and 5.8+/-0.5 for a staple type tacker. The fixation capacity of the staple type was significantly lower than the other 2 types (P

Metastatic tumors of the oral region are very rare, accounting for approximately 1% of intraoral malignant tumors. Caudal-related homeobox transcription factor (CDX2) regulates the development and differentiation of intestinal epithelial cells. We report herein a case of metastatic gingival tumor from rectal cancer after low anterior resection in which immunohistochemical analysis of CDX2 was useful for diagnosis of the origin. To the best of our knowledge, our case is the first report that immunohistochemical staining with CDX2 can contribute to diagnose metastatic gingival tumor from rectal cancer.

A 41-year-old Chinese woman was admitted to our hospital with epigastric pain. Computed tomography detected a heterogeneous enhancement tumor fed by the left gastroepiploic artery in the left lower quadrant and cholelithiasis. Excision of the tumor in the greater omentum and cholecystectomy were performed laparoscopically. Histological findings confirmed a diagnosis of hemangiopericytoma with low-grade malignancy. To our knowledge, hemangiopericytoma of the greater omentum is very rare, and only 12 cases were reported in English literature. We report a case of hemangiopericytoma arising in the greater omentum and review the literature.

Duplication of the gallbladder is a rare congenital anomaly of the biliary system with the incidence of 1 in 3800. A 38-year-old woman visited our patient clinic for evaluation of wall thickening of the gallbladder, detected by abdominal ultrasonography during a regular medical checkup. Drip infusion cholecystocholangiography–computed tomography revealed Y-shaped duplicated gallbladders.

A 68-year-old man underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy with lymph nodes dissection for carcinoma of the ampulla of Vater. The patient had anxiety neurosis and had been treated with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). Postoperatively, SSRI was resumed on postoperative day 2. His serum sodium concentration gradually decreased, and the patient was given a sodium supplement. However, 11 days after the operation, laboratory findings included serum sodium concentration of 117 mEq/L, serum vasopressin of 2.0 pg/mL, plasma osmolality of 238 mOsm/kg, urine osmolality of 645 mOsm/kg, urine sodium concentration of 66 mEq/L, serum creatinine concentration of 0.54 mg/dL, and serum cortisol concentration of 29.1 μg/dL. With a diagnosis of syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone (SIADH), the antianxiety neurosis medication was changed from the SSRI to another type of drug. After switching the medication, the patient made a satisfactory recovery with normalization of serum sodium by postoperative day 20.

The aim of this study was to characterize a high-risk group of patients for pancreatic fistula (PF) after pancreatic resection using postoperative clinical variables of patients.The retrospective study included 297 patients who underwent pancreatic resection between January 2001 and December 2011. We examined the relationship between perioperative findings and the incidence of postoperative PF (POPF) among patients who underwent pancreatic resection between 2001 and 2009 (early period). Next, patients were stratified into three groups using serum albumin and CRP on postoperative day 1 (score 0: albumin ≥2.7 g/dl and CRP ≤10 mg/dl; score 1: albumin2.7 g/dl or CRP10 mg/dl; score 2: albumin2.7 g/dl and CRP10 mg/dl) as postoperative inflammatory score (PIS). We examined perioperative findings including PIS and POPF among patients who underwent pancreatic resection between 2010 and 2011 (late period).In univariate and multivariate analyses, male gender (p=0.032), serum albumin on postoperative day 1 (p=0.024) and serum CRP on postoperative day 1 were identified as independent risk factors for POPF in early-period patients. In univariate and multivariate analyses, postoperative hospital stay (p=0.009) and PIS (score 1: p=0.005, score 2: p=0.017) were identifical as independent risk factors for POPF in late-period patients.We found a novel PIS to indicate risk for PF after elective pancreatic resection.

Excessive blood loss and blood transfusion may influence postoperative complications and prognosis of patients after pancreatic resection. We evaluated the influence of blood products use on postoperative recurrence and outcome of patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.The study included 82 patients who underwent elective pancreatic resections for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma without distant metastasis or other malignancies between January 2001 and December 2010. We retrospectively investigated the influence of the use of perioperative blood products including red cell concentrate, fresh-frozen plasma (FFP), and albumin preparation, and clinical variables regarding disease-free and overall survival.In disease-free survival, serum carcinoembryonic antigen more than 10 ng/ml (p=0.015), serum carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) more than 200 U/ml (p=0.0032), R1 resection (p=0.005), and FFP transfusion were independent risk factors for cancer recurrence in the Cox proportional regression model, pancreaticoduodenectomy (p=0.057) and advanced tumor stage (p=0.083) tended to associate with poor disease-free survival, but were not statistically significant. In overall survival, male gender (p=0.012), advanced tumor stage (p=0.005), serum CA19-9 more than 200 U/ml (p0.001), and FFP transfusion (p=0.003) were positively associated with poor overall survival in the Cox proportional regression model.FFP transfusion is associated with poor therapeutic outcome after elective pancreatic resection for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Gallbladder carcinoma (GBC) is a cancer of the digestive tract with poor prognosis, for which surgical resection is the only potentially curative therapy. The prognostic value of postoperative peripheral blood leukocyte subset count in patients with cancer has not been fully investigated. Therefore, we retrospectively investigated the relation-ship between postoperative peripheral blood lymphocyte count and disease-free as well as overall survival after radical resection of GBC.The study subjects were 34 patients who underwent radical resection for GBC between January 2005 and April 2010. We retrospectively investigated the relation-ship between clinicopathological variables, including postoperative peripheral blood lymphocyte count, and disease-free as well as overall survival.In univariate analysis, disease-free survival was worse in patients with intraoperative blood transfusion (p=0.0285), tumor node metastasis (TNM) stage ≥II (p0.0001), and lymphocyte count of less than 1,000/μl (p=0.0002). Overall survival was worse in patients with TNM stage ≥II (p=0.0002) and lymphocyte count of less than 1,000/μl (p=0.0151). In multivariate analysis, TNM stage ≥II (p0.0089) and peripheral blood lymphocyte count of less than 1,000/μl (p=0.0365) were independent predictors of poor disease-free survival. For overall survival, TNM stage ≥II (p=0.0230) was the only independent predictor. Moreover, lymphocyte counts of less than 1,000/μl correlated significantly with TNM stage ≥II, duration of operation, greater blood loss, and presence of intraoperative blood transfusion.Postoperative peripheral blood lymphocyte count correlates with outcome of patients with GBC treated by radical resection.

In perioperative management of hepatic resection for colorectal cancer liver metastasis (CRLM), excessive blood loss and blood transfusion greatly influence postoperative complications and prognosis of the patients. We evaluated the influence of the use of blood products on prognosis of patients with CRLM.The subjects of this study were 65 patients who underwent elective hepatic resection between January 2001 and April 2011 for CRLM without distant metastasis or other malignancy. We retrospectively investigated the influence of the use of blood products, including red cell concentrate (RC) and fresh frozen plasma (FFP), and clinical variables on overall survival.In univariate analysis, bilobar distribution (p=0.0332), more than four lymph node metastases of the primary cancer (p=0.0155), perioperative RC use (p=0.0205), and perioperative FFP use (p=0.0065) were positively associated with poor overall survival rate. In multivariate analysis, bilobar distribution (p=0.0012), more than four lymph node metastases of the primary cancer (p=0.0171), and perioperative FFP use (p=0.0091), were independent risk factors for poor overall survival rate.The use of FFP is associated with worse overall survival after elective hepatic resection for patients with CRLM.

Systemic inflammation, as evidenced by the Glasgow prognostic score (GPS), predicts cancer-specific survival in various types of cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the significance of GPS on the therapeutic outcome after pancreaticoduodenectomy for carcinoma of the ampulla of Vater.The subjects of this study were 30 patients who underwent elective pancreaticoduodenectomy for carcinoma of the ampulla of Vater. For the assessment of systemic inflammatory response using the GPS, patients were classified into three groups: patients with normal albumin (≥ 3.5 g/dl) and normal C-reactive protein (CRP) (≤ 1.0 mg/dl) as GPS 0 (n=23), those with low albumin (3.5 g/dl) or elevated CRP (1.0 mg/dl) as GPS 1 (n=5), and those with low albumin (3.5 g/dl) and elevated CRP (1.0 mg/dl) as GPS 2 (n=2). We retrospectively investigated the relationship between patients' characteristics, including GPS, and disease-free survival, as well as overall survival.For disease-free survival, advanced tumor stage (p=0.0401), advanced lymph node metastasis (p0.0001), and preoperative biliary drainage (p=0.0157) in univariate analysis, and advanced lymph node metastasis (p=0.0271) in multivariate analysis were significant and independent predictors of cancer recurrence. For overall survival, in both univariate and multivariate analyses, advanced lymph node metastasis (p=0.0006 and p=0.0411, respectively) and GPS 1 or 2 (p=0.0034 and p=0.0484, respectively) were significant and independent predictors of poor patient outcome.The GPS in patients with carcinoma of the ampulla of Vater is an independent prognostic predictor after elective pancreaticoduodenectomy.

Postoperative infectious complications are associated with a poor long-term prognosis after resection of malignant tumors. We hypothesized that postoperative infectious complication such as surgical site infection (SSI) may have a negative impact on the outcome of elective hepatic resection for colorectal liver metastases (CRLM), and that the Glasgow prognostic score (GPS), which reflects the systemic inflammatory response, might predict for such complications.The subjects of the study were 77 patients who underwent hepatic resection for CRLM between January 2000 and December 2009. We retrospectively investigated the relation between SSI and disease-free, as well as overall, survival. Moreover, we assessed the risk factors pertinent to SSI.In multivariate analysis, having more than four lymph node metastases (p=0.015) was a significant predictor of disease-free survival, while significant predictors of overall survival were the presence of more than four lymph node metastases (p=0.001) and SSI (p=0.008). Moreover, bilobar distribution (p=0.026), intraoperative fresh-frozen plasma transfusion (p=0.036) and GPS 1 or 2 (p=0.023) were found to be independent risk factors for SSI.Development of SSI after elective hepatic resection is associated with worse long-term outcomes in patients with CRLM. The GPS may be useful for preoperative risk stratification of SSI in such patients.

The etiology of Klippel–Trenaunay syndrome (KTS) is not well understood. Although splenic involvement is very rare in KTS, life-threatening events such as spontaneous rupture of a splenic hemangioma may occur. We recently performed elective splenectomy for massive splenomegaly causing uncontrollable abdominal pain in a woman with KTS. The extracted spleen weighed 4260 g, and cavernous hemangiomas in the spleen were found to be the cause of the splenomegaly. The patient’s abdominal pain resolved after surgery and her postoperative course was uneventful, except for persistent bleeding from the bladder. This is a rare case of KTS with associated severe splenomegaly caused by hemangiomas.

In spite of improvements in surgical techniques, instruments, and perioperative management, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurs after hepatic resection in as many as 60-70% of patients. Therefore, it is important to predict tumor recurrence and prognosis in regard to decision making of additional adjuvant treatment after surgery. We investigated the relation between postoperative serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and tumor recurrence, as well as survival, in patients with HCC after elective hepatic resection.The subjects of this study were 77 patients who underwent elective hepatic resection for HCC between January 2001 and December 2008. We retrospectively examined the relation between postoperative serum CRP, clinical variables, and recurrence of HCC, as well as overall survival.For disease-free survival, preoperative ICGR15 (retention rate of indocyanine green at 15 min) of more than 15% (p=0.0039, p=0.0026), and advanced tumor stage (p=0.0380, p=0.0203) were significant and independent predictors of worse survival rate in univariate and multivariate analyses, respectively. For overall survival, female gender (p=0.0052, p=0.0021), preoperative ICGR15 of above 15% (p=0.0043, p=0.0153), advanced tumor stage (p=0.0063, p=0.0023), and postoperative peak serum CRP above 10 mg/dl (p=0.0309, p=0.0116) were significant and independent predictors of worse survival rate in univariate and multivariate analyses, respectively.Postoperatively elevated serum CRP may be a prognostic indication after elective hepatic resection for patients with HCC.

Inflammatory pseudotumor (IPT) of the liver is rare, and differential diagnosis from malignant tumors is difficult. We herein report a case of IPT of the liver with marked elevation of carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9). A 72-year-old woman, who underwent low anterior resection for rectal cancer, had low-grade fever and epigastric pain. The patient has well-controlled idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) with steroid maintenance treatment. Abnormal laboratory findings included serum carcinoembryonic antigen of 15.9 ng/mL and CA19-9 up to 14,632 U/mL. Computed tomography revealed a low-density lesion, and magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated a high intensity lesion on T1, T2-weighted, and diffusion-weighted images (55 × 22 mm in the Couinaud's segment 4 of the liver). However, 1 month after the appearance of the symptom, serum level of CA19-9 suddenly decreased to 37 U/mL. The tumor decreased spontaneously to 20 × 10 mm. Seven months later, the tumor had reduced to 18 × 11 mm. With a diagnosis of IPT, the patient remains well without regrowth of the tumor at 1 year follow-up after CA19-9 decrease to normal limits.

A 69-year-old woman, who underwent cadaveric liver transplantation for non-B, non-C liver cirrhosis with hepatocellular carcinoma in April 2009, was admitted to our hospital because of graft dysfunction. Enhanced computed tomography revealed stenosis of the left branch of the portal vein, obstruction of the right branch of the portal vein at porta hepatis, and esophagogastric varices. Balloon angioplasty of the left branch of the portal vein under transsuperior mesenteric venous portography was performed by minilaparotomy. After dilatation of the left branch of the portal vein, the narrow segment of the portal vein was dilated, which resulted in reduction of collateral circulation. At 7 days after balloon angioplasty, esophageal varices were improved. The patient made a satisfactory recovery, was discharged 8 days after balloon angioplasty, and remains well.

Background Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is often resistant to chemotherapy. Gene therapy using an adenoviral vector-expressing tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α is a new therapeutic approach for chemoresistant malignancies. The efficacy of TNF-α, however, is limited, because it leads to the activation of nuclear factor (NF)-κB. We hypothesized that the NF-κB inhibitor nafamostat mesilate would enhance the antitumor effect of adenovirus vector-mediated TNF-α gene therapy for HCC. Methods In vitro, we assessed the inhibitory effect of nafamostat mesilate on TNF-α–induced NF-κB activation and enhanced apoptosis in human HCC cell lines (Huh-7 and Hep3B). In vivo, we established a xenograft HCC model in mice by subcutaneous injection of Huh-7 and Hep3B cells. The animals received intraperitoneal (IP) injections of nafamostat mesilate 3 times a week (nafamostat mesilate group), intratumoral (IT) injections of the human TNF-α–expressing adenoviral vector (AxCAhTNF-α) once a week (TNF-α group), IT injections of AxCAhTNF-α once a week, or IP injections of nafamostat mesilate 3 times a week (combination group). Results In the combination group, TNF-α–induced NF-κB activation was inhibited and TNF-α–induced apoptosis was enhanced in comparison with the other groups both in vitro and in vivo. In the combination group, tumor growth was significantly slower and the apoptotic cell numbers were significantly greater than those of the TNF-α group. Conclusion Inhibition of NF-κB by nafamostat mesilate enhances the antitumor effect of adenoviral vector-mediated TNF-α gene therapy for HCC in mice.

Gemcitabine is an effective chemotherapeutic agent for advanced gallbladder cancer. However, chemoresistance attributable to gemcitabine-induced nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activation has been reported. We previously reported that nafamostat mesylate inhibited NF-κB activation and induced apoptosis in pancreatic cancer. Therefore, we hypothesized that nafamostat mesylate inhibits gemcitabine-induced NF-κB activation and enhances apoptosis induced by gemcitabine in gallbladder cancer.In vitro, we assessed NF-κB activation of a gallbladder cancer cell line (NOZ) treated with nafamostat mesylate, gemcitabine, or a combination of both. In vivo, we established a xenograft gallbladder cancer model in mice by subcutaneous injection of NOZ cells. Five weeks after implantation, the animals were treated with nafamostat mesylate three times a week in the nafamostat mesylate group, with gemcitabine once a week in the gemcitabine group, or with a combination of nafamostat mesylate three times a week and gemcitabine once a week in the combination group, respectively. In the control group, only the vehicle of gemcitabine and nafamostat mesylate was injected at the same time course.In the combination group, NF-κB activation was inhibited and apoptosis was enhanced compared with gemcitabine alone in vitro and vivo. Tumor growth in the combination group was significantly slower than that in the gemcitabine group (P0.001). At the end of the study, the tumor weight and volume in the combination group were significantly lower than those in the gemcitabine group (P = 0.039 and 0.028, respectively).Combination chemotherapy of gemcitabine with nafamostat mesylate enhances the anti-tumor effect against xenograft gallbladder cancer model in mice.

Recent interest in improving cosmetic outcomes has led to single-incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS) being performed in a variety of organs. However, this innovative technique has rarely been introduced in pancreatic surgery, as it is considered to be a challenging procedure. We report herein our technique of single-incision laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy with or without splenic preservation.A 2.5-cm intraumbilical mini-laparotomy was made for the placement of a SILS Port as a single access site. The overall procedures were similar to those performed in the standard laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy with multiple trocars. To obtain better exposure of the operative field, we made technical refinements by employing gastric suspension with sutures, the tug-exposure technique, a balloon retractor, and gravity by changing the patient's position. The pancreas was transected with a linear stapler, and the specimen was extracted through the umbilical wound.Patients were discharged without any complications. The umbilical wounds were almost invisible 1 month after surgery. We believe that SILS, with some technical refinements, can be safely applied for distal pancreatectomy. Although the cosmetic benefits of single-incision laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy are obvious, several issues such as the extent of invasiveness, cost, indications, and learning curve need to be investigated.

The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility and safety of single-incision laparoscopic fenestration and to introduce a new surgical technique. Laparoscopic fenestration has become a standard approach for symptomatic hepatic cysts because of the low recurrence rate and minimal postoperative pain. The single-incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS) technique has increasingly gained acceptance and is now applied to a variety of organs and operations.Between February 2010 and March 2011, we consecutively performed six cases of single-incision laparoscopic fenestration. A SILS Port was placed through a single intraumbilical skin incision. In addition to standard laparoscopic instruments, a flexible 5-mm laparoscope and an articulating grasper were used. The cyst wall was dissected with a 5-mm bipolar vessel sealer. SILS was successfully performed in all patients, and none required conversion to conventional multiport laparoscopic surgery or open surgery. Intraoperative blood loss was minimal in all cases. Median operative time was 144 min (range, 100-210 min). All patients were discharged uneventfully on 3 day postoperative. Median postoperative follow-up at 15.5 months (range, 8-20 months) did not reveal any complications or recurrence. The umbilical incisions were almost unnoticeable.Our findings suggest that SILS for fenestration of a giant hepatic cyst is a safe and feasible. It is reproducible technique that is comparable to conventional laparoscopic surgery.

To date, only limited cases of Diego blood group disparity in liver transplantation have been reported, and no cases with a long-term clinical course have been documented. Herein, we report a case of Diego blood group disparity in liver transplantation with details of long-term follow-up. The recipient was a 47-year-old woman with primary biliary cirrhosis; her 18-year-old daughter was the donor. Both recipient and donor were of blood type O according to the ABO blood group system. Preoperative serological tests showed the presence of antibodies against the Di(a) antigen only in the recipient, and not in the donor. Thus, the Diego phenotype was Di(a+) in the donor and Di(a-) in the recipient. Living-related liver transplantation was performed in July 2009. Immediate graft function was obtained, and no signs of humoral or cellular rejection were observed during the postoperative period. Further, anti-Di(a) antibodies were not detected throughout the postoperative course. The patient is alive and shows no signs of humoral rejection 34 months after liver transplantation. Liver transplantation has been performed successfully in cases of Diego blood group disparity.

We report a patient who underwent laparoscopic enucleation for a nonfunctioning pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor. The patient was a 55-year-old man who had a 12- × 11-mm tumor close to the main pancreatic duct (MPD) in the pancreatic body. To avoid and detect injury to the main pancreatic duct during operation, a nasopancreatic drainage stent (NPDS) was endoscopically placed prior to the operation. According to the NPDS, the relation between the tumor and MPD was easily identified by laparoscopic ultrasonography during enucleation, thus enabling the resecting line to be determined. Moreover, after enucleation, pancreatography through the NPDS was able to clarify the absence of injury to the MPD. The NPDS was removed postoperatively, and the patient was discharged uneventfully on postoperative day 8. Preoperative placement of the NPDS seems to be a useful option for performing safe laparoscopic enucleation of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor, especially when the lesion is located close to the MPD.

No evidence currently exists to demonstrate the prognostic value of serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) in patients with unresectable colorectal cancer liver metastases (CRLM). Therefore, we retrospectively investigated the correlation between serum CEA and CA19-9 levels and overall survival in patients with unresectable CRLM. The study involved 40 patients who were diagnosed with unresectable CRLM between March 2000 and August 2010 at Jikei University Hospital, Japan. We retrospectively investigated the correlation between patient characteristics, including serum CEA and CA19-9 levels, and overall survival using univariate and multivariate analyses. In the univariate analysis, the absence of primary tumor resection (p=0.0161), the absence of systemic chemotherapy (p=0.0119), serum CEA ≥100 ng/ml (p=0.0148) and CA19-9 ≥100 U/ml (p

Background/aims The purpose of this study was to identify basic risk factors for postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) after pancreaticojejunostomy. Methodology Seventy-one patients underwent pancreaticojejunostomy with duct-to-mucosa anastomosis (DMA). Between POPF group (n=8) and non- POPF group (n=63), the following clinical parameters were compared; pancreatic texture evaluated pathologically with score, diameter of the pancreatic duct, total number of sutures, interval between sutures and the size of suture (5-0 vs. 6-0) for DMA. Results The mean diameter of the pancreatic duct (POPF/non-POPF) was 3.0±1.4/4.2±2.0mm, total number of sutures for DMA was 6.8±1.6/7.0±2.8, whereas mean interval between sutures was 1.4±0.5/2.1±1.1mm, which failed to achieve significant difference. All cases except one that produced POPF had soft pancreas (p=0.0022). However, for the soft pancreas, the score of pancreatic texture did not achieve significant difference between POPF and non-POPF. 5-0 sutures had less chance of POPF (p=0.0035). As a result of multivariate analysis, suture size and pancreatic texture correlated with POPF. Conclusions The suture size and pancreatic texture were risk factors for POPF. Since these factors are related to surgical techniques, gentle handling during pancreaticojejunostomy seems important.

Severe ischemia/reperfusion (IR) injury is associated with poor hepatic microperfusion. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of hepatic artery flow (HAF) and portal vein flow (PVF) in IR injury. From January 2004 to June 2008, 566 patients underwent orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). The data were retrospectively reviewed via the transplant database. Patients with hepatic artery (HA) or portal vein (PV) thrombosis and retransplant patients were excluded. Intraoperative PVF and HAF values and graft weights were measured routinely, and the central venous pressure, mean arterial pressure, cardiac output, and cardiac index were recorded with hepatic blood flow measurements. Complete data were available for 312 primary OLT recipients (215 males and 97 females; mean age = 54 ± 10 years). The patients' follow-up ranged from 215 to 1746 days (705 ± 408 days). IR injury was defined by the aspartate aminotransferase (AST) level on postoperative day (POD) 2, and the patients were divided into 3 groups: (1) mild IR injury [AST500 U/L; n = 160 (51%)], (2) moderate IR injury [AST = 500-1000 U/L; n = 85 (27%)], and (3) severe IR injury [AST1000 U/L; n = 67 (21%)]. The demographics and pre-OLT variables (the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score (MELD), platelet counts, PV thrombosis, transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts, and shunts on computed tomography scans) were similar in all groups. The graft survival rate was 99% in group 1, 95.2% in group 2 (P = 0.02), and 92.3% in group 3 (P = 0.016). The patient survival rates were similar in the 3 groups. The cold ischemia time (CIT) was significantly higher in group 3 versus group 1 (P0.007). In the statistical analysis, low HAF, PVF, total liver blood flow (TLBF), and augmented HAF values were associated with a greater likelihood of elevated AST levels on POD 2. The strongest univariate predictors of AST were reduced augmented HAF (mL/minute/100 g) values (P0.001) and reduced TLBF (mL/minute/100 g) values (P0.001). In a covariate analysis with adjustments for CIT and donor variables, the blood flow parameters remained important predictors of graft function. In conclusion, this report demonstrates for the first time that reduced hepatic blood flow is a significant finding in patients with severe hepatic IR injury.