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Synthetic vascular grafts are commonly used in liver transplantation. Thrombosis is a possible complication of using expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (e-PTFE) grafts. Herein, we report on 3 cases of liver recipients who died of intermittent sepsis episodes emerged concurrently with the thrombosis in synthetic vascular grafts and inferior vena cava (IVC) vein. Right lobe liver transplantation from living donors was performed for 3 patients by using e-PTFE grafts between the liver and IVC. Although heparin had been administered, thrombosis was developed in vascular graft and IVC extending to the right atrium; it was developed within 1-4 months of transplantations. All 3 patients suffered from recurrent sepsis episodes (4, 5, and 6 attacks for each patient) by different multidrug-resistant bacterial species. Treatment attempts including thrombolytic and antimicrobial drugs made, and surgical, endoscopic and radiological interventions could not resolve the clinical situation. The patients died of septic complications. We concluded that severe recurrent sepsis attacks may develop in liver transplant recipients when IVC and synthetic vascular graft were thrombosed. Removing the e-PTFE graft may be benefit for the treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A correction notice is presented to the article "Computed tomographic perfusion imaging for the prediction of response transarterial radioembolization with Yttrium-90 glass microspheres of hepatocellular carcinoma" which published online on January 15, 2021.

Liver transplantation is a technically complex and long surgical procedure. A large quantity of various materials such as catheters, sutures, needles and clips are frequently used during the procedure. These materials may enter in the liver from the vascular or biliary orifices inadvertently. A 50-year-old patient who had hepatic failure due to HBV underwent a deceased-donor liver transplantation. The deceased donor was a 75-year-old HbsAg+ man. The recipient had subfebrile fever and leukocytosis post-operatively. A control computed tomography revealed a cuneiform ischemic area, and a foreign body inside the right anterior portal vein branch proximal to this ischemic region. A 10-F Nelaton catheter, 5-cm long, was removed from the portal vein by surgery. Retrospectively, we understood that the portal vein was cut during the backtable procedure and the portal vein catheter was replaced with a larger one for better irrigation. Most probably, the original catheter was cut together with the portal vein, and the tip of the catheter was retained in the portal system and migrated into the liver. As far as we know, such a complication of liver transplantation has never been described previously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 28-year-old woman presented with a rare case of chest-wall teratoma. Computed tomography of a cystic lesion located in the anterior chest wall revealed a hyperdense object with the appearance of a tooth. The cystic mass was totally excised via a chest-wall incision without thoracotomy. Pathologic examination showed a benign teratoma containing an immature tooth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although we found lack of a decrease in nocturnal blood pressure, impaired heart rate variability, and diastolic dysfunction in patients with Behcet's disease, we could not demonstrate whether or not this finding has a prognostic value in patients with this disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the interobserver variability in the quantitative assessment of liver fat content using ultrasound attenuation imaging technology (USAT)., Methods: This prospective, single-center study included 96 adult patients who were either diagnosed with or suspected of having metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease. Independent observers, blinded to each other's assessments, evaluated hepatic steatosis visually and through USAT measurements. Separate measurements were taken at five intercostal and subcostal sites, and the median values of these measurements were recorded. The correlation between USAT measurements and visual steatosis grades was examined using Spearman's correlation test. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Bland-Altman analysis were used to evaluate the interobserver variability of USAT measurements., Results: Interobserver agreement for USAT measurements was excellent for the intercostal examination and good for the subcostal examination (p < 0.001). Body mass index did not significantly affect the level of interobserver agreement. Interobserver variability in Bland-Altman plots of USAT measurements was within the 95% limits of agreement. USAT measurements correlated very strongly with the visual degree of hepatic steatosis, both intercostal and subcostal (p < 0.001). USAT measurements were also significantly different between different visual degrees of hepatic steatosis (p < 0.001)., Conclusion: In the assessment of hepatic steatosis, USAT measurements obtained from the intercostal space showed excellent agreement in terms of interobserver reproducibility., (© 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Objective: Our aim was to present the results of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) after living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) between February 2015 and June 2021., Methods: Clinical data included LDLT indications, time to perform ERCP after LDLT, number of ERCP procedures, indications for ERCP, and all treatment outcomes, including ERCP, percutaneous, and surgical interventions. We compared the obtained data with our previous study published by our team in 2018, which included 446 patients who underwent ERCP for biliary complications after LDLT between 2005 and 2015., Results: We performed ERCP in 283 of 1506 patients with LDLT who underwent duct-to-duct anastomosis during transplantation and then developed biliary complications. Our endoscopic success rates were 60.9% and 71.0% in the previous and present studies, respectively., Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the success rate of endoscopic treatment of biliary complications in patients with LDLT increases in correlation with the increasing experience of clinicians treating these patients., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest: The authors have no conflict of interest to declare., (Copyright© 2024 The Author. Published by Galenos Publishing House on behalf of Istanbul Medeniyet University Faculty of Medicine.)

Aims To examine the differences in the levels of microRNA, ischemic modified albumin (IMA), total oxidant capacity (TOC), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) of persons with and without psoriasis and, in the case group, the relationship between these parameters and psoriasis area and severity index (PASI). Methods Blood samples were collected from patients and healthy participants to examine levels of these parameters. Results The mean serum TOC level was higher in the case group. The mean serum TAC and IMA levels were significantly lower in the case group (P <0.001). It was observed that the mean serum miR-203 and miR-146a levels were increased in psoriasis patients. It was determined that there was only a significant positive weak correlation between miR-203 and PASI (r = 0.232, P = 0.027). Limitations The small sample size, not controlling serum albumin and not evaluating the effects of the treatment agents used by the patients on oxidative and inflammatory processes. Conclusion In the case group changes in the mean serum TOC and TAC levels provide evidence that oxidative stress may play a critical role in disease pathogenesis. The increase in the mean serum miR-203 and miR-146a levels suggest the possibility of therapies targeting these microRNAs as a new option.

Background and Aim: Liver resection (LR) and liver transplantation (LT) are curative treatments for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The main purpose of this study was to compare the survival of LR and LDLT in patients with HCC within the Milan criteria., Materials and Methods: The results of the LR (n=67) and LDLT (n=391) groups were compared for overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). Twenty-six of the HCCs in the LRs met the Milan and Child A criteria. Also, 200 of the HCC patients in the LDLTs met the Milan criteria, of which 70 also met the Child A criteria., Results: Early mortality was higher in the LDLT group (13.9% vs 1.47%; p=0.003). The 5-year OS was higher in the LDLTs than the LRs, but not statistically significant (84.6% vs 74.2%; p=0.287). However, 5-year DFS was better in the LDLT group (96.8% vs 64.3%; p<0.001). When the LRs (n=26) and the LDLTs (n=70) that met both Milan and Child A criteria were compared, 5-year OS was similar (81.4% vs 74.2%; p=0.512), but DFS was better in the LDLTs (98.6% vs 64.3%; p<0.001)., Conclusion: LR can be justified as the first-line treatment for HCC patients who meet Milan and Child A criteria in terms of early mortality and OS., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflict of interest to declare., (© Copyright 2023 by Hepatology Forum.)

Background and Aims: Smoking causes many diseases such as cardiovascular, lung diseases, stroke and premature aging. However, the role of smoking in the pathogenesis of these diseases is unclear. Increasing evidence suggests that methylarginine pathway metabolites and α-klotho may be strong markers for pathologies such as premature aging, endothelial dysfunction, and oxidant damage. Therefore, the study aimed to measure the serum levels of arginine, asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA), N-monomethyl-l-arginine (L-NMMA), and α-klotho levels in smokers., Methods and Results: This case-control analytical study included 65 smokers and 71 non-smokers. Sociodemographic characteristics, routine biochemistry parameters, Framingham risk scores and Fagerström Nicotine Dependence Test (FTND) were recorded. Serum methylarginine and α-klotho levels were analyzed by tandem mass spectrometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively. Serum ADMA (p < 0.001), L-NMMA (p = 0.024), SDMA (p < 0.001) levels of smokers were higher than non-smokers, and serum α-klotho (p < 0.001) and arginine levels (p < 0.001) were lower. There was a positive correlation between serum ADMA levels with FNDT, age and pack/year in smokers, while there was a negative correlation between klotho levels and age. A positive correlation was found between serum ADMA levels, Framingham risk score and age in non-smokers., Conclusion: Smoking is related to premature aging and is a strong risk factor for various diseases such as cardiovascular, inflammatory, and renal diseases. Elevated serum methylarginine and decreased serum klotho levels were found in smokers. Therefore, our findings suggest that smoking may be involved in the pathogenesis of these diseases by affecting α-klotho and methylarginine-related pathways., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest relevant to the content of this manuscript., (Copyright © 2023 The Italian Diabetes Society, the Italian Society for the Study of Atherosclerosis, the Italian Society of Human Nutrition and the Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Management of the unexplained AFP elevation after transplantation. F18 FDG PET/CT may not be helpful to detect post-transplant brain metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)., Case Report: A-61-year old male patient with HBV related HCC have undergone living donor liver transplantation after successfully downstaging. AFP level started to increase on Post-transplant one year and there was no detectable metastases on PET/CT, abdominal thorax tomography. Patient admitted to hospital with confusion and seizure on post-transplant 16th month and diagnosed brain metastasis by brain tomography. Surgical resection was performed but the patientd died on post-transplant 20th month., Conclusion: In the unexplained elevation of AFP after transplantation, it is beneficial to keep brain metastases in mind and perform cranial scanning with conventional imaging methods (CT, MRI) rather than FDG PET., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)