Clinical Relevance of Transjugular Liver Biopsy in Comparison with Percutaneous and Laparoscopic Liver Biopsy

Background. Transjugular liver biopsy (TJLB) is frequently used to obtain liver specimens in high-risk patients. However, TJLB sample size possibly limits their clinical relevance. Methods. 102 patients that underwent TJLB were included. Clinical parameters and outcome of TJLB were analyzed. Control samples consisted of 112 minilaparoscopic liver biopsies (mLLBs) and 100 percutaneous liver biopsies (PLBs). Results. Fewer portal tracts were detected in TJLB (4.3 ± 0.3) in comparison with PLB (11.7 ± 0.5) and mLLB (11.0 ± 0.6). No difference regarding the specification of indeterminate liver disease and staging/grading of chronic hepatitis was observed. In acute liver failure (n = 32), a proportion of hepatocellular necrosis beyond 25% was associated with a higher rate of death or liver transplantation. Conclusions. Despite smaller biopsy samples the impact on the clinical decision process was found to be comparable to PLB and mLLB. TJLB represents a helpful tool to determine hepatocellular necrosis rates in patients with acute liver failure

Endoscopic vacuum-assisted closure therapy for leakage of the lower gastrointestinal tract: multicenter experiences

Background and study aims Only a few studies are available regarding endoscopic vacuum-assisted closure (E-VAC) therapy for the post-surgery leakage of the lower gastrointestinal tract. Patients and methods In this multicenter German study, we retrospectively analyzed patients treated with E-VAC therapy due to post-surgery leakage of the lower gastrointestinal tract from 2000–2020 at Hannover Medical School, University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Luebeck, and Robert Koch Hospital Gehrden. Results Overall, 147 patients were included in this study. Most patients had undergone tumor resections of the lower gastrointestinal tract (n = 88; 59.9 %). Median time to diagnosis of leakage was 10 days (interquartile range [IQR] 6–19). Median duration of E-VAC therapy was 14 days (IQR 8–27). Increase of C-reactive protein (CRP) levels significantly correlated with first diagnosis of leakage (P  100 mg/L (78.4 % vs. 52.7 %; P = 0.012). Odds ratio for failure of stoma reversal was 3.36 in cases with CRP values > 100 mg/L (P = 0.017). In total, leakage- and/ or E-VAC therapy-associated complications occurred in 26 patients (17.7 %). Minor complications included recurrent E-VAC dislocations and subsequent stenosis. Overall, 14 leakage- or E-VAC-associated deaths were observed most often due to sepsis. Conclusions E-VAC therapy due to post-surgery leakage of the lower gastrointestinal tract is safe and effective. High levels of CRP are a negative predictor of E-VAC therapy success

How stable is the hepatitis C virus (HCV)? Environmental stability of HCV and its susceptibility to chemical biocides.

In the absence of a cell culture system for propagation of the hepatitis C virus (HCV), the antiviral activity of disinfectants against HCV was extrapolated from studies with the bovine viral diarrhea virus. The recent development of an HCV infection system allowed the direct assessment of environmental stability and susceptibility to chemical disinfectants

Liver transplantation: A new risk factor for intestinal intussusceptions

Background. Intestinal intussusception in adults is associated with chronic inflammatory bowel disease, coeliac disease, abdominal tumors or previous abdominal surgery but most often of unknown origin.Aim. The aim of our study was to evaluate circumstances and identify risk factors for intussusceptions.Methods. All 65,928 abdominal ultrasound examinations performed at our tertiary medical center between January 2001 and June 2008 were analyzed retrospectively for the diagnosis “intussusception”. After identifying individuals with sonographically proven intussusception we analyzed various patients’ characteristics including age, gender and underlying disease as well as sonographic findings such as localization of the intussusception, absence or presence of ascites and lymph nodes.Results. We identified 32 cases of intussusceptions [mean age 45 years (range 18 to 88); 18 patients were male]. Twelve patients (38%) had a history of abdominal surgery including 8 patients who had undergone liver transplantation (2 patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis, 1 patient with cystic fibrosis, 1 patient with sarcoidosis, 1 patient with hepatocellular carcinoma and HCV infection, 1 patient with autoimmune hepatitis, 1 patient with Crigler-Najar-syndrome and one patient with echinococcus). A hepaticojejunostomy had been performed in 4 of the patients after liver transplantation. Liver transplanted patients were significantly overrepresented in the intussusception group compared with the overall cohort of patients undergoing abdominal ultrasound examination (25% vs. 8%, Chi-Square-test, p = 0.0023).Conclusion. In our retrospective study liver transplantation, in particular with hepaticojejunostomy, was identified as a new major risk factor for intestinal intussusceptions