The single surgeon learning curve of laparoscopic liver resection : a continuous evolving process through stepwise difficulties

The aim of the study was to evaluate the single-surgeon learning curve (SSLC) in laparoscopic liver surgery over an 11-year period with risk-adjusted (RA) cumulative sum control chart analysis.Laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) is a challenging and highly demanding procedure. No specific data are available for defining the feasibility and reproducibility of the SSLC regarding a consistent and consecutive caseload volume over a specified time period.A total of 319 LLR performed by a single surgeon between June 2003 and May 2014 were retrospectively analyzed. A difficulty scale (DS) ranging from 1 to 10 was created to rate the technical difficulty of each LLR. The risk-adjusted cumulative sum control chart (RA-CUSUM) analysis evaluated conversion rate (CR), operative time (OT) and blood loss (BL). Perioperative morbidity and mortality were also analyzed.The RA-CUSUM analysis of the DS identified 3 different periods: P1 (n = 91 cases), with a mean DS of 3.8; P2 (cases 92-159), with a mean DS of 5.3; and P3 (cases 160-319), with a mean DS of 4.7. P2 presented the highest conversion and morbidity rates with a longer OT, whereas P3 showed the best results (P<0.001). Fifty cases were needed to achieve a significant decrease in BL. The overall morbidity rate was 13.8%; no perioperative mortality was observed.According to our analysis, at least 160 cases (P3) are needed to complete the SSLC performing safely different types of LLR. A minimum of 50 cases can provide a significant decrease in BL. Based on these findings, a longer learning curve should be anticipated to broaden the indications for LLR

Outcomes of robotic vs laparoscopic hepatectomy : a systematic review and meta-analysis

AIM: To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis on robotic-assisted vs laparoscopic liver resections. METHODS: A systematic literature search was performed using PubMed, Scopus and the Cochrane Library Central. Participants of any age and sex, who underwent robotic or laparoscopic liver resection were considered following these criteria: (1) studies comparing robotic and laparoscopic liver resection; (2) studies reporting at least one perioperative outcome; and (3) if more than one study was reported by the same institute, only the most recent was included. The primary outcome measures were set for estimated blood loss, operative time, conversion rate, R1 resection rate, morbidity and mortality rates, hospital stay and major hepatectomy rates. RESULTS: A total of 7 articles, published between 2010 and 2014, fulfilled the selection criteria. The laparoscopic approach was associated with a significant reduction in blood loss and lower operative time (MD = 83.96, 95% CI: 10.51-157.41, P = 0.03; MD = 68.43, 95% CI: 39.22-97.65, P < 0.00001, respectively). No differences were found with respect to conversion rate, R1 resection rate, morbidity and hospital stay. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic liver resection resulted in reduced blood loss and shorter surgical times compared to robotic liver resections. There was no difference in conversion rate, R1 resection rate, morbidity and length of postoperative stay

Treatment of a mixed acinar-endocrine carcinoma with uptake on 68Gallium-DOTATOC positron emission tomography-computed tomography : a case report

The case of a 35-year old female patient with a diagnosis of metastatic mixed acinar-endocrine carcinoma (MAEC) is investigated in the present study. The patient was believed to have a well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumor (NET) with a high Ki-67 index and uptake on (68)Gallium-DOTATOC positron emission tomography-computed tomography for 9 years, and was treated accordingly. The patient had long lasting disease control by treatment with sunitinib, and a response was observed in numerous lesions with peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT). Following treatment for metastatic disease for >4 years, liver transplantation was performed, as an exception to normal recommendations, at the time of progression of a centrally located liver lesion inducing obstructive jaundice. Following transplantation, the diagnosis of a Grade 3 NET, as defined by the WHO 2010 classification, was challenged and changed to MAEC. MAEC is a rare type of tumor of the pancreas, exhibiting endocrine and acinar differentiation. It is difficult to diagnose, often being misidentified as acinar cell carcinoma or predominantly as neuroendocrine neoplasms. Immunohistochemical labelling provides the only evidence for the dual differentiation of neuroendocrine (synaptophysin and chromogranin) and acinar (lipase, trypsin and chymotrypsin) cell markers. Studies investigating MAECs with a clear histopathological diagnosis are scarce, in addition to evidence of disease behaviour and treatment options. It is generally agreed that surgery is the primary treatment in patients with resectable tumors. The responses to sunitinib and PRRT suggested that treatments considered or developed for NETs may be beneficial in MAEC cases

Surgical treatment of stage IV colorectal cancer with synchronous liver metastases : a systematic review and network meta-analysis

Background: The ideal treatment approach for colorectal cancer (CRC) with synchronous liver metastases (SCRLM) remains debated. We performed a network meta-analysis (NMA) comparing the 'bowel-first' approach (BFA), simultaneous resection (SIM), and the 'liver-first' approach (LFA). Methods: A systematic search of comparative studies in CRC with SCRLM was undertaken using the Embase, PubMed, Web of Science, and CENTRAL databases. Outcome measures included postoperative complications, 30- and 90-day mortality, chemotherapy use, treatment completion rate, 3- and 5-year recurrence-free survival, and 3- and 5-year overall survival (OS). Pairwise and network meta-analysis were performed to compare strategies. Heterogeneity was assessed using the Higgins I-2 statistic. Results: One prospective and 43 retrospective studies reporting on 10 848 patients were included. Patients undergoing the LFA were more likely to have rectal primaries and a higher metastatic load. The SIM approach resulted in a higher risk of major morbidity and 30-day mortality. Compared to the BFA, the LFA more frequently resulted in failure to complete treatment as planned (34% versus 6%). Pairwise and network meta-analysis showed a similar 5-year OS between LFA and BFA and a more favorable 5-year OS after SIM compared to LFA (odds ratio 0.25-0.90, p = 0.02, I-2 = 0%), but not compared to BFA. Conclusion: Despite a higher tumor load in LFA compared to BFA patients, survival was similar. A lower rate of treatment completion was observed with LFA. Uncertainty remains substantial due to imprecise estimates of treatment effects. In the absence of prospective trials, treatment of stage IV CRC patients should be individually tailored. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd, BASO similar to The Association for Cancer Surgery, and the European Society of Surgical Oncology. All rights reserved

Portal vein thrombosis in patients on the waiting list for liver transplantation : a single center cohort study

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Liver transplantation for alcoholic liver disease: a retrospective analysis of recidivism, survival and risk factors predisposing to alcohol relapse

Background and study aims : Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is the second most common indication for liver transplantation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the alcohol relapse rate and long-term survival after liver transplantation for ALD and to identify risk factors predisposing to alcohol relapse. Patients and methods : Between 2000 and 2007, 108 patients transplanted for ALD in the Ghent University Hospital were included in this retrospective analysis. Relapse was defined as any drinking after transplantation, problem drinking as more than 2 units/day for women and 3 units/day for men. A wide range of variables was obtained from a questionnaire and medical records. Results : The mean follow-up was 55 months. Relapse was observed in 29%, 16% in problem drinking. The one-and five-year survival was 87% and 74% respectively. No significant difference in survival was found between non-relapsers, occasional drinkers and problem drinkers. The following risk factors were found to be significantly associated with relapse into problem drinking in an univariate analysis : a shorter pre-transplant abstinence period, the presence of a first degree relative with alcohol abuse and a higher number of prior attempts to quit. In multivariable analysis, the presence of a first degree relative with alcohol abuse was found associated with relapse into problem drinking. Conclusions : The presence of a first degree relative with alcohol abuse is a valuable pre-transplant variable evaluating an ALD patient's eligibility for liver transplantation. Other variables are also helpful to outline the broader context of the drinking behavior of the patient

Axion field influence on Josephson junction quasipotential

The direct effect of an axion field on Josephson junctions is analyzed through the consequences on the effective potential barrier that prevents the junction from switching from the superconducting to the finite-voltage state. We describe a method to reliably compute the quasipotential with stochastic simulations, which allows to span the coupling parameter from weakly interacting axion to tight interactions. As a result, we obtain that the axion field induces a change in the potential barrier, therefore determining a significant detectable effect for such a kind of elusive particle.Comment: 12 pages, 3 figure

Quality of life after liver transplantation : state of the art

Quality of life (QoL) after deceased donor liver transplantation is increasingly recognized as a major outcome parameter. We reviewed recent publications in this rapidly evolving field in order to summarize recent achievements in the field and to define opportunities and perspectives for research and improvement of patient care. QoL does improve after liver transplantation according to a typical pattern. During the first year, there is a significant improvement in QoL. After one year, the improvement does stabilise and tends to decline slightly. In addition to the physical condition, different psychological parameters (such as depression, anxiety, sexual function) and socio-demographic elements (professional state, sex, marital state) seem to impact QoL. Opportunities for further research are the use of dedicated questionnaires and identification of influencing factors for QoL

Post-operative morbidity following pancreatic duct occlusion without anastomosis after pancreaticoduodenectomy: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Pancreatic duct occlusion (PDO) without anastomosis is a technique proposed to mitigate the clinical consequences of postoperative pancreatic fistulas (POPF) after pancreaticoduodenectomy. The aim of this study was to appraise the morbidity following PDO through a systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods: A systematic search of MEDLINE, Embase, and Web Of Science identified studies reporting outcomes of PDO following pancreaticoduodenectomy. Pooled prevalence rates of postoperative complications and mortality were computed using random-effect modeling. Meta-regression analyses were performed to examine the impact of moderators on the overall estimates. Results: Sixteen studies involving 1000 patients were included. Pooled postoperative mortality was 2.7%. A POPF was reported in 29.7% of the patients. Clinically relevant POPFs occurred in 13.5% of the patients, while intra-abdominal abscess and haemorrhages occurred in 6.7% and 5.5% of the patients, respectively. Re-operation was necessary in 7.6% of the patients. Postoperatively new onset diabetes occurred in 15.8% of patients, more frequently after the use of chemical substances for PDO (p = 0.003). Conclusions: PDO is associated with significant morbidity including new onset of post-operative diabetes. The risk of new onset post-operative diabetes is associated with the use of chemical substance for PDO. Further evidence is needed to evaluate the potential benefits of PDO in patients at high risk of POPF

Hepatic artery flow and cardiac output: correlation between systemic and liver hemodynamics

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