Ischemic Biliary Strictures Research Articles

OBSTRUCTIVE JAUNDICE: ETIOLOGY AND PATTERN OF PRESENTATION

Surgical jaundice mainly occurs due to obstruction in any duct from the liver to the gall bladder and then the small intestine. It can be divided into intra-hepatic or extra-hepatic causes. Biliary stones, iatrogenic or ischemic biliary stricture, pseudo-pancreatic cysts, carcinoma of the head of the pancreas, and periampullary carcinomas are common pathologies of obstructive jaundice. Common bile duct stones account for 10-15% of biliary stone disease and are the most common cause of obstructive jaundice. Obstructive jaundice presents with a wide range of associated features. Ultrasonography, MRCP, and ERCP are the primary diagnostic tools for diagnosing and managing obstructive jaundice, in addition to blood tests. This study aims to determine the pattern of presentation and causes of obstructive jaundice. This observational, retrospective study was conducted in general surgery and surgical oncology unit 2 of Sheikh Zayed Hospital, Lahore. The study lasted from January 2022 to April 2023. A non-probability convenience sampling technique was used. A total of 55 patients with obstructive jaundice were presented in the study area in a defined period, which included 17 (30.90%) males and 38 (69.09%) females. The mean age was 49 years, with age ranges from 28 years to 80 years. 13 (23.66%) patients were found to have malignant disease, whereas 42 (76.33%) patients presented with benign disease. The most common malignant cause of obstructive jaundice was carcinoma head of the pancreas (10.90%), whereas the least common causes were cholangiocarcinoma (1.82%), carcinoma gall bladder (1.82%) and malignant biliary stricture (1.82%). The most common benign cause and overall most common cause of obstructive jaundice was choledocholithiasis (32.73%), followed by referred biliary injuries (18.18%). The most common clinical feature presented in benign causes of obstructive jaundice was jaundice (100%), followed by itching (71.4%) and abdominal pain (64.28%). The most common clinical feature in malignant causes of obstructive jaundice was jaundice (100%), followed by loss of appetite (84.61%) and weight loss (84.61%). Female was the most common gender presented with obstructive jaundice. The most common benign cause of obstructive jaundice was Choledocholithiasis, while the most malignant cause was carcinoma head of the pancreas.

Outcome of post-liver transplant ischemic and nonischemic biliary stenoses treated with percutaneous interventions: The bologna experience

In liver transplantation (LT), biliary strictures (BSs) are among the most common complications. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of percutaneous treatments in the management of post-LT BSs. Between 1999 and 2007, 48 patients underwent percutaneous treatments for posttransplant BSs. We divided the population into 2 groups according to the cause [ischemic (n = 14) or nonischemic (n = 34)] and into further subgroups according to the site [anastomotic (n = 34) or nonanastomotic (n = 14)]. All patients were treated with bilioplasty; in 9 patients who were refractory to bilioplasty, metallic stents were implanted. A technical success rate of 90% was achieved without differences between the ischemic and nonischemic groups or between the anastomotic and nonanastomotic subgroups (P = 0.10). The major complication rate was 4%. The overall 1- and 3-year primary patency rates were 94% and 45%, respectively, and better results were found for patients with nonischemic stenoses versus patients with ischemic stenoses (P = 0.032). The overall secondary patency rates were 94% and 83% at 1 and 3 years, respectively, and there were no statistical differences between the ischemic and nonischemic groups or between the anastomotic and nonanastomotic groups. In the stent subgroup, the overall primary 1- and 2-year patency rates were 100% and 71%, respectively, and the secondary patency rates were 100% and 100%, respectively. In conclusion, a percutaneous approach is highly effective for the treatment of post-LT BSs, and the best results are obtained for patients with simple, nonischemic BSs (technical success rate = 94%, 3-year primary patency rate = 81%, 3-year secondary patency rate = 75%). For patients with ischemic BSs, closer follow-up and retreatment are more frequently needed to achieve secondary patency rates comparable to (or even better than) those for patients with nonischemic stenoses.

Improving the function of liver grafts exposed to warm ischemia by the leuven drug protocol: Exploring the molecular basis by microarray

Livers exposed to warm ischemia (WI) before transplantation are at risk for primary nonfunction (PNF), graft dysfunction, and ischemic biliary strictures, all associated with ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI). Our multifactorial approach, Leuven drug protocol (LDP), has been shown to reduce these effects and increase recipient survival in WI/IRI-damaged porcine liver transplantation. The aim was the identification of the molecular mechanisms responsible for the hepatoprotective effects of the LDP. Porcine livers were exposed to 45 minutes of WI, cold-stored for 4 hours, transplanted, and either modulated (LDP group; n = 3) or not modulated (control group; n = 4). In the LDP group, the donor livers were flushed with streptokinase and epoprostenol before cold perfusion; the recipients received intravenous glycine, a-1-acid-glycoprotein, FR167653 (a mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitor), a-tocopherol, glutathione, and apotransferrin. Liver samples were taken before WI and 1 hour after reperfusion. Gene expression was determined with microarrays and molecular pathways and key regulatory genes were identified. The number of genes changed between baseline and 1 hour after reperfusion was 686 in the LDP group and 325 in the control group. The extra genes in the LDP group belonged predominantly to pathways related to cytokine activity, apoptosis, and cell proliferation. We identified 7 genes that were suppressed in the LDP group. These genes could be linked in part to the administered drugs. New potential drug targets were identified on the basis of genes induced in the control group but unaffected in the LDP group and interactions predicted by the literature. In conclusion, the LDP primarily resulted in the suppression of inflammation-regulating genes in IRI. Furthermore, the microarray technique helped us to identify additional gene targets.

Biliary complication following split liver transplantation

Objective To determine the incidence,risk factors and measures to prevent biliary complications after ex vivo split liver transplantation (SLT).Method 33 ex vivo SLT were performed between June 2006 and September 2010.One patient was excluded from this analysis because of early postoperative death.There were 18 males and 14 females,with a mean age of 33.4 yr (range,6 mo to 65 yr).Biliary reconstruction was carried out by duct-to-duct anastomosis in 20 and Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy in 12 patients.Biliary complication was defined as either bile leak or bile duct stricture which required surgery,interventional radiology or endoscopic treatment.These biliary complications were confirmed by percutaneous tranahepatic cholangiography,endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography,or T-tube cholangiography.Result The median follow-up was 13.5 months (3 to 54 mo).Twelve (37.5 ％ ) biliary complications occurred in 11 patients:hepatic parenchymal leak from the transeeted liver surface in 9.3％ (3/32),anastomotic leaks in 12.5％ (4/32),anastomotic strictures in 3.1％ (1/32),stump leaks from the left bile duct in 3.1 ％ (1/32),and ischemic biliary strictures in 9.3％ (3/32).Two patients died of abdominal sepsis in the 8 patients who had biliary leaks.Univariate analysis showed that graft type and biliary reconstruction were not significant risk factors for biliary leaks.Conclusion Compared with whole liver transplantation and living donor liver transplantation,biliary complications of SLT are more common.Prevention and treatment of biliary complications are important factors to improve the result of SLT. Key words: Split; Liver transplantation; Biliary complication

膵頭十二指腸切除術後の虚血性良性胆道狭窄の1例

膵頭十二指腸切除術後の虚血性良性胆道狭窄の1例