Residual Liver Research Articles

Morphologic Change of In Vivo Porcine Liver Under 13 mm Hg Pneumoperitoneum Pressure.

Clinically, the total and residual liver volume must be accurately calculated before major hepatectomy. However, liver volume might be influenced by pneumoperitoneum during surgery. Changes in liver volume change also affect the accuracy of simulation and augmented reality navigation systems, which are commonly first validated in animal models. In this study, the morphologic changes in porcine livers in vivo under 13 mm Hg pneumoperitoneum pressure were investigated. Twenty male pigs were scanned with contrast-enhanced computed tomography without pneumoperitoneum and with 13 mm Hg pneumoperitoneum pressure. The surface area and volume of the liver and the vascular diameter of the aortic lumen, inferior vena cava lumen, and portal vein lumen were measured. There were statistically significant differences in the surface area and volume of the liver (P=0.000), transverse diameter of the portal vein (P=0.038), longitudinal diameter of the inferior vena cava (P=0.033), longitudinal diameter of the portal vein (P=0.036), vascular cross-sectional area of the inferior vena cava (P=0.028), and portal vein (P=0.038) before and after 13 mm Hg pneumoperitoneum pressure. This study indicated that the creation of pneumoperitoneum at 13 mm Hg pressure in a porcine causes liver morphologic alterations affecting the area and volume, as well as the diameter of a blood vessel.

In vivo mutagenicity and tumor-promoting activity of 1,3-dichloro-2-propanol in the liver and kidneys of gpt delta rats.

1,3-Dichloro-2-propanol (1,3-DCP), a food contaminant, exerts carcinogenic effects in multiple organs, including the liver and kidneys, in rats. However, the underlying mechanisms of 1,3-DCP-induced carcinogenesis remain unclear. Here, the in vivo mutagenicity and tumor-promoting activity of 1,3-DCP in the liver and kidneys were evaluated using medium-term gpt delta rat models previously established in our laboratory (GPG and GNP models). Six-week-old male F344 gpt delta rats were treated with 0 or 50mg/kg body weight/day 1,3-DCP by gavage for 4weeks. After 2weeks of cessation, partial hepatectomy or unilateral nephrectomy was performed to collect samples for in vivo mutation assays, followed by single administration of diethylnitrosamine (DEN) for tumor initiation. One week after DEN injection, 1,3-DCP treatment was resumed, and tumor-promoting activity was evaluated in the residual liver or kidneys by histopathological analysis of preneoplastic lesions. gpt mutant frequencies increased in excised liver and kidney tissues following 1,3-DCP treatment. 1,3-DCP did not affect the development of glutathione S-transferase placental form-positive foci in residual liver tissues, but enhanced atypical tubule hyperplasia in residual kidney tissues. Detailed histopathological analyses revealed glomerular injury and increased cell proliferation of renal tubular cells in residual kidney tissues of rats treated with 1,3-DCP. These results suggested possible involvement of genotoxic mechanisms in 1,3-DCP-induced carcinogenesis in the liver and kidneys. In addition, we found that 1,3-DCP exhibited limited tumor-promoting activity in the liver, but enhanced clonal expansion in renal carcinogenesis via proliferation of renal tubular cells following glomerular injury.

Effects of Interventional Therapy on Liver Metastases-Measurement of Liver Volume by Abdominal Computed Tomography

Purpose: To evaluate the effects of transhepatic arterial infusion (TAI) with transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) on liver volume of patients with liver metastases, by liver volumetry using 256-slice CT (iCT 256, Philips Healthcare). Methods: A retrospective analysis of 19 patients with liver metastases, who received combination treatment of TAI with TAE, were conducted. Residual liver volumes (LV) were measured before (LV0), after the first (LV1) and the second treatment (LV2) with iCT 256. Bland-Altman method was used to evaluate the agreements of residual liver volume between two reviewers. Residual liver volume changes were compared by One-Way ANOVA. Results: For the first reviewer, LV0, LV1, LV2 were: 872.67±139.31, 960.63±143.91, 842.13±141.45 cc. LV1 > LV0, but the difference was not significant (P = 0.061). LV2 < LV0, the difference was statistically significant (P = 0.013). LV2 < LV0, and the difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.509). For the second reviewer, LV0, LV1, LV2 were: 909.99±135.46, 996.36±180.10, 845.70±131.632 cc. LV1 > LV0, the difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.083). LV2 < LV1, the difference was statistically significant (P = 0.003). LV2 < LV0, the difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.194). Conclusion: Combination treatment of TAI with TAE did not induce significant liver damage in patients with metastatic liver cancer, and iCT256 volumetry provided a precise measurement of liver volume and may play a critical role in the development of interventional surgery.

Preoperative Trans-catheter Arterial Chemoembolization and Laparoscopic Associating Liver Partition and Portal Vein Ligation for Staged Hepatectomy in Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma – A Case Report

<p>Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) is considered as a major method to treat hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Associated liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy (ALPPS) has been used to treat patients with advanced HCC. This case report documents the safety, efficacy, and feasibility of TACE and laparoscopic ALPPS to treat the unresectable HCC of the right liver with right intra-hepatic metastasis in a male patient. Percutaneous and trans-femoral artery TACE was performed preoperatively, and the ALPPS stage-I at the 4th week and stage-II after 14 days was carried out. Postoperative outcome was assessed after 180 days of follow-up. It is concluded that preoperative TACE and laparoscopic ALPPS offer a fine treatment alternative to the patients with insufficient residual liver volume and relatively-advanced and extensive HCC.</p>

Identifying the Key Genes in Mouse Liver Regeneration After Partial Hepatectomy by Bioinformatics Analysis and in vitro/vivo Experiments.

BackgroundThe liver is the only organ that can completely regenerate after various injuries or tissue loss. There are still a large number of gene functions in liver regeneration that have not been explored. This study aimed to identify key genes in the early stage of liver regeneration in mice after partial hepatectomy (PH).Materials and MethodsWe first analyzed the expression profiles of genes in mouse liver at 48 and 72 h after PH from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Gene ontology (GO), and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and protein–protein interaction (PPI) analysis were performed to identify key genes in liver regeneration. Finally, we validated key genes in vivo and in vitro.ResultsWe identified 46 upregulated genes and 19 downregulated genes at 48 h after PH, and 223 upregulated genes and 40 downregulated genes at 72 h after PH, respectively. These genes were mainly involved in cell cycle, DNA replication, and p53 signaling pathway. Among of these genes, cycle-related genes (Ccna2, Cdkn1a, Chek1, and Mcm5) and Ube2c were highly expressed in the residual liver both at 48 and 72 h after PH. Furthermore, Ube2c knockdown not only caused abnormal expression of Ccna2, Cdkn1a, Chek1, and Mcm5, but also inhibited transition of hepatocytes from G1 to S phase of the cell cycle in vitro.ConclusionMouse hepatocytes enter the proliferation phase at 48 h after PH. Ube2c may mediate cell proliferation by regulating or partially regulating Ccna2, Cdkn1a, Chek1, and Mcm5.

Multichannel three-dimensional fully convolutional residual network-based focal liver lesion detection and classification in Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI.

Gadolinium ethoxybenzyl diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA)-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has high diagnostic accuracy in the detection of liver lesions. There is a demand for computer-aided detection/diagnosis software for Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI. We propose a deep learning-based method using one three-dimensional fully convolutional residual network (3D FC-ResNet) for liver segmentation and another 3D FC-ResNet for simultaneous detection and classification of a focal liver lesion in Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI. We prepared a five-phase (unenhanced, arterial, portal venous, equilibrium, and hepatobiliary phases) series as the input image sets and labeled focal liver lesion (hepatocellular carcinoma, metastasis, hemangiomas, cysts, and scars) images as the output image sets. We used 100 cases to train our model, 42 cases to determine the hyperparameters of our model, and 42 cases to evaluate our model. We evaluated our model by free-response receiver operating characteristic curve analysis and using a confusion matrix. Our model simultaneously detected and classified focal liver lesions. In the test cases, the detection accuracy for whole focal liver lesions had a true-positive ratio of 0.6 at an average of 25 false positives per case. The classification accuracy was 0.790. We proposed the simultaneous detection and classification of a focal liver lesion in Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI using multichannel 3D FC-ResNet. Our results indicated simultaneous detection and classification are possible using a single network. It is necessary to further improve detection sensitivity to help radiologists.

Conversion hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma with inadequate future- remnant- liver after portal vein ligation in combination with apatinib plus camrelizimab: A single-arm prospective pilot study (PLACES).

e16132 Background: A variety of staged hepatic resection has been applied in patients (pts) with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who had an inadequate future-remnant-liver (FRL), but the clinical outcomes remain unsatisfactory. Based on the clinical data of apatinib (a highly selective VEGFR-2 inhibitor) and camrelizimab (anti‐PD‐1 antibody) in HCC pts, we therefore evaluated the safety and efficacy of portal vein ligation (PVL) in combination with apatinib plus camrelizimab for primary HCC with insufficient residual liver volume. Methods: Pts aged 18-75, with HCC, Child-Pugh A status, BCLC stage A-C, preoperative indocyanine green retention rate at 15 min < 10%, and preoperative FLR/standardized liver volume (SLV) < 30% (for pts without cirrhosis ) and < 40% (for pts with cirrhosis ) were enrolled. Pts received PVL followed by camrelizimab (200mg, iv, d1 q2w) plus apatinib (250mg, po, pd, q2w) until surgical criteria were met. Pts underwent second-stage hepatic resection 4 weeks after treatment discontinuation, and continued treatment with apatinib plus camrelizimab for 1 year or endpoints occurred. The primary endpoints were resection rate of conversion surgery and ORR (objective response rate). Results: Between Apr 21, 2020 to Jan 20, 2021, 14 pts were enrolled in this trial. The estimated median preoperative FLR/SLV for all pts was 34.6%. Among the 10 evaluable pts, 7 met the criteria for surgery and 5 completed second-stage hepatectomy except for 2 pt who refused and waited for surgery, respectively. The median interval time of the two stages of surgery was 138.8 days. ORR was 40%, and disease control rate (DCR) was 100% (4 pts with partial response and 6 pts with stable disease). The other 4 pts are waiting for the evaluation. No adverse events (AEs) of grade 3 or worse occurred after PVL. The most common treatment-related AEs in pts during treatment with apatinib plus camrelizimab included hypoalbuminemia (36%), increased aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (100%) and rash (29%). Major AEs in pts underoing second-stage hepatectomy were pneumonia (100%), increased AST (100%), increased alanine transaminase (100%) and anemia (100%). One patient died of postoperative pulmonary infection. Conclusions: PVL in combination with apatinib plus camrelizimab followed by staged resection may be a safe and effective treatment option for HCC pts with insufficient FLR. Clinical trial information: ChiCTR2000033692.

Liver regeneration after radiotherapy in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: A simple-to-use model and nomogram.

e16115 Background: In the past clinical practice of radiotherapy for liver cancer, liver regeneration (LR) which is beneficial to the prevention or recovery of radiation-induced liver injury, has not received enough attention. In current study, we aimed to build and validate multivariate model for liver regeneration after radiation therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) based on data from 2 prospective studies. Methods: Thirty patients treated with preoperative downstaging radiotherapy were prospectively included in the training cohort, and 21 patients treated with postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy were included in the validation cohort. Liver regeneration was defined as an increase of more than 10% of normal liver volume in the areas of the protected hepatic segment or lobe, without Child-Pugh class decreased and tumor progression compared to pre-radiotherapy. Model and nomogram of liver regeneration after radiotherapy were developed and validated. The cut-off points of each optimal predictors were obtained using receiver-operating characteristic analysis. Risk stratification based on the cut-off point was conducted to compare the proportion of patients with liver regeneration between subgroups. Results: After radiotherapy, 12 (40%) cases in the training cohort and 13 (61.9%) cases in the validation cohort experienced liver regeneration. The model and nomogram of liver regeneration based on SVs20 (standard residual liver volume spared from at least 20 Gy) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) showed good prediction performance (AUC = 0.759) in training cohort and performed well (AUC = 0.808) in the validation cohort. The risk stratification according to the cutoffs of SVs20 with 303.4 mL and ALT with 43 U/L demonstrated clear differentiation in risk of liver regeneration between the training(P = 0.049) and entire cohort (P = 0.032). The proportion of patients with liver regeneration decrease progressively with 88.9% in high-probability group (ALT＜43 U/L and SVs20＜303.4 mL), 60% in high-intermediate probability group (ALT ≥43 U/L and SVs20＜303.4 mL), 43.75% in low-intermediate probability group (ALT＜43 U/L and SVs20≥303.4 mL) and 33% in low- probability group (ALT≥43 U/L and SVs20≥303.4 mL). Conclusions: SVs20 and ALT are optimal predictors for liver regeneration. This simple-to-use nomogram is beneficial to the constraints of normal liver outside the radiotherapy target area and make prognosis-based decision without complex calculations. Clinical trial information: ChiCTR1800015350. [Table: see text]

Glucagonoma: “A Diagnostic Challenge”

Abstract Introduction: Glucagonoma is a rare pancreatic α-islet cell tumor accounting for nearly 1% of all the neuroendocrine tumors (NET), with an incidence of 1 in 20 million people. We present here a patient with glucagonoma with uncontrolled diabetes mellitus (DM) for over ten years and necrolytic migratory erythema (NME) for two years. Clinical Case: A 50-year-old Caucasian male was referred to the endocrinology team for uncontrolled DM type 2. The DM was diagnosed over 10 years prior with initial HbA1c of 10.2% and remained uncontrolled with HbA1c >9%, despite compliance with lifestyle modifications and treatment with multiple agents including metformin, glipizide, empagliflozin, and pioglitazone. Given poor glycemic control, the treatment was escalated to glargine and lixisenatide. Over the years, the patient presented with unintentional weight loss of 105 pounds, fatigue, normocytic normochromic anemia, and diffuse erythematous rash with plaques and scaling on the trunk, flexor surfaces of lower and upper extremities, soles of hands and feet. Punch biopsy of the lesions revealed neutrophilic infiltration. He denied diarrhea, deep venous thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, psychiatric symptoms, or family history of neuroendocrine tumor (NET) or MEN 1 syndrome. A CT chest abdomen and pelvis revealed a 5 cm mass on the pancreatic tail along with liver metastasis. The biopsy confirmed a well-differentiated NET. Serum glucagon and chromogranin-A levels were elevated at 2967 pg/mL (N: 50-150 pg/mL) and 263.8 ng/mL (N: 0-101.8 ng/mL) respectively, consistent with pancreatic glucagonoma. Octreoscan revealed diffuse uptake in the liver, omentum, and spleen. He was started on Octreotide injections monthly, followed by distal pancreatectomy, splenectomy, hepatic wedge resection, and excision of the omental implant with the plan to treat the residual liver metastasis with radioembolization. Pathology analysis showed local invasion and metastasis to local lymph nodes with immunostaining positive for AE1/3, synaptophysin, chromogranin, and Ki67 index <2% consistent with Grade I well-differentiated NET. Post-surgery, serum glucagon and chromogranin-A levels dropped to 400 pg/mL and 68.8 ng/mL respectively. Insulin requirements markedly dropped with an improvement in glycemic control and resolution of the rash. Conclusions: Glucagonoma is an uncommon, slow-growing pancreatic neoplasm resulting in excessive glucagon secretion and it is characterized by diabetes mellitus, NME, chronic diarrhea, and deep vein thrombosis. Nearly 50% of glucagonomas are metastatic at the time of diagnosis. Patients without metastasis have a 10-year survival rate of almost 100%, compared with 51.6% of patients with metastasis, emphasizing the importance of early diagnosis and multidisciplinary treatment approach to achieve a better therapeutic outcome.

Hepatocellular Carcinoma With Pleural Metastases Without Residual Liver Tumor Diagnosed by Pleuroscopy

Hepatocellular Carcinoma With Pleural Metastases Without Residual Liver Tumor Diagnosed by Pleuroscopy

Prevention of Liver Failure in Extended Hepatic Resection

Background. Postoperative failure is a major cause of adverse outcomes in extensive liver resection. Post-resection liver failure requires intensive, including extracorporeal, care. Issues in correcting liver failure warrant novel approaches to prevent severe cases.Materials and methods. A retrospective analysis of 228 various-extent liver resections included minor (55.7 %), major (26.8 %) and extended (17.5 %) operations for malignant, benign and parasitic liver lesions. The post-resection liver failure rate has ben graded according to ISGLS.Results and discussion. Postoperative hepatic failure developed in 58 (25.4 %) cases, including 5 of 127 minor (3.9 %) resections, 18 major (29.5 %) and 35 of 40 extended resections (87.5 %). Mild class A liver failures were reported in 12.3 %, and severe classes B and C — in 9.2 % and 3.9 % cases, respectively.CT volumetry in place of the number of resected segments is suggested as a criterion to grade the expected post-resection residual liver, with >70 % defining a minor, 36–70 % — major and 25–35 % — extended expected residual liver.A two-staged extended hepatic resection approach is proposed to reduce postoperative liver failure, with vascular radiology-guided right portal vein embolisation (RPVE) or associating liver partition and portal vein ligation (ALPPS) at stage 1.A comparison of extended hepatic resection outcomes (n = 40) showed a significantly higher rate and severity of liver failure in single- vs. two-staged operations (p < 0.05).Conclusion. Liver failure is a leading cause of death in major and extended hepatic resection. Preoperative CT volumetry allows a more accurate volumetric control of expected post-resection residual liver. Two-staged extended hepatic resection can reliably reduce the rate and severity of postoperative liver failure.

The impact of standardized methods of hepatic vein reconstruction with an external iliac vein graft.

Liver tumors that invade the hepatic vein are surgically challenging, especially in patients with liver dysfunction. Preservation of as much of the parenchyma as possible is important; thus, when feasible, we perform hepatectomy with hepatic vein reconstruction (HVR) using an external iliac vein (EIV) graft. We conducted a retrospective study to investigate the benefit of HVR and to evaluate our procedure. The study included patients treated by hepatectomy with HVR using EIV grafts and vascular clips. We reviewed the surgical outcomes, including total operation and HVR times, postoperative complications, and postoperative liver function. The surgeries included right HVR (n=13), left HVR (n=3), and middle HVR (n=1). The total operation time was 277±72 minutes (155-400 minutes), and the HVR time was 27±5 minutes (19-40 minutes). Graft patency was confirmed in 14 (82%) of the patients. One patient who underwent HVR with running sutures required emergency surgery due to graft thrombosis. Clavien-Dindo > grade IIIa postoperative complications occurred in 4 (23.5%) patients, but there were no treatment-related deaths. In conclusion, our hepatic resections with HVR using the same techniques and graft materials showed acceptable surgical outcomes. From our experience, we believe that preparatory hepatic resection with HVR is an effective treatment, especially for patients with decreased liver function or with a small residual liver parenchyma.

Can Beaver Tail Liver be the Cause of Preference in Living Liver Transplantation Donors?

This study aims to investigate whether there was a difference between the levels of safety in terms of the postoperative residual liver volume in living transplant donors with normal liver anatomy and beaver tail liver. Contrast-enhanced abdominal computed tomography (CT) images of 158 volunteers were retrospectively scanned. They were divided into 2 groups; with and without beaver tail liver. The total and left lobe volumes of the liver in all the candidates were calculated. The data were evaluated using the Mann-Whitney U test. Statistical values of p<0.05 were considered significant. The median value of the total liver volume was 1.252 mL and that of the left lobe percentage was 38% in the beaver tail group and 1.375 mL and 35%, respectively, in the normal liver group. A significant difference was observed in terms of the total liver volume and left lobe volume percentages of the 2 groups (p=0.012 and p<0.001, respectively). The percentage of the left lobe in the beaver tail group was significantly higher, which indicates that liver transplantation donors with the beaver tail feature may be safer in terms of residual liver volume.

Diagnosis and treatment modalities of hilar biliary duct stricture in hepatic cystic echinococcosis after endocystectomy.

Aim: Hilar biliary duct stricture may occur in hepatic cystic echinococcosis (CE) patients after endocystectomy. This study aimed to explore diagnosis and treatment modalities. Methods: Clinical data of 26 hepatic CE patients undergoing endocystectomy who developed postoperative hilar biliary duct stricture were retrospectively analyzed and were classified into three types: type A, type B, and type C. Postoperative complications and survival time were successfully followed up. Results: Imaging showed biliary duct stenosis, atrophy of ipsilateral hepatic lobe, reactive hyperplasia, hepatic hilum calcification, and dilation or discontinuity of intrahepatic biliary duct. All patients received partial hepatectomy to resect residual cyst cavity and atrophic liver tissue, and anastomosis of hepatic duct with jejunum or common bile duct exploration was applied to handle hilar biliary duct stricture. Twenty-five patients were successfully followed up. Among type A patients, one patient died of organ failure, and upper gastrointestinal bleeding and liver abscess occurred in one patient. Moreover, calculus of intrahepatic duct was found in one type B and type C patient. Conclusion: Long-term biliary fistula, infection of residual cavity or obstructive jaundice in hepatic CE patients after endocystectomy are possible indicators of hilar bile duct stricture. Individualized and comprehensive treatment measures, especially effective treatment of residual cavity and biliary fistula, are optimal to avoid serious hilar bile duct stricture.

A case of infant neuroblastoma managed without treatment for histopathological residual liver metastases

A case of infant neuroblastoma managed without treatment for histopathological residual liver metastases

Diagnostic accuracy of 3D imaging combined with intra-operative ultrasound in the prediction of post-hepatectomy liver failure.

The risk of post-hepatectomy liver failure (PHLF) is difficult to predict preoperatively. Accurate preoperative assessment of residual liver volume is critical in PHLF. Three-dimensional (3D) imaging and intra-operative ultrasound (IOUS) offer significant advantages in calculating liver volume and have been widely used in hepatectomy risk assessment. Our research aimed to explore the accuracy of 3D imaging technique combining IOUS in predicting PHLF after hepatectomy. We used a retrospective study design to analyze patients who underwent hepatectomy with 3D imaging combined with IOUS between 2017 and 2020. Utilizing 3D reconstruction, the patient's residual liver volumes (PRLVs) and ratio of PRLV to standard liver volume (SLV) were calculated preoperatively. Hepatectomy were performed and actual hepatectomy volume (AHV) were measured. Consistency between preoperative planned hepatectomy volume (PPHV) and AHV was quantified postoperatively by Bland-Altman analysis. Multiple logistic regression and receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves were utilized to discuss the predictive value of PRLV/SLV in PHLF. Among the 214 included patients, 58 (27.1%) had PHLF. Patients with PHLF had significantly higher residual rates of ICG-R15 (%) (P=0.000) and a lower PRLV/SLV ratio (P=0.000). Bland-Altman analysis showed that PPHV was consistent with AHV (P=0.301). Multivariate analysis confirmed that PRLV/SLV ratio >60% (OR, 0.178; 95% CI: 0.084-0.378; P<0.01) was a protective factor for PHLF. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) were 75.8% (95% CI: 64.5.3-87.2%), 66.6% (95% CI: 59.1-74.1%), 45.8%, and 88.1%, respectively. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) was 73.7% (95% CI: 65.7-85.8%) and the diagnostic accuracy of PRLV/SLV for PHLF was moderate (P<0.001). These results were validated in the validation cohort perfectly. The primary cohort included 214 patients with a PHLF rate of 27.1% (n=58, 28 grade B and 13 grade C). The validation cohort included 135 patients with a PHLF rate of 35.6% (n=48, 24 grade B and 11 grade C). The calculation of PRLV/SLV has predictive value in PHLF and can be exploited as a predictive factor. The 3D imaging technique combined with IOUS may be useful for PHLF risk assessment in hepatectomy patients.

Incomplete thermal ablation-induced up-regulation of transcription factor nuclear receptor subfamily 2, group F, member 6 (NR2F6) contributes to the rapid progression of residual liver tumor in hepatoblastoma

ABSTRACT Hepatoblastoma is a kind of extreme malignancy frequently diagnosed in children. Although surgical resection is considered as the first-line treatment for hepatoblastoma, a relatively large population of patients have lost the preferred opportunity for surgery. Administration of locoregional ablation enables local tumor control but with the deficiency of insufficient ablation, residual tumor, and rapid progression. In this study, we integrated 219 hepatoblastoma and 121 non-cancer liver tissues to evaluate the expression of NR2F6, from which a higher NR2F6 level was found in hepatoblastoma compared with non-cancer livers with a standard mean difference (SMD) of 1.04 (95% CI: 0.79, 1.29). The overexpression of NR2F6 also appeared to be an efficient indicator in distinguishing hepatoblastoma tissues from non-cancer liver tissues from the indication of a summarized AUC of 0.90, with a pooled sensitivity of 0.76 and a pooled specificity of 0.89. Interestingly, nude mouse xenografts provided direct evidence that overexpressed NR2F6 was also detected in residual tumor compared to untreated hepatoblastoma. Chromatin immunoprecipitation-binding data in HepG2 cells and transcriptome analysis of HepG2 xenografts were combined to identify target genes regulated by NR2F6. We finally selected 150 novel target genes of NR2F6 in residual tumor of incomplete ablation, and these genes appeared to be associated with the biological regulation of lipid metabolism-related pathway. Accordingly, targeting NR2F6 holds a therapeutic promise in treating residual recurrent hepatoblastoma after incomplete ablation.

ALPPS Procedure. The New Frontier in Advanced Liver Surgery. Single Centre Experience and Literature Review

Introduction: Presentation of the first experience of a liver surgery center in applying an innovative procedure - ALPPS (Associating Liver Partition and Portal vein ligation for Staged hepatectomy) for massive liver tumors. This medod has been performed in the surgery clinic 2 since 2018 in patients with massive primary or metastatic liver tumors, whose future residual liver volume is considered too small to perform curative liver resection safely. Until recently, these conditions assigned large tumors occupying more than 75-90% of the liver to the group of unresectable tumors. Prospectively, the ALPPS procedure was evaluated to convert unresectable liver tumors due to the small residual liver volume into resectable ones. Literature data were systematically reviewed using PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar. Materials and methods: Since June 2018, 18 ALPPS procedures were performed in patients aged 62 +-8 years. Indications for surgical resection were liver metastases of colorectal cancer in 7 cases, perihilar cholangiocarcinoma in 4 cases, hepatocellular carcinoma in 6 cases, and GIST metastases 1 case. From the literature data we analyzed articles from 2014 to 2019. Results: Residual liver volume was calculated on CT angiography using the program included in the Siemens machine software and was 252 +- 115 ml (19.4 +- 6.2%) before ALPPS-1 and 542 +- 165 ml (30.7 +- 6.5%) before ALLPS-2 (P 0.001). The increase in residual liver volume between the two procedures was 60.4 +- 38% (range: 31-110%, P 0.001). The mean time between the first and second procedure was 9.4 +- 2.3 days. Average hospital stay was 28.4 +- 9.2 days. Postoperative morbidity 34.8%, mortality 0. Survival at 18 months was 100%. Conclusion: The ALPPS technique allows us to increase the resectability rate in patients with initially unresectable liver tumors with favorable postoperative outcomes. Careful selection of patients for a major complex procedure such as ALPPS allowed us to avoid postoperative mortality. Liver cirrhosis, cholestasis, and intraoperative hemorrhage are major factors for the development of postoperative morbidity.

Adhesiogenesis of residual liver cavities after echinococcectomy

This paper presents findings of the retrospective analysis of 58 cases of surgical treatment in patients with hepatic hydatidosis. In all patients after open or laparoscopic echinococcectomy drainage of the residual cavities was performed. We developed and applied our own technique of obliteration of the residual cavities in all patients. Complete obliteration of the residual cavity occurred in 10–15 days after the surgery. The postoperative bed-day was 12.5. All patients recovered and were discharged in satisfactory condition.

Hepatocellular CarcinomaPost Viral Hepatitis B and C:Application of the PrognosticScore of Singapore

Surgical resection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major curative option in patients with adequate residual liver function. The risk of recurrence is extremely high. The Singapore liver cancer recurrence (SLICER) is a nomogram that evaluates the 3-year and 5-year recurrence-free survival (RFS) of patients operated for HCC. The objectives of our study were: To apply the SLICER prognostic score to a series of patients operated for a CHC To compare the results found with specific evolutionary data in our patients