Conventional radiation therapy (RT) is a widely recognized treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, conventional RT plays only a limited role in HCC treatment because of its low efficacy and the low tolerance of the liver for this modality. Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) was recently developed and represents the most advanced radiation therapy technique currently available. It can deliver a high dose in a short time to well-defined hepatic tumors, with rapid dose fall-off gradients. We believe that SBRT with transarterial chemolipiodolization (TACL) may prove promising as a combined treatment modality for HCC due to its precision and relative safety. Here we present a case of successful treatment of advanced HCC with obstructive jaundice using this combined modality.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/complications/*therapy ; *Chemoembolization, Therapeutic ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Humans ; Jaundice, Obstructive/etiology/therapy ; Liver Neoplasms/complications/*therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; *Radiosurgery

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Biliary Tract Neoplasms ; complications ; Cholangitis ; etiology ; Cholestasis ; etiology ; therapy ; Drainage ; adverse effects ; Female ; Hepatic Encephalopathy ; etiology ; Humans ; Intraoperative Period ; Jaundice, Obstructive ; etiology ; therapy ; Liver Neoplasms ; complications ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pancreatitis ; etiology ; Stents ; adverse effects

Biopsy ; methods ; Drainage ; Humans ; Jaundice, Obstructive ; etiology ; therapy ; Lymph Node Excision ; methods ; Neoplasm Staging ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; complications ; diagnosis ; pathology ; surgery ; Pancreaticoduodenectomy ; methods ; Salvage Therapy

OBJECTIVETo investigate the therapeutic effects and mechanisms of Salvia miltiorrhizae (Danshen) in the treatment of severe acute pancreatitis (SAP)- or obstructive jaundice (OJ)-induced heart injury.

METHODSA total of 288 rats were used for SAP- (n=108) and OJ-associated (n=180) experiments. The rats were randomly divided into sham-operated, model control, and Salvia miltiorrhizae-treated groups. According to the difference of time points after operation, SAP rats in each group were subdivided into 3, 6 and 12 h subgroups (n=12), whereas OJ rats were subdivided into 7, 14, 21, and 28 d subgroups (n=15). At the corresponding time points after operation, the mortality rates of the rats, the contents of endotoxin and phospholipase A2 (PLA2) in blood, and pathological changes of the hearts were investigated.

RESULTSThe numbers of dead SAP and OJ rats in the treated groups declined as compared with those in the model control group, but not significantly (P>0.05). The contents of endotoxin (at 6 and 12 h in SAP rats and on 7, 14, 21, and 28 d in OJ rats, respectively) and PLA2 (at 6 and 12 h in SAP rats and on 28 d in OJ rats, respectively) in the treated group were significantly lower than those in the model control group (P<0.01 and P<0.001, respectively). Besides, myocardial pathological injuries were mitigated in SAP and OJ rats.

CONCLUSIONIn this study, we found that Salvia miltiorrhizae improved myocardial pathological changes, reduced the content of PLA2 in blood, and decreased the mortality rates of SAP and OJ rats, exerting protective effects on the hearts of the rats.

Animals ; Endotoxins ; blood ; Heart Injuries ; blood ; drug therapy ; etiology ; pathology ; Jaundice, Obstructive ; blood ; complications ; drug therapy ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron ; Pancreatitis ; blood ; complications ; drug therapy ; Phospholipases A2 ; metabolism ; Phytotherapy ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Salvia ; chemistry ; Survival Rate

OBJECTIVETo summarize and compare the short-term and long-term clinical efficacy of percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD) and percutaneous transhepatic biliary stent (PTBS) in the treatment of malignant obstructive jaundice.

METHODS210 cases of malignant obstructive jaundice underwent interventional therapy, of which 161 cases of drainage catheters placement and 49 cases of metallic stent implantation. Follow-up information was obtained through telephone review or check-up records.

RESULTSThe technical success rate of technique was 100%. At 3 - 5 days after treatment, the serum total bilirubin in 15 metallic stent-treated patients was decreased by (178.04 +/- 42.32) micromol/L, and direct bilirubin by (83.97 +/- 23.63) micromol/L. Compared with those of 28 cases treated with drainage catheters: (95.67 +/- 34.28) micromol/L and (49.84 +/- 28.21) micromol/L, there were statistically significant differences between the two groups (P = 0.017 and P = 0.035). At 6 - 9 days after treatment, the serum total bilirubin in 28 cases of metallic stent group was decreased by (188.22 +/- 79.90) micromol/L, and that in 126 cases of drainage catheter group decreased by (141.39 +/- 65.32) micromol/L. The difference was statistically significant (P = 0.014). But the decline value of direct bilirubin had no significant difference. The median patency period and the median survival time of the drainage catheter group were 60 and 148 days, respectively, those of metallic stent group were 197 days and 245 days. There were statistically significant differences between the two groups (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe results of this study indicate that the short-term and long-term efficacies of metallic stent implantation are better than those of catheter drainage technique.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Bile Duct Neoplasms ; complications ; Bilirubin ; blood ; Drainage ; instrumentation ; methods ; Female ; Gallbladder Neoplasms ; complications ; Humans ; Jaundice, Obstructive ; blood ; etiology ; therapy ; Liver Neoplasms ; complications ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; complications ; Stents ; Survival Rate

Acute obstructive cholangitis due to the migration of necrotized tumor fragment is a rare complication occurring after a transarterial chemoembolization. The percutaneous tumor removal procedure following percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage is an appropriate treatment over endoscopic removal for the relief of acute cholangitis in this case. Following this serial management, no invasive hepatocellular carcinoma of the bile duct recurred after two years of follow-up.
Acute Disease ; Bile Duct Neoplasms/pathology/therapy ; Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/pathology/therapy ; *Catheterization ; Chemoembolization, Therapeutic/*adverse effects/methods ; Cholangiography ; Cholangitis/*etiology/therapy ; Drainage ; Humans ; Jaundice, Obstructive/*etiology/therapy ; Liver Neoplasms/pathology/therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Neoplasm, Residual

Intraductal tumor invasion of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is considered rare. Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) is effective for tumor thrombus of HCC in the bile duct. However, a few cases of obstructive jaundice caused by migration of a tumor fragment after TACE have recently been reported. The aim of this study was to identify factors that affect tumor migration after TACE. At this writing, a review of the medical literature disclosed seven reported cases of biliary obstruction caused by migration of a necrotic tumor cast after TACE. We, herein, report on an additional case of acute obstructive cholangitis complicated by migration of a necrotic tumor cast after TACE for intrabile duct invasion of HCC, in a 71-year-old man. The tumor cast in the common bile duct was removed successfully using a basket during ERCP and was pathologically confirmed to be a completely necrotic fragment of HCC. The patient's symptoms showed dramatic improvement. In summary, physicians should be aware of acute obstructive cholangitis complicated by tumor migration in a patient undergoing TACE. We suggest that an intrabile duct invasion would be a major predisposing factor of tumor migration after TACE and drainage procedures such as ERCP or percutaneous transbiliary drainage could be effective treatment modalities in these patients.
Acute Disease ; Aged ; Antineoplastic Agents/administration & dosage ; Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic/pathology ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/*diagnosis/pathology/therapy ; Chemoembolization, Therapeutic/adverse effects ; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde ; Cholangitis/*etiology ; Humans ; Jaundice, Obstructive/etiology ; Liver Neoplasms/*diagnosis/pathology/therapy ; Male ; Necrosis/pathology ; Sphincterotomy, Endoscopic ; Thrombosis/etiology ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the safety and efficiency of epirubicin in the treatment of malignant obstructive jaundice (MOJ).

METHODSThirty-nine patients with diagnosis of MOJ, whose serum total bilirubin (TB) had not dropped to normal level after stent placement or percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage, received trans-arterial chemoembolization (TACE). During TACE, epirubicin emulsion containing pharmorubicin at dose of 30 mg/m(2) was used. The toxicity and hepatic injury was observed according to WHO anticancer drug toxicity criterion and Child-Pugh classification criterion, respectively. The time of jaundice recurrence and survival were also observed during follow-up.

RESULTSMedian total serum bilirubin in 39 patients was 72.7 micromol/L (range: 52.1 - 91.4 micromol/L) before TACE. The dose of pharmorubicin was 40 - 60 mg with a median of 55.0 mg and the amount of lipiodol was 2 - 25 ml. Decrease in white blood cell count was observed: grade I in 41.0% of patients, grade II in 35.9% and grade III - IV in 15.4%. Grade III - IV nausea and vomiting developed in 100% of the patients. Hepatic injury became aggravated in 8 from A to B class patients, in one from A to C class, and in 3 from B to C class according to Child-Pugh classification criterion. No cardiac toxicity was observed in this series. The median survival time was 6.0 months with a range of 2 to 72 months. Jaundice recurred in 19 patients (48.7%) with a medium jaundice recurrence time of 9.0 months (range: 2 - 20 months).

CONCLUSIONEpirubicin-lipiodol emulsion at a dose of 30 mg/m(2) is safe and efficient in the management of patients with malignant obstructive jaundice with total serum bilirubin between 51 and 100 micromol/L after biliary drainage.

Adult ; Aged ; Antibiotics, Antineoplastic ; administration & dosage ; Bile Duct Neoplasms ; complications ; Bilirubin ; blood ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; complications ; Chemoembolization, Therapeutic ; Epirubicin ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Iodized Oil ; administration & dosage ; Jaundice, Obstructive ; etiology ; therapy ; Liver Neoplasms ; complications ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Recurrence ; Survival Rate