BACKGROUNDS/AIMS: Pneumatosis intestinalis (PI) is a condition in which multiple gas-filled mural cysts develop in the gastrointestinal tract. Although its exact etiology remains obscure, PI is rarely observed in liver transplant (LT) recipients. METHODS: In 317 cases of adult living donor LT (LDLT) performed during 2011, PI developed in three patients during the 3 year follow-up. RESULTS: Of these three patients, the two who demonstrated PI at 6 weeks and 2 months after LT, respectively, were asymptomatic and showed no signs of secondary complications. Diagnosis was made incidentally using abdominal radiographs and computed tomography (CT) scans. PI was identified in the right ascending colon with concomitant pneumoperitoneum. These two patients received supportive care and maintained a regular diet. Follow-up CT scans demonstrated spontaneous resolution of PI with no complications. The third patient was admitted to the emergency room 30 months after LDLT. His symptoms included poor oral intake and intermittent abdominal pain with no passage of gas. Abdominal radiography and CT scans demonstrated PI in the entire small bowel, with small bowel dilatation, pneumoperitoneum, and pneumoretroperitoneum, but no peritonitis. Physical examination revealed abdominal distension but no tenderness or rebound tenderness. After 1 week of conservative treatment, including bowel rest and antibiotics therapy, PI and pneumoperitoneum resolved spontaneously without complications. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that adult LDLT recipients who develop asymptomatic or symptomatic PI with no signs of secondary complications can be successfully managed with conservative treatment.
Abdominal Pain ; Adult* ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Colon, Ascending ; Diagnosis ; Diet ; Dilatation ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Humans ; Liver ; Liver Transplantation* ; Living Donors* ; Peritonitis ; Physical Examination ; Pneumoperitoneum ; Radiography, Abdominal ; Retropneumoperitoneum ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

BACKGROUNDS/AIMS: Tumor recurrence is very common after hepatic resection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) > or =10 cm. The purpose of this study was to validate the prognostic significance of the preoperative alkaline phosphatase (ALP) level and early intrahepatic metastasis in HCC patients who underwent resection of large HCC. METHODS: Clinical data of 100 large HCC patients who underwent liver resection were retrospectively reviewed. All of them underwent protocol transarterial chemoinfusion (TACI) at 1 month. RESULTS: Median tumor diameter was 13.8 cm, and 94% were single lesions. Systematic and non-systematic resections were performed in 91% and 9%, respectively, with R0 resection achieved in 84%. Overall 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rates were 76%, 38.5%, and 30.4%, respectively. Univariate analyses on patient survival revealed that intrahepatic metastasis on 1-month protocol TACI was the only significant risk factor (p=0.002). Mean ALP values according to the intrahepatic metastasis on 1-month protocol TACI were 124.6+/-76.9 IU/L and 145.1+/-92.6 IU/L, which did not show a statistical difference (p=0.23). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with large HCC, 1-month protocol TACI combined with hepatic resection may contribute to the early detection and timely treatment of potentially preexisting metastatic lesions.
Alkaline Phosphatase ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* ; Humans ; Liver ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Survival Rate

PURPOSE: Primary hepatic neuroendocrine tumor (PHNET) is a very rare neoplasm, requiring strict exclusion of metastasis from possible extrahepatic primary sites for its diagnosis. METHODS: We reviewed our clinical experience of 13 patients with primary hepatic NET who underwent liver resection from January 1997 to December 2015. RESULTS: The mean age of the 13 patients (8 males and 5 females) was 51.1 ± 12.8 years; the most common clinical manifestation was vague, nonspecific abdominal pain (n = 9). Of them, 11 patients underwent preoperative liver biopsy, 7 of which correctly diagnosed as neuroendocrine tumor (NET). Ten patients underwent R0 resection, and 3 underwent R1 resection. Diagnosis of PHNET was confirmed both immunohistochemically and by absence of extrahepatic primary sites. All tumors were single lesions, with a mean size of 9.6 ± 7.6 cm and a median size of 4.3 cm; all showed positive staining for synaptophysin and chromogranin. During a mean follow-up period of 95.1 ± 86.6 months, 7 patients died from tumor recurrence, whereas the other 6 remain alive to date, making the 5-year tumor recurrence rate 56.0% and the 5-year patient survival rate 61.5%. When confined to R0 resection, 5-year recurrence and survival rates were 42.9% and 70.0%, respectively. Univariate analysis showed that Ki-67 proliferative index was the only risk factor for tumor recurrence. CONCLUSION: PHNET is a very rare tumor with no specific clinical features, and its final diagnosis depends primarily on pathology, immunohistochemistry, and exclusion of metastasis from other sites. Aggressive surgical treatment is highly recommended for PHNET because of acceptably favorable postresection outcomes.
Abdominal Pain ; Biopsy ; Carcinoid Tumor ; Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hepatectomy ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Liver ; Male ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neuroendocrine Tumors ; Pathology ; Prognosis ; Recurrence ; Risk Factors ; Survival Rate ; Synaptophysin

Purpose: Combined hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma (cHCC-CC) has wide histologic diversity. This study investigated the effects of cHCC-CC histology, according to the 2010 World Health Organization (WHO) classification, on patient prognosis. Methods: The medical records of patients who underwent surgical resection for cHCC-CC at our institution between July 2012 and June 2019 were retrospectively evaluated. Results: During the study period, 168 patients, 122 males (72.6%) and 46 females (27.4%), underwent surgical resection for cHCC-CC, including 159 patients (94.6%) who underwent R0 resection. Mean tumor diameter was 4.4 ± 2.8 cm, and 161 patients (95.8%) had solitary tumors. Histologically, 86 patients (51.2%) had classical type, and 82 (48.8%) had tumors with stem cell (SC) features, including 33 (19.6%) with intermediate-cell and 23 (13.7%) each with typical SC and cholangiolocellular features; 3 tumors (1.8%) were unclassifiable. At 1, 3, and 5 years, tumor recurrence rates were 31.9%, 49.6%, and 58.1%, respectively, and patient survival rates were 91.0%, 70.2%, and 60.3%, respectively. Univariate analysis showed that tumor size of >5 cm, microscopic and macroscopic vascular invasion, lymph node metastasis, 8th edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) tumor stage, and 2010 WHO classification were significantly prognostic. Multivariate analysis showed that the 8th AJCC tumor stage and 2010 WHO histologic classification were independently prognostic for tumor recurrence and patient survival. There were no significant prognostic differences among the 3 SC subtypes. Conclusion Postresection outcomes are better in patients with SC-type than with classical-type cHCC-CC.

Background/Aims: Multiplication of α-fetoprotein, des-γ-carboxy prothrombin, and tumor volume (ADV score) is a surrogate marker for post-resection prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study aimed to validate the predictive power of the ADV score-based prognostic prediction model for patients with solitary huge HCC. Methods: Of 3,018 patients, 100 patients who underwent hepatic resection for solitary HCC ≥13 cm between 2008 and 2012 were selected. Results: The median tumor diameter and tumor volume were 15.0 cm and 886 mL, respectively. Tumor recurrence and overall survival (OS) rates were 70.7% and 66.0% at one year and 84.9% and 34.0% at five years, respectively. Microvascular invasion (MVI) was the only independent risk factor for disease-free survival (DFS) and OS. DFS and OS, stratified by ADV score with 1-log intervals, showed significant prognostic contrasts (P=0.007 and P=0.017, respectively). DFS and OS, stratified by ADV score with a cut-off of 8-log, showed significant prognostic contrasts (P=0.014 and P=0.042, respectively). The combination of MVI and ADV score with a cut-off of 8-log also showed significant prognostic contrasts in DFS (P<0.001) and OS (P=0.001) considering the number of risk factors. Prognostic contrast was enhanced after combining the MVI and ADV score. Conclusions The prognostic prediction model with the ADV score could reliably predict the risk of tumor recurrence and long-term patient survival outcomes in patients with solitary huge HCC ≥13 cm. The results of this study suggest that our prognostic prediction models can be used to guide surgical treatment and post-resection follow-up for patients with huge HCCs.

Purpose: Malignant intraductal papillary neoplasm of the bile duct of the liver (IPNB-L) cannot readily be diagnosed through preoperative CT or MRI, but fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-PET is a viable alternative. This study evaluated the diagnostic and prognostic impacts of FDG-PET in patients with IPNB-L. Methods: This was a retrospective single-center study of 101 IPNB-L patients who underwent hepatectomy between 2010 and 2019. Results: Mean age was 64.4 ± 8.3 years and 76 (75.2%) were male. Anatomical hepatic resection was performed in 99 (98.0%). Concurrent bile duct resection and pancreaticoduodenectomy were performed in 41 (40.6%) and 1 (1.0%), respectively. R0 and R1 resections were performed in 88 (87.1%) and 13 (12.9%), respectively. Low-grade intraepithelial neoplasia and high-grade neoplasia/invasive carcinoma were diagnosed in 19 (18.8%) and 82 (81.2%), respectively. Median FDG-PET maximal standardized uptake values (SUVmax) in low-grade neoplasia and high-grade neoplasia/carcinoma were 3.6 (range, 1.7–7.6) and 5.2 (range, 1.5–18.7) (P = 0.019), respectively. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis of SUVmax showed area under the curve of 0.674, with sensitivity of 84.2% and specificity of 47.4% at SUVmax cutoff of 3.0. This cutoff had no significant influence on tumor recurrence (P = 0.832) or patient survival (P = 0.996) in patients with IPNB-L of high-grade neoplasia or invasive carcinoma. Conclusion IPNB-L is a rare type of biliary neoplasm and encompasses a histological spectrum ranging from benign disease to invasive carcinoma. An FDG-PET SUVmax cutoff of 3.0 appears to effectively discern high-grade neoplasia/ carcinoma from low-grade neoplasia, which will assist with the surgical strategy for these cases.

Purpose: Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EHE) is a rare borderline vascular tumor. This retrospective, single-center study evaluated the outcomes of hepatic resection (HR) in patients with hepatic EHE. Methods: Over the 10-year period from 2009 to 2018, 11 patients with hepatic EHE underwent HR, accounting for 0.1% of the 11,979 adults who underwent HR at our center. Diagnosis of hepatic EHE was confirmed by immunohistochemical staining for CD34, CD31, and factor VIII-related antigen. Results: The 11 patients included 9 females (81.8%) and 2 males (18.2%) with mean age of 43.5 ± 13.6 years. Preoperative imaging resulted in a preliminary diagnosis of suspected liver metastasis or EHE, with 9 patients (81.8%) undergoing liver biopsy. No patient presented with abnormally elevated concentrations of liver tumor markers. The extents of HR were determined by tumor size and location from trisectionectomy to partial hepatectomy. All patients recovered uneventfully from HR. Five patients showed tumor recurrence, with 4 receiving locoregional treatments for recurrent lesions. The 1-, 3-and 5-year disease-free survival rates were 90.9%, 54.5%, and 54.5%, respectively. Currently, all patients remain alive and are doing well. Univariate analysis on tumor recurrence showed that tumor size ≥ 4 cm was significantly associated with tumor recurrence (P = 0.032), but tumor number ≥ 4 was not related to (P = 0.24). Conclusion Hepatic EHE is a rare form of primary liver tumor often misdiagnosed as a metastatic tumor. Because of its malignant potential, HR is indicated if possible. HR plus, when necessary, treatment of recurrence yields favorable overall survival rates in patients with hepatic EHE.

Background/Aims: Multiplication of α-fetoprotein, des-γ-carboxy prothrombin, and tumor volume (ADV score) is a surrogate marker for post-resection prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study aimed to validate the predictive power of the ADV score-based prognostic prediction model for patients with solitary huge HCC. Methods: Of 3,018 patients, 100 patients who underwent hepatic resection for solitary HCC ≥13 cm between 2008 and 2012 were selected. Results: The median tumor diameter and tumor volume were 15.0 cm and 886 mL, respectively. Tumor recurrence and overall survival (OS) rates were 70.7% and 66.0% at one year and 84.9% and 34.0% at five years, respectively. Microvascular invasion (MVI) was the only independent risk factor for disease-free survival (DFS) and OS. DFS and OS, stratified by ADV score with 1-log intervals, showed significant prognostic contrasts (P=0.007 and P=0.017, respectively). DFS and OS, stratified by ADV score with a cut-off of 8-log, showed significant prognostic contrasts (P=0.014 and P=0.042, respectively). The combination of MVI and ADV score with a cut-off of 8-log also showed significant prognostic contrasts in DFS (P<0.001) and OS (P=0.001) considering the number of risk factors. Prognostic contrast was enhanced after combining the MVI and ADV score. Conclusions The prognostic prediction model with the ADV score could reliably predict the risk of tumor recurrence and long-term patient survival outcomes in patients with solitary huge HCC ≥13 cm. The results of this study suggest that our prognostic prediction models can be used to guide surgical treatment and post-resection follow-up for patients with huge HCCs.

Purpose: Combined hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma (cHCC-CC) has wide histologic diversity. This study investigated the effects of cHCC-CC histology, according to the 2010 World Health Organization (WHO) classification, on patient prognosis. Methods: The medical records of patients who underwent surgical resection for cHCC-CC at our institution between July 2012 and June 2019 were retrospectively evaluated. Results: During the study period, 168 patients, 122 males (72.6%) and 46 females (27.4%), underwent surgical resection for cHCC-CC, including 159 patients (94.6%) who underwent R0 resection. Mean tumor diameter was 4.4 ± 2.8 cm, and 161 patients (95.8%) had solitary tumors. Histologically, 86 patients (51.2%) had classical type, and 82 (48.8%) had tumors with stem cell (SC) features, including 33 (19.6%) with intermediate-cell and 23 (13.7%) each with typical SC and cholangiolocellular features; 3 tumors (1.8%) were unclassifiable. At 1, 3, and 5 years, tumor recurrence rates were 31.9%, 49.6%, and 58.1%, respectively, and patient survival rates were 91.0%, 70.2%, and 60.3%, respectively. Univariate analysis showed that tumor size of >5 cm, microscopic and macroscopic vascular invasion, lymph node metastasis, 8th edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) tumor stage, and 2010 WHO classification were significantly prognostic. Multivariate analysis showed that the 8th AJCC tumor stage and 2010 WHO histologic classification were independently prognostic for tumor recurrence and patient survival. There were no significant prognostic differences among the 3 SC subtypes. Conclusion Postresection outcomes are better in patients with SC-type than with classical-type cHCC-CC.

Purpose: Liver transplantation has been performed for recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) or deterioration of liver function after prior primary liver resection. Prior major liver resection per se is an unfavorable condition for living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). We analyzed the technical feasibility of prior major hepatectomy-graft combinations for salvage LDLT. Methods: Of the 17 patients who underwent salvage LDLT, 5 underwent prior major liver resection. Results: Two patients with prior left lobectomy received right lobe graft, whereas, of the 3 patients with prior right lobectomy, 2 received right lobe graft and 1 received left lobe graft. During recipient hepatectomy, it was necessary to perform meticulous sharp dissection of the previous liver cut surface to attain full mobilization. Different methods of hepatic vein reconstruction were applied after the recipient inferior vena cava was fully dissected. Reconstruction of the portal vein, hepatic artery and bile duct were performed on case by case basis depending on the remnant hilar structures. Conclusion: In conclusion, every combination of recipient prior right or left lobectomy and living donor right or left liver graft seems to be feasible for salvage LDLT.
Bile Ducts ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* ; Hepatectomy ; Hepatic Artery ; Hepatic Veins ; Humans ; Liver Transplantation* ; Liver* ; Living Donors* ; Portal Vein ; Transplants ; Vena Cava, Inferior