PURPOSE: Liver transplantation (LT) can cure abnormality of glucose metabolism, but cause altered glucose metabolism with immunosuppressive treatment. Up to now, almost all studies have been performed in cadaveric donor liver transplantation (CDLT). We underwent study in CDLT and also living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) recipients. METHODS: Among 397 adult-to-adult LT recipients between January 1994 and August 2001, we selected 81 patients who could be followed more than 12 months by using the table of random sampling numbers. We reviewed the change of blood glucose and risk factors, complications and survival retrospectively between post-transplantation diabetes mellitus (PTDM) and no PTDM patients. RESULTS: Clinical data showed 34 : 47 in frequency of PTDM to no PTDM. Age, family history of DM, preoperative DM history over 6 months had a significant risk of PTDM. There was no difference of PTDM frequency between CDLT and LDLT and its subgroup. The worse post-transplant graft function causes the more incidence of PTDM (P=0.051). FK506 had higher relation with PTDM than cyclosporine and mycophenolate mofetile (P=0.058). The incidence of DM after operation has been decreased by 6 months, but thereafter no further. There were 18 of De Novo DM among 34 PTDM patients, and only 1 preoperative DM patient improved after LT. Between PTDM and no PTDM group, there were no significant difference of complication rate and 5-year survival rate. CONCLUSIONS: The types of graft would not affect the incidence of PTDM if the graft function were preserved. Other clinical data showed similar results to previous reports.
Blood Glucose ; Cadaver ; Cyclosporine ; Diabetes Mellitus* ; Glucose ; Humans ; Incidence ; Liver Transplantation* ; Liver* ; Living Donors ; Metabolism ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Survival Rate ; Tacrolimus ; Tissue Donors ; Transplants

BACKGROUND/AIMS: End-stage liver disease caused by viral hepatitis C has been increasing recently in Korea. In this study, we investigated the clinical progress, recurrence, and management of hepatitis C patients who underwent liver transplantation. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical progress and management of 16 patients (2.7%) with hepatitis C among 587 liver transplant patients from August 1992 to August 2002. RESULTS: Eleven cases among 16 patients were males. The median age was 56 +/- 6 (42-62) years and the median follow-up period was 6 +/- 13 (1-41) months. Thirteen cases underwent living donor liver transplantation and three had cadaveric whole liver transplantation. Clinical recurrence occurred in nine cases (56.3%) and mean time of recurrence was 5.2 months. Histological recurrence cases were eight (50%). A positive result of HCV RNA PCR was found in 90.9%, and all cases of clinical and histological recurrence in groups in the same periods were PCR-positive. Among eight cases showing histological recurrence, five patients were managed by ribavirin monotherapy, two patients received interferon and ribavirin combination therapy, and one patient was not treated at all. The serum aminotransferase level was normalized in six cases (75%) of them. CONCLUSIONS: We observed that the HCV reinfection rate of a transplanted liver was high in this study, as in other reports in the literature. The prevention of HCV recurrence and the management of post-recurrent cirrhotic change are crucial for graft and patient survival. We think customized protocols are needed for every situation of recurrent hepatitis C.
Adult ; Antiviral Agents/administration & dosage ; Female ; Hepatitis C/complications/*drug therapy ; Humans ; Liver Failure/*surgery/virology ; *Liver Transplantation ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Recurrence

PURPOSE: Childhood acute immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is a benign hematologic disease. Therapy does not affect the natural history of the illness. We evaluated the clinical and laboratory findings, treatment and prognosis of childhood acute ITP in Korea through a retrospective multicenter study. METHODS: We analyzed retrospectively the data of 1, 829 children with acute ITP through survey of 33 hospitals among 43 hospitals in Korea from Sep. 1992 to Aug. 2001. RESULTS: Male to female ratio was 1.3: 1 and the median age at the diagnosis of ITP was 2.9 (0.1 17) years. Median duration of follow up was 6 months. One hundred and forty nine cases of the total 1, 829 patients (8.1%) received no treatment. The initial median platelet count of the non-treated group was 42, 500/mm3. Among the 861 cases who were followed up over 6 months, 315 cases (36.6%) progressed into chronic ITP. Associated with this high rate of chronicity of childhood acute ITP patients in Korea, we must consider the fact that acute ITP patients with fast improvement in the first episode tend not to follow up. Considering that fact, the rate of chronicity becomes 17.2% of the 1, 829 acute ITP patients. The treated group used many kinds of treatment methods. Intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIG) with or without prednisolone (PD) (67.5%) were the most commonly used regimens. In the group treated with IVIG alone, the platelet count began to rise above 50, 000/mm3 at 2.6 days, 100, 000/mm3 at 3.7 days and 150, 000/mm3 at 4.9 days. Four hundred and twenty two cases of the 1, 686 (25.0%) cases followed up after first episode of ITP relapsed. The relapse rate was significantly higher in older patients and in girls than in younger patients and in boys (P< 0.05). The chronicity of ITP statistically increased with age (P< 0.05) and that was the only valuable factor. CONCLUSION: Despite the fact that childhood acute ITP is a pretty common disaese, there is no agreement on the best treatment method for this disease. The establishment of Korean treatment guideline of childhood acute ITP, based on an analysis of multicenters, seems to be needed.
Child ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hematologic Diseases ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins, Intravenous ; Korea* ; Male ; Natural History ; Platelet Count ; Prednisolone ; Prognosis ; Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic* ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: Symptomatic and/or malignant changes in hepatic cysts require surgical treatment, but there are few comparative studies with respect to the safety and long-term effectiveness. We compared the resection and non-resection of hepatic cysts from the view point of recurrence and complications. METHODS: We reviewed 24 patients who underwent surgery for hepatic cysts between 1990 and 2001 at a single institution. There included 15 resections and 9 non-resections. RESULTS: The median age was 59 years, with a male to female sex ratio of 9: 15. The median size of the dominant cyst was 12 cm, and 22 patients presented with symptoms. We treated 12 simple cysts, 3 polycystic liver diseases (PCLD), 3 cystadenomas, 1 cystadenocarcinoma, 2 hamartomas, 1 hydatid cyst, 1 traumatic cyst and 1 other. The causes requiring an operation were peritoneal irritation in 7, a mass effect such as early satiety or jaundice in 5, possible malignancy in 4, associated hepatobiliary diseases in 3, increase of cyst sizes in 2 and another disease in 2. We performed 5 right lobectomies, 2 left lobectomies, 1 left lateral segmentectomy, 3 non-anatomical resections, 3 cyst excisions, and 1 total hepatectomy for liver transplantation in the resection group. 6 unroofings and 3 fenestrations were performed in the non-resection group, in which a laparoscopic approach was applied in 3 cases. The incidence of postoperative complications were uncommon in both groups, whereas resection decreased the recurrence rate significantly (P=0.003). CONCLUSION: Resection is a safe and effective procedure to lower the recurrence of all cystic lesions in the liver.
Cystadenocarcinoma ; Cystadenoma ; Echinococcosis ; Female ; Hamartoma ; Hepatectomy ; Humans ; Incidence ; Jaundice ; Liver ; Liver Diseases ; Liver Transplantation ; Male ; Mastectomy, Segmental ; Postoperative Complications ; Recurrence ; Sex Ratio

PURPOSE: Surgery remains the treatment of choice for a hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) confined within the liver. When there is no underlying liver disease, resection is the preferred option. In cases of HCC with cirrhosis, impaired hepatic reserve often precludes safe resection. Recently, acceptable transplantation outcomes have been shown in selected HCC patients. The aim of this study was to review the results of liver transplantation for HCC at the Asan Medical Center. METHODS: 73 HCC patients were treated by liver transplantation between August 1992 and April 2001. There were 7 in-hospital mortalities. The mean age of the patients was 51 years. The period of the median follow-up was 22 months. By reviewing the patients' medical records, we investigated tumor size, and number, TNM stage, survival rates, and recurrences. Statistical analysis was performed using Statistica 5.1 and SPSS 9.0. RESULTS: Among 67 patients, 8 (12%) developed a tumor recurrence or distant metastasis following the liver transplantation. The 3 year and 5 year survival rate were 88 and 57%, respectively. There were 12 incidentalomas. The 1 year and 3 year disease free survival rates of 54 cases, with the exception of the incidentalomas, were 80 and 50%, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences in the survival rates between the groups, with and without preoperative TACE (P=0.70). Also, there were no statistically significant differences in the survival rates between cadaveric donor liver transplantations (CDLT) and living donor liver transplantations (LDLT). CONCLUSION: We assume that transplantation for HCC, in carefully selected patients, may be the solution to HCC in cirrhotic livers. If the donor safety with a LDLT can be ensured, its application to patients with cirrhosis and early HCC may be a solution to the donor shortage, which could improve the survival of this group of patients.
Cadaver ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Disease-Free Survival ; Fibrosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; Liver Diseases ; Liver Transplantation* ; Liver* ; Living Donors ; Medical Records ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Recurrence ; Survival Rate ; Tissue Donors

PURPOSE: Although there has been recent progress in surgical techniques, such as perioperative management, immunosuppresive regimen and intervention radiology, a liver retransplantation remains as the only therapeutic option for patients with a failing liver allograft. The purpose of this study was to review our clinical experiences of liver retransplantation, performed at the Asan Medical Center. METHODS: Between August 1992 and March 2001, 400 cases of liver transplantations, including 331 in adults and 69 in pediatrics, were performed. Of the 331 adult cases, 10 cases of liver retransplantation, during the same period, were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: In the 331 cases of adult liver transplantation, 232 cases of living donor and 99 of cadaveric liver transplantations were carried out. The 331 adult cases also included 10 liver retransplantations. Therefore, the overall liver retransplantation rate was 3%. Primary non-function (PNF) was the leading cause of retransplantation. The conversion of living donor liver transplantation to a cadaveric liver retransplantation was the most common type of retransplantaion, with a cadaveric to cadaveric type the second most common. The in-hospital mortality was 40%. The causes of in-hospital mortality were hepatic artery pseudoaneurysm rupture, Aspergillus pneumonia, and multiple organ failure, initiated by jejuno-jejunostomy site bleeding and massive hepatic necrosis. CONCLUSION: In the current era of extreme organ shortage, retransplantation is the only therapeutic alternative for irreVersible graft failure, especially if the patient has no multiple organ failure (MOF) prior to the operation. Therefore, the careful selection of patients for a retransplantation is required. They should be given superurgent priority if the circumstances permit, and living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) offer a promising alternative.
Adult ; Allografts ; Aneurysm, False ; Aspergillus ; Cadaver ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Hemorrhage ; Hepatic Artery ; Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; Liver Transplantation ; Liver* ; Living Donors ; Massive Hepatic Necrosis ; Multiple Organ Failure ; Pediatrics ; Pneumonia ; Retrospective Studies ; Rupture ; Transplants

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Pancreatoduodenectomy is a common procedure for benign or malignant periampulary diseases. But the morbidity and mortality of the procedure are usually high. Being related with morbidity and mortality, the most important procedure of pancreatoduodenectomy is how handle the remnant pancreas. We analysed retrospectively the efficiency of the new method for low morbidity and low mortality in handling of the remnant pancreas in the procedures of pancreatoduodenectomy. METHODS: 118 consecutive patients who had undergone a pancreatoduodenectomy and pancreaticojejunostomy performed by one surgeon, between September 1994 and June 1999, were evaluated retrospectively. The cases were analysed by age, sex, pathologic dianosis, operation time, the amount of transfusion during operation, the hospital stay, postoperative complications and state of survival. RESULTS: The average age of 118 patients was 57.6 years, and the male and female ratio was 1.19:1. The classification by patholoic diagnoses were distal common bile duct cancers (29%), the ampulla of Vater cancers (23%), the pancreas head cancers (14%), the duodenal cancers (1.7%) and the others (32%) including benign diseases. The average operation time was 8 hours 3 minutes, the average amount of transfusion was 0.84 unit and the average hospital stay was 26.1 days. There are 12 (10.2%) postoperative complications. The most were 6(5%) cases of delayed gastric emptying, and the others were 2 (1.7%) cases of leakage of pancreaticojejunostomy, 1 (0.8%) case of ARDS, 1 (0.8%) case of gastroduodenal artery bleeding, 1 (0.8%) case of remnant pancreas bleeding, and 1 (0.8%) case of pseudoaneurysmal bleeding of gastroduodenal artery. The 2 cases of leakage of pancreaticojejunostomy developed at the patients of duodenal cancer and ampulla of Vater cancer. The patient who diagnosed by ampulla of Vater cancer died for sepsis due to leakage of the pancreaticojejunostomy (1/118, 0.8%). CONCLUSION: We had good results in pancreatoduodenectomy and pancreaticojejunostomy by a new method that protect the anastomotic leakge from pancreaticojejunostomy site. This method include pancreas transection by elctrocoagulation, not doing sutures of remnant pancreas to prevent ischemic change of pancreatic cut surface and complete drainage of pancreatic juice using stent that was inserted at remnant pancreatic duct and externally ligated by vicryl with keeping the lumen.
Ampulla of Vater ; Aneurysm, False ; Arteries ; Classification ; Common Bile Duct ; Diagnosis ; Drainage ; Duodenal Neoplasms ; Female ; Gastric Emptying ; Head ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Male ; Mortality ; Pancreas ; Pancreatic Ducts ; Pancreatic Juice ; Pancreaticoduodenectomy* ; Pancreaticojejunostomy ; Polyglactin 910 ; Postoperative Complications ; Retrospective Studies ; Sepsis ; Stents ; Sutures

PURPOSE: The major limitation of adult-to-adult living donor liver transplantation (A-A LDLT) is the adequacy of the graft size. As an alternative, dual grafts from two living donors can solve the problem of graft-size insufficiency and guarantee the donor safety in many occasions. The present study aims to introduce the usefulness of dual-grafts A-A LDLT by review of our single center experience. METHODS: After the first successful pediatric LDLT in December 1994 and A-A LDLT in February 1997, 392 LDLTs including 73 pediatric and 319 adult cases were performed at Asan Medical Center until December 2001. Among 319 A-A LDLTs, 20 recipients implanted dual grafts were retrospectively analysed from March 2000 to December 2001. RESULTS: The ratio of graft volume to standard liver volume of the recipients ranged from 46.6% to 78.9%. More than 50% of the standard liver volume of the recipients was implanted in 16 patients. There was acute rejection episode in two patients, which were responded by pulsed steroid therapy. There were 3 in- hospital mortality (<3 month posttransplantation). CONCLUSION: In LDLT, the donor safety is the major concern. Although the donor has a large right lobe of liver that is adequate as a graft for large-size recipient, the remaining left lobe of liver is sometimes too small to endanger the donor safety. In this circumstance, the donor cannot be accepted to donate his or her right or left lobe of liver. Dual grafts from two living donors can help to alleviate the problem of small-for-size graft and secure the donor safety.
Adult ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; Liver Transplantation* ; Liver* ; Living Donors* ; Retrospective Studies ; Tissue Donors ; Transplants*

Pneumoparotitis is a rare cause of enlargement of the parotid gland. Hence, it is often misdiagnosed and therefore incorrectly treated. We report, with the clinical presentation and radiographic findings, a case of pneumoparotitis due to trumpet playing. Swelling of the parotid gland was initiated by air being forced through the Stensen`s duct, resulting in the insufflation of air into the acini of the parotid gland. Recurrent parotid insufflation is not entirely benign and may predispose the parotid gland to sialectasia, recurrent parotitis, subcutaneous emphysema, and even mediastinal emphysema.
Insufflation ; Mediastinal Emphysema ; Parotid Gland ; Parotitis ; Subcutaneous Emphysema ; Wind*

No abstract available.
Acalculous Cholecystitis* ; Churg-Strauss Syndrome* ; Colitis, Ischemic* ; Ulcer*