Objective:To analyze the influencing factors of low liver regeneration in patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma (HCCA) after portal vein embolization (PVE).Method:Clinical data of 62 patients with HCCA undergoing PVE at Henan Provincial People's Hospital (People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University) from January 2019 to March 2024 were retrospectively analyzed, including 33 males and 29 females, aged (59.1±10.3) years. Patients were divided into two groups based on the median regeneration rate of remnant liver volume (28.6%) three weeks after PVE: low regeneration ( n=31, <28.6%) and high regeneration group ( n=31, ≥28.6%). The proportion of lymph node metastasis, history of alcohol consumption, liver fibrosis, biliary tract infection, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were compared between two groups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to indentify the influencing factors of low liver regeneration in patients with HCCA after PVE surgery. Results:The proportion of lymph node metastasis, history of alcohol consumption, liver fibrosis, biliary tract infection, ALP, and level of TNF-α were higher in the low regeneration group than those in the high regeneration group (all P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that patients with regional lymph node metastasis ( OR=2.561, 95% CI: 1.265-5.185), history of alcohol consumption ( OR=2.616, 95% CI: 1.321-5.181), liver fibrosis ( OR=2.351, 95% CI: 1.265-4.369), biliary tract infection ( OR=2.461, 95% CI: 1.226-4.940), elevated level of ALP ( OR=2.687, 95% CI: 1.351-5.344), and elevated level of TNF-α ( OR=2.781, 95% CI: 1.452-5.326) had an increased risk of low liver regeneration after PVE (all P<0.05). Conclusion:Regional lymph node metastasis, history of alcohol consumption, liver fibrosis, biliary tract infection, and elevated ALP and TNF-α are risk factors for low liver regeneration in patients with HCCA after PVE surgery, which should be noted in clinical practice.

In November 2023, the seventh National Nucleic Acid Vaccine Conference was held to deeply discuss the immune mechanism, safety risks, advantages, and disadvantages of nucleic acid vaccines, and review the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines developed by nucleic acid vaccine technology. Some prospectives were formed in the meeting that in the post-pandemic era, nucleic acid vaccine technology will play a role in the following areas: dealing with pathogens that are difficult to be prevented by traditional vaccines, promoting the upgrading of traditional live attenuated vaccines, contributing to the development of multivalent and combined vaccines, and rapid response to emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases. These views point out the direction for the future development of nucleic acid vaccine technology.

Objective To explore the classification and changes of macrophage subsets in liver transplant rejection.Methods Rat liver transplantation model were established and divided into immune tolerance group(B-B),where the liver of BN rat donors was transplanted to BN rat recipients,and immune rejection group(L-B),in which the liver of Lewis rat donors was transplanted to BN rat recipients.Single-cell RNA sequencing and high-throughput RNA sequencing were used to distinguish the macrophage subsets of rat liver transplantation,and to find differential gene in rejection reactions.Immunohistochemistry was used to determine the changes and distribu-tion of protein expression and cell subsets.Results CD68 positive macrophages were higher in the rejection group than that in the tolerance group(P<0.05),and macrophages could be divided into 9 subsets.During the rejection reaction,the CXC chemokine ligand 9(CXCL9)in the 8th subsets of macrophages was significantly increased,while the gene for white blood cell differentiation antigen 74(CD74)in the 5th subsets was significantly increased(P<0.05).CD74 ranked first in the differential gene synthesis of macrophages during rejection,followed by CXCL9.Compared with the tolerance group,a large number of CD74 positive macrophages were observed in the hepatic portal area of the rejection group,and the infiltration of CD74 positive macrophages in the hepatic sinuses was also significantly increased(P<0.05),while a large number of CXCL9 positive macrophages were observed in the hepatic portal area and hepatic sinuses of the rejection group,especially in the portal area(P<0.05),and CD14 positive cells were significantly increased(P<0.05).Conclusions The CD74 positive macrophage subsets and CXCL9 positive macrophage subsets may be key subgroups in promoting liver transplant rejection,improving the mechanism of macrophage action in liver transplant rejection.

Objective:Statistical significance plays an important role in the interpretation of clinical trial results. However, on the basis of obtaining statistical significance, the assessment of clinical significance is often neglected. This study attempted to propose a simple and unambiguous new classification method for study results, focusing on studies with statistical positive findings to evaluate whether the results have clinical significance.Methods:Our study subjects were the clinical studies in 2019 ACC and ESC annual meetings. Meta-epidemiology methods were used to extract the characteristic variable from each study. The primary evaluation indicators included target effect-size and observed effect-size. Based on the difference between the two indicators, the studies that had statistical significance were subdivided to identify studies with possible insufficient clinical significance; Furthermore, the theoretical threshold based on power analysis was proposed, which was used as the basis for the interpretation of study results.Results:There were 12 clinical studies included in the final analysis. All of them were published on top journals. Those studies had relative high quality on both study design and reporting. The correlation coefficient between the observed and target effect-size was 0.892. Among the 7 studies with statistical significance, two of them were classified as insufficient clinical significance. The counts was 1 (1/3) and 1 (1/4) for the studies reported in ACC and ESC respectively.Conclusions:The achievement of clinical significance is critical even in the study with positive results. This paper proposes a new classification standard that combines clinical significance with statistical significance and further suggests a method to evaluate the reliability of clinical study results in order to assist researchers in identifying potential risks caused by insufficient clinical significance, and provide some reference and help for the reasonable interpretation of clinical study results.

Objective:To report on 3 patients who presented with rupture of hepatic artery pseudoaneurysm after liver transplantation.Methods:From April 2010 to April 2019, 3 patients with hepatic artery pseudoaneurysm rupture after liver transplantation treated at the Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Henan Provincial People's Hospital were studied. The possible causes, clinical manifestations, diagnosis and treatment were retrospectively analyzed.Results:Rupture of hepatic artery pseudoaneurysm occurred on the19th, 28th and 63th days after transplantation. The 3 patients all presented with hematochezia and abdominal pain, while 2 patients presented with hematemesis. Two patients had bile leakage and abdominal infection. All the 3 patients presented with fever. Patient 1 who was diagnosed by laparotomy died of liver failure. Patient 2 underwent interventional embolization of hepatic artery and died of liver failure also. Patient 3 underwent surgical resection of the pseudoaneurysm followed by hepatic artery reconstruction, but died of repeat abdominal hemorrhage.Conclusion:Hepatic artery pseudoaneurysm after liver transplantation has a long latent period and is difficult to diagnose at an early stage. Early detection of this life-threatening complication is the key to improve survival. Early treatment of biliary leakage, abdominal infection and other complications help to prevent development of pseudoaneurysms.

Purpose: Pancreatic duct decompression relieves pancreatic duct stone (PDS)-associated abdominal pain, though a consensus indication for the drainage procedure of the main pancreatic duct (MPD) is lacking. Moreover, major prognostic factors for postsurgical long-term pain relief and recurrence are largely unknown. Methods: The clinical outcomes of 65 consecutive PDS patients undergoing surgery from 2008–2012 with 3+ years of follow-up were assessed. Results: At postsurgical follow-up (median, 4.5 years; range, 3–7 years; procedure: Partington, n = 32; Frey, n = 27; pancreatoduodenectomy, n = 3; distal pancreatectomy, n = 3), the early complication and complete stone clearance rates were 29.2% and 97%, respectively. Long-term, complete and partial pain relief were 93.9%, 83.1%, and 10.8%, respectively. The risk of pancreatic fistula was higher in the <8 mm group than in the >8 mm group (P < 0.05), and 80% of the pancreatic fistula cases occurred in the <8 mm group. A shorter pain duration (P = 0.007), smaller MPD diameter (P = 0.04), and lower Izbicki pain score (P < 0.001) predicted long-term pain relief. Pain recurrence after initial remission occurred in 5 patients and was only related to pain duration (P = 0.02). Stone recurrence and pancreatic exocrine functional and endocrine functional deterioration occurred in 2, 5, and 11 patients, respectively. Conclusion Surgery provides excellent stone clearance, long-term pain relief, and acceptable postoperative morbidity. Using 8 mm as the criterion for drainage surgery can minimize the postoperative pancreatic fistula risk. Individualized and timely surgical treatment may improve the effect of surgery.

Objective: To compare the clinical effects between laparoscopic cholecystectomy and choledochotomy versus traditional open cholecystectomy plus choledochotomy. Methods: One hundred and sixty-eight elderly patients with gallbladder and choledocholithiasis were divided into a laparoscopy group(n=75, receiving laparoscopic cholecystectomy and choledochotomy)and an open abdominal group(n=93, undergoing traditional open cholecystectomy and common bile duct exploration). The surgical incision length, operation time, intraoperative blood loss, anal exhaust time, hospital stay and postoperative complications were compared between the two groups. Results: The surgical incision length, operation time, intraoperative blood loss, anal exhaust time, hospital stay were lower in the laparoscopic group than in the open abdominal group(P<0.05). The incidence of postoperative complications was lower in the laparoscopic group than in the open group(P<0.05). Conclusions Laparoscopic cholecystectomy and choledochotomy can obviously improve the clinical efficacy and reduce complications in elderly patients with gallbladder and choledocholithiasis, and it is worthy of clinical application.

Objective To analyze the clinical efficacy and outcomes of adult patients who underwent ABO-incompatible living donor liver transplantation.Methods The clinical data of 7 patients who underwent ABO-incompatible living donor liver transplantation at the Henan Provincial People's Hospital and Zhengzhou People's Hospital from January 2013 to December 2015 were analyzed retrospectively.Age,gender,primary disease,blood type antibody level,graft volume/standard liver volume (GV/SLV),postoperative complications and prognosis were analyzed.Results The recipients' average GV/SLV was 52.0％.There were 4 recipients who underwent splenectomy,including 3 patients who underwent the procedure concurrently,and one patient who underwent the procedure a few years before,the liver transplantation.Seven recipients were treated with plasmapheresis,Rituximab and Basiliximab.No patients experienced acute rejection during the perioperative period,and the 1-year survival rate was 85.7％ (6/7).Conclusion ABOincompatible liver transplantation in adult living donor can have favorable clinical outcomes using appropriate preoperative evaluation for recipients,optimized surgical procedures,pretransplant plasmapheresis,and perioperative Rituximab,Basiliximab injection and intravenous immunoglobulin administration.

Objective To evaluate the outcome of patients with alcoholic liver disease (ALD) after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) and to study the prognostic factors.Methods The data of 17 patients who underwent OLT for ALD from January 2010 to March 2013 were analyzed retrospectively.The data on age,gender,history of gastrointestinal bleeding,history of splenectomy,Child-Pugh score,Maddrey' s discriminant function and MELD score were evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier method for univariate analysis.The log-rank test was applied to compare the survival rates.Results The overall survival rate at 100 weeks in patients less than 55 years old was 90％ (9/10),while that in patients more than 55 years old was 28.57％ (2/7).There was a significant difference between the two groups (P ＜ 0.05).There were no statistically significant differences between female and male patients,between patients with or without a history of gastrointestinal bleeding or splenectomy (P ＞ 0.05).There was no significant difference on survival rates after liver transplantation between patients with Child-Pugh B and Child-Pugh C,patients with Maddrey' s scores ＜ 70 and ≥70,and patients with a MELD score ＜ 30 and ≥ 30 (P ＞ 0.05).Conclusions Better survival rates were observed in ALD patients who were ＜ 55 years old after liver transplantation.The Child-Pugh score,Maddrey' s discriminant function and MELD score were of no prognostic significance.These findings still need to be verified by prospective large-scale studies.

ObjectiveTo explore the application value of cavitron ultrasonic surgical aspirator (CUSA) combined with high-frequency electrosurgical scalpel in liver graft procurement for living donor liver transplantation (LDLT).MethodsClinical data of 8 donors who underwent LDLT in Zhengzhou People's Hospital between May 2012 and July 2015 were retrospectively analyzed. CUSA combined with high frequency electrosurgical scalpel were used in the liver graft procurement of all the donors. Among the donors, 4 were males and 4 were females with the age ranging from 30 to 56 years old and the median of 45 years old. The informed consents of all donors were obtained and the local ethical committee approval was received. During the graft procurement, the liver was fully dissociated, and the first porta hepatis was dissected without blood occlusion. Blood vessel distribution and liver resection line were determined by intraoperative ultrasound examination. Liver capsule was incised with high frequency electrosurgical scalpel and liver parenchyma was seperated with CUSA. The length of operation, intraoperative blood loss,changes of liver function and length of stay after operation, incidence of complications and perioperative mortality of the donors were observed. All the donors were followed up after operation.ResultsAll donors completed the operations successfully. Six cases underwent right hemihepatectomy and one of them had middle hepatic vein resected. Two cases underwent left hemihepatectomy without resecting the middle hepatic vein. The average length of operation was (437±96) min and the intraoperative blood loss was (467±216) ml. No blood transfusion during operation was observed. The serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level was respectively (221±56) and (77±25) U/L, and the serum total bilirubin (TB) level at 1, 7 d after operation was respectively (34±11) and (16±6) μmol/L. The length of stay after operation was (18±5) d. Fat liquefaction of wound after operation was observed in 1 case and was cured after conservative treatment. No death was observed.ConclusionsCUSA combined with high frequency electrosurgical scalpel has certain clinical application value in the liver graft procurement for LDLT. It is a safe and effective method for liver graft procurement.