Analysis of the efficacy of transcatheter arterial infusion chemotherapy in the treatment of pancreatic carcinoma

Objective:To evaluate the clinical efficacy of infusion of gemcitabine(GEM) and fluorouracil(5-FU)through the celiac artery and superior mesenteric artery in the treatment of pancreatic carcinoma(PC).Methods:We analyzed 20 patients diagnosed clinically or pathologically with PC,without metastases,who had an estimated survival duration of>3 months in our department from May 2009 to December 2014.Nine patients were treated directly without surgical resection of the tumor,while the other 11 patients were treated after surgery.In all patients,the femoral artery was punctured using the Seldinger technique,and a catheter was placed in the opening of the celiac artery or the superior mesenteric artery.We administered 500 mg/m2 GEM and 500 mg/m2 5-FU.Observational data included data on clinical efficacy and survival rates during the follow-up period of 3-72 months.Results:Twenty patients were treated 85 times with transcatheter arterial infusion chemotherapy(TAI).The survival rates were 80%,40%,35%,20%,10%,and 5% at 3,6,12,24,and 72 months,respectively.Conclusion: TAI chemotherapy with GEM and 5-FU may be a therapeutic option for the treatment of PC.

One-year status of hepatic venous pressure gradient measurement from 85 hospitals in China

Aims:Surveys and research on the applications of the hepatic venous pressure gradient(HVPG)are important for understanding the current status and future development of this technology in China.This article aimed to investigate the status of hepatic venous pressure gradient measurement in China in 2022.Methods:We investigated the overall status of HVPG technology in China-including hospital distribution,hospital level,annual number of cases,catheters used,average cost,indications,and current challenges by using online questionnaire.By counting the number and percentages of cases of these results,we hope to clarify the current status of HVPG measurements in China.Results:According to the survey,85 hospitals in China used HVPG technology in 2022 distributed across 29 provinces.A total of 4989 HVPG measurements were performed in all of the surveyed hospitals in 2022,of which 2813 cases(56.4%)were measured alone.The average cost of HVPG measurement was 5646.8±2327.9 CNY.Of the clinical teams who performed the measurements(sometimes multiple per hospital),94.3%(82/87)used the balloon method,and the majority of the teams(72.4%,63/87)used embolectomy catheters.Conclusions:This survey clarified the clinical application status of HVPG in China and confirmed that some medical institutions in China have established a foundation for this technology.It is still necessary to continue promoting and popularizing this technology in the future.

Status of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt for portal hypertension in China:A national survey analysis

Aim:The transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt(TIPS)procedure has been performed in China for 30 years,but our understanding of the status and difficulties associated with the use of TIPS for portal hypertension is incomplete.This study aims to investigate the current situation of the use of TIPS for portal hypertension,which should aid the development of TIPS in China.Methods:This study involved a questionnaire survey,initiated by the China Portal Hypertension Alliance(CHESS)to investigate the use of TIPS for portal hypertension in China.Questionnaires were released on the Internet between August 16,2022 and September 16,2022.Detailed information was collected from 545 hospitals contracted by the CHESS in China,which performed TIPS surgery in 2021.Results:The 545 hospitals covers the majority of hospitals in China that conduct TIPS intervention.In the survey,a total of 13,527 TIPS interventions were carried out with 94.1%(498/545)of them had a system of routine follow‐up after TIPS.The majority(42.6%[232/545])believed that the main indication of TIPS was the control of acute bleeding.Overall,48.1%(262/545)carried out early or pre‐emptive TIPS,53.0%(289/545)carried out TIPS for cavernous transformation of the portal vein,and 81.0%(441/545)chose routine embolization of collateral circulation during operation.Most used coils(97.0%[475/490])and biological glue(72.0%[353/490])as embolic materials,and 78.5%(428/545)routinely performed intraoperative portal pressure gradient measurements.When selecting TIPS stents,57.1%(311/545)chose viator‐specific stents,and 57.2%(312/545)chose conventional anticoagulation after TIPS.Conventional anticoagulation after TIPS is over a time interval of 3–6 months(55.4%[173/312]).The limitation of TIPS surgery is mainly its cost(72.3%[394/545])and insufficient understanding of the procedure by doctors in other related departments(77.4%[422/545]).Most of the hospital teams accept the use of domestic instruments in TIPS surgery(92.7%[505/545]).Conclusions:This survey shows that TIPS is an essential part of the treatment of portal hypertension in China.TIPS is widely used in Chinese patients with portal hypertension,and this survey presents a more comprehensive picture of the options and difficulties encountered in the implementation of TIPS.In the future,it is necessary to promote TIPS technology and further standardize surgical indications,routine operations,and instrument application.

Running-in behavior of a H‒DLC/Al_(2)O_(3) pair at the nanoscale

Diamond-like carbon(DLC)film has been developed as an extremely effective lubricant to reduce energy dissipation;however,most films should undergo running-in to achieve a super-low friction state.In this study,the running-in behaviors of an H–DLC/Al_(2)O_(3) pair were investigated through a controllable single-asperity contact study using an atomic force microscope.This study presents direct evidence that illustrates the role of transfer layer formation and oxide layer removal in the friction reduction during running-in.After 200 sliding cycles,a thin transfer layer was formed on the Al2O3 tip.Compared with a clean tip,this modified tip showed a significantly lower adhesion force and friction force on the original H–DLC film,which confirmed the contribution of the transfer layer formation in the friction reduction during running-in.It was also found that the friction coefficient of the H–DLC/Al_(2)O_(3) pair decreased linearly as the oxygen concentration of the H–DLC substrate surface decreased.This phenomenon can be explained by a change in the contact surface from an oxygen termination with strong hydrogen bond interactions to a hydrogen termination with weak van der Waals interactions.These results provide new insights that quantitatively reveal the running-in mechanism at the nanoscale,which may help with the design optimization of DLC films for different environmental applications.