Complete hepatocellular carcinoma necrosis following sequential porto-arterial embolization

Most patients with hepatocellular carcinoma （HCC） are not eligible for curative treatment, which is resection or transplantation. Two recent series have emphasized the potential benefits of preoperative arterio-portal embolization prior to surgical resection of such tumours. This preoperative strategy offers a better disease free survival rate and a higher rate of total tumor necrosis. In case of non resectable HCC it is now widely accepted that transarterial chemoembolization （TACE） leads to a better survival when compared to conservative treatment. Thus, the question remains whether combined portal vein embolization （PVE） may enhance the proven efficiency of TACE in patients with unresectable HCC. We herein report the case of a 56-year-old cirrhotic woman with a voluminous HCC unsuitable for surgical resection. Yet, complete turnout necrosis and prolonged survival could be achieved a^er a combined porto-arterial embolization. This case emphasizes the potential synergistic effect of a combined arterio-portal embolization and the hypothetical survival benefit of such a procedure, in selected patients, with HCC not suitable for surgery or local ablative therapy.

A large congenital and solitary intrahepatic arterioportal fistula in an old woman

Arterioportal fistula(APF)is a rare cause of portal hypertension and may lead to death.APF can be congenital,post-traumatic,iatrogenic(transhepatic intervention or biopsy)or related to ruptured hepatic artery aneurysms.Congenital APF is a rare condition even in children.In this case report,we describe a 73-year-old woman diagnosed as APF by ultrasonography,computed tomography,and hepatic artery selective arteriography.The fistula was embolized twice but failed,and she still suffered from alimentary tract hemorrhage.Then,selective arteriography of the hepatic artery was performed again and venae coronaria ventriculi and short gastric vein were embolized.During the 2-year follow-up,the patient remained asymptomatic.We therefore argue that embolization of venae coronaria ventriculi and short gastric vein may be an effective treatment modality for intrahepatic APF with severe upper gastrointestinal bleeding.

Portal vein thrombosis and arterioportal shunts:Effects on tumor response after chemoembolization of hepatocellular carcinoma

AIM: To evaluate the effect of portal vein thrombosis and arterioportal shunts on local tumor response in advanced cases of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma treated by transarterial chemoembolization. METHODS: A retrospective study included 39 patients (mean age: 66.4 years, range: 45-79 years, SD: 7) with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who were treated with repetitive transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) in the period between March 2006 and October 2009. The effect of portal vein thrombosis (PVT) (in 19 out of 39 patients), the presence of arterioportal shunt (APS) (in 7 out of 39), the underlying liver pathology,Child-Pugh score, initial tumor volume, number of tumors and tumor margin definition on imaging were correlated with the local tumor response after TACE. The initial and end therapy local tumor responses were evaluated according to the response evaluation criteria in solid tumors (RECIST) and magnetic resonance imaging volumetric measurements. RESULTS: The treatment protocols were well tolerated by all patients with no major complications. Local tumor response for all patients according to RECIST criteria were partial response in one patient (2.6%), stable disease in 34 patients (87.1%), and progressive disease in 4 patients (10.2%). The MR volumetric measurements showed that the PVT, APS, underlying liver pathology and tumor margin definition were statistically significant prognostic factors for the local tumor response (P = 0.018, P = 0.008, P = 0.034 and P = 0.001, respectively). The overall 6-, 12- and 18-mo survival rates from the initial TACE were 79.5%, 37.5% and 21%, respectively. CONCLUSION: TACE may be exploited safely for palliative tumor control in patients with advanced unresectable HCC; however, tumor response is significantly affected by the presence or absence of PVT and APS.

Resection of a locally advanced hilar tumor and the hepatic artery after stepwise hepatic arterial embolization: A case report

We herein report a case of a hilar tumor with extensive invasion to the proper hepatic artery, which was successfully treated with a radical resection in a 57-year-old female patient after a stepwise hepatic arterial embolization. She underwent right colectomy and partial hepatectomy for advanced colon cancer two years ago and radiofrequency ablation therapy for a liver metastasis one year ago, respectively. A recurrent tumor was noted around the proper hepatic artery with invasion to the left hepatic duct and right hepatic artery 7 mo previously. We planned a radical resection for the patient 5 mo after the absence of tumor progression was confirmed while he was undergoing chemotherapy. To avoid surgery-related liver failure, we tried to promote the formation of collateral hepatic arteries after stepwise arterial embolizationof the posterior and anterior hepatic arteries two weeks apart. Finally, the proper hepatic artery was occluded after formation of collateral flow from the inferior phrenic and superior mesenteric arteries was confirmed. One month later, a left hepatectomy with hepatic arterial resection was successfully performed without any major complications.

Portal vein embolization for induction of selective hepatic hypertrophy prior to major hepatectomy: rationale,techniques, outcomes and future directions

The ability to modulate the future liver remnant(FLR) is a key component of modern oncologic hepatobiliary surgery practice and has extended surgical candidacy for patients who may have been previously thought unable to survive liver resection. Multiple techniques have been developed to augment the FLR including portal vein embolization(PVE), associating liver partition and portal vein ligation(ALPPS), and the recently reported transhepatic liver venous deprivation(LVD). PVE is a well-established means to improve the safety of liver resection by redirecting blood flow to the FLR in an effort to selectively hypertrophy and ultimately improve functional reserve of the FLR. This article discusses the current practice of PVE with focus on summarizing the large number of published reports from which outcomes based practices have been developed. Both technical aspects of PVE including volumetry, approaches, and embolization agents; and clinical aspects of PVE including data supporting indications, and its role in conjunction with chemotherapy and transarterial embolization will be highlighted. PVE remains an important aspect of oncologic care; in large part due to the substantial foundation of information available demonstrating its clear clinical benefit for hepatic resection candidates with small anticipated FLRs.

Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt in liver transplant recipients

AIM： To evaluate the efficacy of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts （TIPSs） after liver transplantation （LT）. METHODS： Between November 1996 and December 2005, 10 patients with severe recurrent hepatitis C virus infection （n = 4）, ductopenic rejection （n = 5） or portal vein thrombosis （n = 1） were included in this analysis. Eleven TIPSs （one patient underwent two TIPS procedures） were placed for management of therapy-refractory ascites （n = 7）, hydrothorax （n = 2） or bleeding from colonic varices （n = 1）. The median time interval between LT and TIPS placement was 15 （4-158） mo. RESULTS： TIPS placement was successful in all patients. The mean portosystemic pressure gradient was reduced from 12.5 to 8.7 mmHg. Complete and partial remission could be achieved in 43% and 29% of patients with ascites. Both patients with hydrothorax did not respond to TIPS. No recurrent bleeding was seen in the patient with colonic varices. Nine of 10 patients died during the study period. Only one of two patients, who underwent retransplantation after the TIPS procedure, survived. The median survival period after TIPS placement was 3.3 （range 0.4-20） too. The majority of patients died from sepsis with multiorgan failure. CONCLUSION： Indications for TIPS and technical performance in LT patients correspond to those in non-transplanted patients. At least partial control of therapy-refractory ascites and variceal bleeding could be achieved in most patients. Nevertheless, survival rates were disappointing, most probably because of the advanced stages of liver disease at the time of TIPS placement and the high risk of sepsis as a consequence of immunosuppression.

Comparison of percutaneous transhepatic portal vein embolization and unilateral portal vein ligation

AIM： To compare the effect of percutaneous transhepatic portal vein embolization （PTPE） and unilateral portal vein ligation （PVL） on hepatic hemodynamics and right hepatic lobe （RHL） atrophy.METHODS： Between March 2005 and March 2009, 13 cases were selected for PTPE （n = 9） and PVL （n = 4） in the RHL. The PTPE group included hilar bile duct carcinoma （n = 2）, intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma （n = 2）, hepatocellular carcinoma （n = 2） and liver metastasis （n = 3）. The PVL group included hepatocellular carcinoma （n = 2） and liver metastasis （n = 2）. In addition, observation of postoperative hepatic hemodynamics obtained from computed tomography and Doppler ultrasonography was compared between the two groups.RESULTS： Mean ages in the two groups were 58.9 ± 2.9 years （PVL group） vs 69.7 ±3.2 years （PTPE group）, which was a significant difference （P = 0.0002）. Among the indicators of liver function, including serum albumin, serum bilirubin, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, platelets and indocyanine green retention rate at 15 min, no significant differ- ences were observed between the two groups. Preop-erative RHL volumes in the PTPE and PVL groups were estimated to be 804.9 ±181.1 mL and 813.3 4±129.7 mL, respectively, with volume rates of 68.9% ± 2.8% and 69.2% ±4.2%, respectively. There were no significant differences in RHL volumes （P = 0.83） and RHL volume rates （P = 0.94）, respectively. At 1 mo after PTPE or PVL, postoperative RHL volumes in the PTPE and PVL groups were estimated to be 638.4±153.6 mL and 749.8 ± 121.9 mL, respectively, with no significant difference （P = 0.14）. Postoperative RHL volume rates in the PTPE and PVL groups were estimated to be 54.6% ± 4.2% and 63.7% ± 3.9%, respectively, which was a significant difference （P = 0.0056）. At 1 mo after the operation, the liver volume atrophy rate was 14.3% ± 2.3% in the PTPE group and 5.4%± 1.6% in the PVL group, which was a significant difference （P = 0.0061）.CONCLUSION： PTPE is a more effective procedure than PVL because PTPE is able to occlude completely the portal branch throughout the right peripheral vein.