Liver in systemic disease

Potential causes of abnormal liver function tests include viral hepatitis,alcohol intake,nonalcoholic fatty liver disease,autoimmune liver diseases,hereditary diseases,hepatobiliary malignancies or infection,gallstones and drug-induced liver injury.Moreover,the liver may be involved in systemic diseases that mainly affect other organs.Therefore,in patients without etiology of liver injury by screening serology and diagnostic imaging,but who have systemic diseases,the abnormal liver function test results might be caused by the systemic disease.In most of these patients,the systemic disease should be treated primarily.However,some patients with systemic disease and severe liver injury or fulminant hepatic failure require intensive treatments of the liver.

Hepatic venous outflow obstruction:Three similar syndromes

Our goal is to provide a detailed review of veno- occlusive disease (VOD), Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS), and congestive hepatopathy (CH), all of which results in hepatic venous outflow obstruction. This is the first article in which all three syndromes have been reviewed, enabling the reader to compare the characteristics of these disorders. The histological findings in VOD, BCS, and CH are almost identical: sinusoidal congestion and cell necrosis mostly in perivenular areas of hepatic acini which eventually leads to bridging fibrosis between adjacent central veins. Tender hepatomegaly with jaundice and ascites is common to all three conditions. However, the clinical presentation depends mostly on the extent and rapidity of the outflow obstruction. Although the etiology and treatment are completely different in VOD, BCS, and CH; the similarities in clinical manifestations and liver histology may suggest a common mechanism of hepatic injury and adaptation in response to increased sinusoidal pressure.

Percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage for obstructive jaundice caused by metastatic gastric cancer： efficacy and complications

Objective： The aim of our study was to evaluate the efficacy and incidence of complications of percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage （PTBD） as palliative treatment of obstructive jaundice caused by metastatic gastric cancer. Methods： Hospital records were reviewed for 32 consecutive patients with biliary obstruction caused by metastatic gastric cancer who underwent PTBD at our institution between October 2004 and April 2010. Patients （23 males and 9 females） age ranged from 35 to 72 years. The indexes of hepatic function before PTBD and within one month after PTBD were compared. The incidence of complications and corresponding treatments were also documented. Results： The level of obstruction was defined as the distal bile duct （beyond the level of the liver hilum） in 22 patients （group 1） and the liver hilum in 10 patients （group 2）. Successful decompression of the biliary system after PTBD was defined by a total bilirubin decrease of more than 30% of the baseline value. Success rates were 100% （22/22） for group 1, 70% （7/10） for group 2, and 90.6% （29/32） for all patients. Differences in success rates between group 1 and group 2 were significant （P = 0.024）. Serum TBIL, ALT, and AST significantly decreased from （292.8 ± 179.9） μmol/L, （174.5 ± 107.4） IU/L, （159.9 ± 103.9） IU/L before PTBD to （111.5 ± 92.5） μmol/L, （58.5 ± 46.3） IU/L, （59.6 ± 48.9） IU/L, respectively within one month after PTBD （P 0.05）. Complications associated with PTBD included cholangitis in 13 patients （40.5%）, drainage tube displacement in 6 patients （18.8%）, hemobilia in 4 patients （12.5%）, tube occlusion in 2 patients （6.3%）, and pancreatitis in 1 patient （3.1%）. All complications were successfully treated with appropriate measures. Conclusion： Hepatic function can be improved by PTBD without serious complications in patients with obstructive jaundice caused by metastatic gastric cancer.