Resection of Intracranial Giant Cavernous Malformation: Case Report and Literature Review

Cerebral cavernous malformations are a rare and congenital vascular malformation that can present as a challenge in neurosurgical management. The term “giant cerebral cavernous malformations” still does not have a clear definition in the literature, with a wide variety of results. It is known, however, that there is an association between the size of the cavernoma and postoperative sequelae, especially in those with a size greater than 3 cm in its largest diameter. We present a case report of resection of a giant brain cavernoma measuring approximately 8 cm in its largest diameter, emphasizing on clinical presentation, diagnoses and postoperative evolution. Additionally, we performed a comprehensive review of the existing literature on the subject, addressing the epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnostic methods, treatment options, and prognosis associated with this condition.

Endovascular treatment of direct carotid cavernous fistula resulting from rupture of intracavernous carotid aneurysm: A case report

BACKGROUND Direct carotid cavernous fistulas(CCFs)are typically the result of a severe traumatic brain injury.High-flow arteriovenous shunts secondary to rupture of an intracavernous aneurysm,resulting in direct CCFs,are rare.The use of a pipeline embolization device in conjunction with coils and Onyx glue for treatment of direct high-flow CCF resulting from ruptured cavernous carotid artery aneurysm in a clinical setting is not well documented.CASE SUMMARY A 58-year-old woman presented to our department with symptoms of blepharoptosis and intracranial bruits for 1 wk.During physical examination,there was right eye exophthalmos and ocular motor palsy.The rest of the neurological examination was clear.Notably,the patient had no history of head injury.The patient was treated with a pipeline embolization device in the ipsilateral internal carotid artery across the fistula.Coils and Onyx were placed through the femoral venous route,followed by placement of the pipeline embolization device with assistance from a balloon-coiling technique.No intraoperative or perioperative complications occurred.Preoperative symptoms of bulbar hyperemia and bruits subsided immediately after the operation.CONCLUSION Pipeline embolization device in conjunction with coiling and Onyx may be a safe and effective approach for direct CCFs.

Intrahepatic portal venous systems in adult patients with cavernous transformation of portal vein: Imaging features and a new classification

Background: Cavernous transformation of the portal vein(CTPV) due to portal vein obstruction is a rare vascular anomaly defined as the formation of multiple collateral vessels in the hepatic hilum. This study aimed to investigate the imaging features of intrahepatic portal vein in adult patients with CTPV and establish the relationship between the manifestations of intrahepatic portal vein and the progression of CTPV. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 14 CTPV patients in Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital. All patients underwent both direct portal venography(DPV) and computed tomography angiography(CTA) to reveal the manifestations of the portal venous system. The vessels measured included the left portal vein(LPV), right portal vein(RPV), main portal vein(MPV) and the portal vein bifurcation(PVB). Results: Nine males and 5 females, with a median age of 40.5 years, were included in the study. No significant difference was found in the diameters of the LPV or RPV measured by DPV and CTA. The visualization in terms of LPV, RPV and PVB measured by DPV was higher than that by CTA. There was a significant association between LPV/RPV and PVB/MPV in term of visibility revealed with DPV( P = 0.01), while this association was not observed with CTA. According to the imaging features of the portal vein measured by DPV, CTPV was classified into three categories to facilitate the diagnosis and treatment. Conclusions: DPV was more accurate than CTA for revealing the course of the intrahepatic portal vein in patients with CTPV. The classification of CTPV, that originated from the imaging features of the portal vein revealed by DPV, may provide a new perspective for the diagnosis and treatment of CTPV.

Giant cavernous aneurysms occluded by aneurysmal thrombosis,calcification,parent artery occlusion:A case report and review of literature

BACKGROUND Patients with giant intracranial aneurysms(GIAs)are at a high risk of rupture,morbidity,and mortality even after surgical or endovascular treatment.We described a case of a spontaneously occluded GIA secondary to gradual growth of the GIA,continuously progressed aneurysmal thrombosis,complete aneurysmal calcification and complete occlusion of the parent artery-the right internal carotid artery(RICA).CASE SUMMARY A 72-year-old female patient complained of sudden pain in her right eye upon admission to our hospital.She had been diagnosed with a GIA[30 mm(axial)×38 mm(coronal)×28 mm(sagittal)]containing an aneurysmal thrombus located in the cavernous sinus segment of RICA diagnosed by magnetic resonance imaging(MRI),enhanced MRI,and magnetic resonance angiography more than 14 years ago.Later,with slow growth of the cavernous carotid GIA,aneurysmal thrombosis progressed continuously,spontaneous occlusion of the RICA,complete aneurysmal calcification,and occlusion of the GIA occurred gradually.She had no history of subarachnoid hemorrhage but missed the chance for endovascular therapy at an early stage.As a result,she was left with severe permanent sequelae from the injuries to the right cranial nerves Ⅱ,Ⅲ,Ⅳ,V1/V2,and Ⅴ.CONCLUSION The risk of rupture of the cavernous carotid GIAs was relatively low and possibly further be reduced by the stasis flow and spontaneous occlusion of the parent artery internal carotid artery(ICA)induced by the mass effect of the cavernous carotid GIAs and the extremely rare aneurysmal calcification.However,nowadays,it is advisable to recommend early endovascular treatment for the cavernous carotid GIAs to prevent injuries to the surrounding intracranial nerves and occlusion of the ICA,mainly caused by the mass effect of the cavernous carotid GIAs.

Intermittent melena and refractory anemia due to jejunal cavernous lymphangioma:A case report

BACKGROUND Lymphangiomas in the gastrointestinal tract are extremely rare in adults.As a benign lesion,small intestine lymphangiomas often remain asymptomatic and pose challenges for definitive diagnosis.However,lymphangiomas can give rise to complications such as abdominal pain,bleeding,volvulus,and intussusception.Here,we report a case of jejunal cavernous lymphangioma that presented with intermittent melena and refractory anemia in a male adult.CASE SUMMARY A 66-year-old man presented with intermittent melena,fatigue and refractory anemia nine months prior.Esophagogastroduodenoscopy and colonoscopy were performed many times and revealed no apparent bleeding.Conservative management,including transfusion,hemostasis,gastric acid secretion inhibition and symptomatic treatment,was performed,but the lesions tended to recur shortly after surgery.Ultimately,the patient underwent capsule endoscopy,which revealed a more than 10 cm lesion accompanied by active bleeding.After singleballoon enteroscopy and biopsy,a diagnosis of jejunal cavernous lymphangioma was confirmed,and the patient underwent surgical resection.No complications or recurrences were observed postoperatively.CONCLUSION Jejunal cavernous lymphangioma should be considered a cause of obscure gastrointestinal bleeding.Capsule endoscopy and single-balloon enteroscopy can facilitate diagnosis.Surgical resection is an effective management method.

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided lauromacrogol injection for treatment of colorectal cavernous hemangioma:Two case reports

BACKGROUND Colorectal cavernous hemangioma is a rare vascular malformation resulting in recurrent lower gastrointestinal hemorrhage,and can be misinterpreted as colitis.Surgical resection is currently the mainstay of treatment,with an emphasis on sphincter preservation.CASE SUMMARY We present details of two young patients with a history of persistent hematochezia diagnosed with colorectal cavernous hemangioma by endoscopic ultrasound(EUS).Cavernous hemangioma was relieved by several EUS-guided lauromacrogol injections and the patients achieved favorable clinical prognosis.CONCLUSION Multiple sequential EUS-guided injections of lauromacrogol is a safe,effective,cost-efficient,and minimally invasive alternative for colorectal cavernous hemangioma.

CT and MRI Findings of Intracranial Cavernous Hemangioma Malformation

Objective:To investigate the computed tomography(CT)and magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)features of cavernous hemangioma malformation(CHM)to enhance diagnostic accuracy.Methods:The CT and MRI findings and clinical information of 23 patients with CHM were retrospectively analyzed.Results:CT examinations were conducted in 7 cases,while MRI was utilized in 23 cases.Additionally,SWI was employed in 5 cases and enhanced imaging techniques were applied in 14 cases.Among the observed lesions,20 cases presented with a singular lesion,whereas 3 cases exhibited multiple lesions.The lesions were located in 8 frontal lobes,6 cerebellums,2 brainstems,6 temporal lobes,1 basal ganglia,3 parieto-occipital lobes,and 2 thalamus regions.The nodules appeared as quasi-circular lesions with clear or well-defined boundaries.They presented as isodense lesions on CT scans,with one lesion showing peritumoral edema.On MRI,T1-weighted imaging(T1WI)demonstrated isointense signals,while T2-weighted imaging(T2WI)showed isointense and hyperintense signals.Additionally,10 lesions exhibited a low signal ring on T2WI.Diffusion-weighted imaging(DWI)revealed nodular or isointense low signals,while susceptibility-weighted imaging(SWI)displayed enlarged areas of low signal.Fourteen lesions underwent contrast-enhanced scanning,with 2 lesions showing no obvious enhancement,1 lesion demonstrating mild to moderate enhancement,and 11 lesions exhibiting significant enhancement.Notably,6 of these enhanced lesions were surrounded by small blood vessels.Conclusion:Cavernous hemangioma malformation is more commonly found in individual cases.CT alone lacks specificity,making it prone to misdiagnosis.A more comprehensive evaluation of cavernous hemangioma malformation can be achieved through a combination of MRI,DWI,SWI,and enhanced examination,providing valuable references for clinical assessment.

Application of transmesenteric vein extrahepatic portosystemic shunt in treatment of symptomatic portal hypertension with cavernous transformation of portal vein

Purpose:To evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of a transmesenteric vein extrahepatic portosystemic shunt(TmEPS)for the treatment of cavernous transformation of the portal vein(CTPV).Materials and methods:The clinical data of 20 patients with CTPV who underwent TmEPS between December 2020and January 2022 at Henan Provincial People’s Hospital were retrospectively collected.The superior mesenteric vein(SMV)trunk was patent or partially occluded in these patients.An extrahepatic portosystemic shunt between the inferior vena cava and the SMV was established using a stent graft through an infraumbilical median longitudinal mini-laparotomy.The technical success,efficacy,and complication rates were evaluated,and the preand postoperative SMV pressures were compared.Patients’clinical outcomes and shunt patency were assessed.Results:TmEPS was successfully performed in 20 patients.The initial puncture success rate of the balloon-assisted puncture technique is 95%.The mean SMV pressure decreased from 29.1±2.9 mmHg to 15.6±3.3 mmHg(p<0.001).All symptoms of portal hypertension resolved.No fatal procedural complications occurred.During the follow-up period,hepatic encephalopathy occurred in two patients.The remaining patients remained asymptomatic.All shunts were patent.Conclusions:TmEPS is a feasible,safe,and effective treatment option for patients with CTPV.

Retroperitoneal cavernous hemangioma misdiagnosed as lymphatic cyst:A case report and review of the literature

BACKGROUND Primary abdominal and retroperitoneal cavernous hemangioma is a vascular tumor and rarely seen in the clinic.Due to the lack of specific imaging features,retroperitoneal cavernous hemangioma cannot be diagnosed accurately.Some symptoms may develop with the enlargement of lesion volume or the occurrence of complications such as rupture or oppression.We report here a special case who was admitted with chronic abdominal pain.Admission examination suggested a retroperitoneal lymphatic duct cyst.Laparoscopic resection of the retroperitoneal mass was performed,and histological examination confirmed retroperitoneal cavernous hemangioma.CASE SUMMARY The patient was a 43-year-old Tibetan woman with intermittent left lower abdominal pain and discomfort 3 years ago.Ultrasonography revealed a cystic mass in the retroperitoneum with clear boundaries,internal septa,and no blood flow signal.Computed tomography(CT)and magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)showed an irregular space-occupying mass in the retroperitoneum,and retroperitoneal lymphatic cyst was considered.Plain CT scanning showed multiple cystlike hypo-intense shadows in the retroperitoneum,partially fused into a mass,and no obvious enhancement was found on enhanced scanning.MRI showed multiple irregular clump-like long T1 and long T2 signal shadows above the pancreas,within which linear short T2 signal shadows were seen.Diffusionweighted imaging sequence showed hypo-signal shadows,without obvious enhancement on enhanced scanning.Ultrasound,CT,and MRI all suggested the possibility of retroperitoneal lymphatic cyst.However,the patient was finally diagnosed with retroperitoneal cavernous hemangioma by pathological examination.CONCLUSION Retroperitoneal cavernous hemangioma is a benign lesion,and it is difficult to make a diagnosis preoperatively.Surgical resection may be the only treatment,which not only allows histopathological confirmation as a diagnostic purpose and excludes any risk of malignancy,but also avoids invasion of adjacent tissues,oppression,and other complications as a therapeutic goal.

High-flow priapism due to bilateral cavernous artery fistulas treated by unilateral embolization:A case report

BACKGROUND High flow priapism(HFP)is a rare type of priapism.Perineal trauma is the most common cause of HFP.Trauma-induced penile artery injury may lead to an arterial-cavernosal fistula,whereas persistent irregular arterial blood flow entering the corpora cavernosum can cause a persistent penile erection.The routine treatment of HFP focuses on addressing the abnormal penile erectile status and avoiding post-treatment erectile dysfunction.Interventional embolization is an important therapeutic modality for HFP,and bilateral embolization therapy is currently the most commonly used technique for patients with bilateral cavernous artery fistulas;however,unilateral embolization therapy has yet to be reported.CASE SUMMARY Herein,we report of the case of a 26-year-old Chinese male who presented with a persistent abnormal erection for 12 h after perineal impact injury.Medical history,cavernous arterial blood gas analysis and radiological examinations led to a diagnosis of HFP caused by bilateral cavernous artery fistulas.We performed routine conservative treatment(compression therapy and ice application)for the patient after admission;however,10 d later,his symptoms had not been relieved.After completion of the preoperative workup,right(severe side)selective perineal artery embolization was performed;the left cavernous artery fistula was left untreated.After postoperative continuation of conservative treatment for 72 h,the patient experienced complete penile thinning.The patient had no symptoms of erectile dysfunction over a follow-up period of 12 mo.CONCLUSION Compared with bilateral cavernous artery fistula embolization,we believe that unilateral cavernous artery fistula embolization can achieve positive clinical efficacy and reduce the risk of postoperative erectile dysfunction secondary to penile ischemia.

Pancreatic cavernous hemangioma complicated with chronic intracapsular spontaneous hemorrhage:A case report and review of literature

BACKGROUND Pancreatic cavernous hemangioma(pCH)is a rare type of benign vascular tumor.Making the right diagnosis is challenging due to low clinical suspicion and the lack of existing cross-sectional imaging tools to distinguish it from other pancreatic lesions.CASE SUMMARY We describe a male patient,age 18,who presented with a pCH.Computed tomography,magnetic resonance imaging,and ultrasound showed cystic space in the tail of the pancreas.A dark spot sign on the T2 weighted image sequence was observed.Clinically,a mucinous cystic neoplasm with hemorrhage was suspected preoperatively by combining imaging,and the operative indication was clear.The patient underwent a distal pancreatic tumor resection under laparoscopic control.Immunohistochemical staining for CD31 and CD34 was positive;D2-40 was positive in interstitial lymphatic vessels and negative in vascular epithelial cells;and calcium-binding protein was negative.The results support the diagnosis of pCH combined with chronic intracapsular spontaneous hemorrhage.No complications or recurrences were observed during the follow-up period.CONCLUSION Chronic spontaneous hemorrhage may occur in pCH,which may greatly influence the accuracy of diagnosis using imaging modalities.Surgical resection for uncertain pCH seems reasonable with a good outcome.

Antioxidative mechanism of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides promotes repair and regeneration following cavernous nerve injury

Polysaccharides extracted from Lycium barbarum exhibit antioxidant properties.We hypothesized that these polysaccharides resist oxidative stress-induced neuronal damage following cavernous nerve injury.In this study,rat models were intragastrically administered Lycium barbarum polysaccharides for 2 weeks at 1,7,and 14 days after cavernous nerve injury.Serum superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities significantly increased at 1 and 2 weeks post-injury.Serum malondialdehyde levels decreased at 2 and 4 weeks.At 12 weeks,peak intracavernous pressure,the number of myelinated axons and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-diaphorase-positive nerve fibers,levels of phospho-endothelial nitric oxide synthase protein and 3-nitrotyrosine were higher in rats administered at 1 day post-injury compared with rats administered at 7 and 14 days post-injury.These findings suggest that application of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides following cavernous nerve crush injury effectively promotes nerve regeneration and erectile functional recovery.This neuroregenerative effect was most effective in rats orally administered Lycium barbarum polysaccharides at 1 day after cavernous nerve crush injury.

Adipose-derived stem cells modified by BDNF gene rescue erectile dysfunction after cavernous nerve injury

Cavernous nerve injury is the main cause of erectile dysfunction following radical prostatectomy.The recovery of erectile function following radical prostatectomy remains challenging.Our previous studies found that injecting adipose-derived stem cells(ADSCs)into the cavernosa could repair the damaged cavernous nerves,but the erectile function of the treated rats could not be restored to a normal level.We evaluated the efficacy of ADSCs infected with a lentiviral vector encoding rat brain-derived neurotrophic factor(lenti-rBDNF)in a rat model of cavernous nerve injury.The rats were equally and randomly divided into four groups.In the control group,bilateral cavernous nerves were isolated but not injured.In the bilateral cavernous nerve injury group,bilateral cavernous nerves were isolated and injured with a hemostat clamp for 2 minutes.In the ADSCGFP and ADSCrBDNF groups,after injury with a hemostat clamp for 2 minutes,rats were injected with ADSCs infected with lenti-GFP(1×106 in 20μL)and lenti-rBDNF(1×106 in 20μL),respectively.Erectile function was assessed 4 weeks after injury by measuring intracavernosal pressures.Then,penile tissues were collected for histological detection and western blot assay.Results demonstrated that compared with the bilateral cavernous nerve injury group,erectile function was significantly recovered in the ADSCGFP and ADSCrBDNF groups,and to a greater degree in the ADSCrBDNF group.Neuronal nitric oxide synthase content in the dorsal nerves and the ratio of smooth muscle/collagen were significantly higher in the ADSCrBDNF and ADSCGFP groups than in the bilateral cavernous nerve injury group.Neuronal nitric oxide synthase expression was obviously higher in the ADSCrBDNF group than in the ADSCGFP group.These findings confirm that intracavernous injection with ADSCs infected with lenti-rBDNF can effectively improve erectile dysfunction caused by cavernous nerve injury.This study was approved by the Medical Animal Care and Welfare Committee of Wuhan University,China(approval No.2017-1638)on June 20,2017.

Novel,mutable site in the cerebral cavernous malformation-1 gene in Chinese sporadic intracranial cavernous malformation patients

BACKGROUND： A cerebral cavernous malformation-1 （CCM1） gene mutation might result in functional loss of KREV interaction trapped-1 （KRIT1）, which is related to onset of cavernous malformations （CM）. However, data addressing sporadic CM in Chinese patients remains limited to date. OBJECTIVE： To analyze CCM1 mutation of Chinese patients with sporadic intracranial CM. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING： Genetics experiment was performed in the Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University between January 2004 and December 2005. PARTICIPANTS： Ninety patients with sporadic CM served as the CM group, and 30 healthy subjects were considered to be the control group. METHODS： Peripheral blood was collected from patients with CM and from control group subjects Genomic DNA was extracted, and exons 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, and 18, as well as the related introns, were amplified using polymerase chain reaction. DNA sequences were compared with GeneBank. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： Abnormal mutable site of CCM1 gene in the two groups. RESULTS： Four exclusive mutations of CCM1 were detected in the CM group, with a sporadic CM mutational rate of 32% （6/19）. Of the four exclusive mutations, there was one missense mutation [exon 12, 1172C→T （S391 F）], one insertion mutation [exon 8, 704insT （K246stop）], one intervening sequence mutation （IVS12-4C→T）, and one synonymous mutation （exon 17, 1875C→T）. With the exception of 1875C→T, all mutations detected in the CM group led to functional changes of the KRIT1 protein, which was encoded by the CCM1 gene. Gene mutations were not detected in the control group. CONCLUSION： Four exclusive mutations of the CCM1 gene were determined in Chinese patients with sporadic CM, which led to functional changes or loss of the encoding KRIT1 protein. KRIT1 protein is considered to be the genetic basis of CM occurrence.

Giant cavernous liver hemangiomas： is it the time to change the size categories？

BACKGROUND： Four different sizes （4, 5, 8 and 10 cm in diameter） can be found in the literature to categorize a liver hemangioma as giant. The present review aims to clarify the appropriateness of the size category ＂giant＂ for liver heman- gioma. DATA SOURCES： We reviewed the reports on the categoriza- tion of hemangioma published between 1970 and 2014. The number of hemangiomas, size criteria, mean and range of hemangioma sizes, and number of asymptomatic and symp- tomatic patients were investigated in patients aged over 18 years. Liver hemangiomas were divided into four groups： 〈5.0 cm, 5.0-9.9 cm, 10.0-14.9 cm and 〉15.0 cm in diameter. Inclu- sion criteria were noted in 34 articles involving 1972 （43.0%） hemangiomas （〉4.0 cm）. RESULTS： The patients were divided into the following groups： 154 patients （30.0%） with hemangiomas less than 5.0 cm in diameter （small）, 182 （35.5%） between 5.0 cm and 9.9 cm （large）, 75 （14.6%） between 10.0 and 14.9 cm （giant）, and 102 （19.9%） more than 15.0 cm （enormous）. There were 786 （39.9%） asymptomatic patients and 791 （40.1%） symptomatic patients. Indications for surgery related to symptoms were reported in only 75 （3.8%） patients. Operations including 137 non-anatomical resection （12.9%） and 469 enudeation （44.1%） were undearly related to size and symptoms.CONCLUSIONS： The term ＂giant＂ seems to be justified for liver hemangiomas with a diameter of 10 cm. Hemangiomas categorized as ＂giant＂ are not indicated for surgery. Surgery should be performed only when other symptoms are apparent.

Endovascular treatment of carotid cavernous sinus fistula: A systematic review

Carotid cavernous sinus fistulas are abnormal communications between the carotid system and the cavernous sinus. Several classification schemes have described carotid cavernous sinus fistulas according to etiology, hemodynamic features, or the angiographic arterial architecture. Increased pressure within the cavernous sinus appears to be the main factor in pathophysiology. The clinical features are related to size, exact location, and duration of the fistula, adequacy and route of venous drainage and the presence of arterial/venous collaterals. Noninvasive imaging (computed tomography, magnetic resonance, computed tomography angiography, magnetic resonance angiography, Doppler) is often used in the initial workup of a possible carotid cavernous sinus fistulas. Cerebral angiography is the gold standard for the definitive diagnosis, classification, and planning of treatment for these lesions. The endovascular approach has evolved as the mainstay therapy for definitive treatment in situations including clinical emergencies. Conservative treatment, surgery and radiosurgery constitute other management options for these lesions.

Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt for the prevention of recurrent esophageal variceal bleeding in patients with cavernous transformation of portal vein

Background: Treatment options for patients with cavernous transformation of portal vein(CTPV) are limited. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility, efficacy and safety of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt(TIPS) to prevent recurrent esophageal variceal bleeding in patients with CTPV. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 67 consecutive patients undergone TIPS from January 2011 to December 2016. All patients were diagnosed with CTPV. The indication for TIPS was a previous episode of variceal bleeding. The data on recurrent bleeding, stent patency, hepatic encephalopathy and survival were retrieved and analyzed. Results: TIPS procedure was successfully performed in 56 out of 67(83.6%) patients with CTPV. TIPS was performed via a transjugular approach alone( n = 15), a combined transjugular/transhepatic approach( n = 33) and a combined transjugular/transsplenic approach( n = 8). Mean portosystemic pressure gradient(PSG) decreased from 28.09 ± 7.28 mmHg to 17.53 ± 6.12 mmHg after TIPS( P < 0.01). The probability of the remaining free recurrent variceal bleeding was 87.0%. The probability of TIPS patency reached 81.5%. Hepatic encephalopathy occurrence was 27.8%, and survival rate was 88.9% until the end of follow-up. Four out of 11 patients who failed TIPS died, and 4 had recurrent bleeding. Conclusions: TIPS should be considered a safe and feasible alternative therapy to prevent recurrent esophageal variceal bleeding in patients with CTPV, and to achieve clinical improvement.

Autologous transfusion with modified total hepatic vascular exclusion for extracapsular resection of giant hepatic cavernous hemangioma

BACKGROUND: This paper was to review the effects of intraoperative autologous transfusion during modified, normal-temperature, total hepatic vascular exclusion (THVE) for extracapsular resection of giant hepatic cavernous hemangioma. METHODS: The clinical data from 28 patients, who underwent hepatic resection requiring intraoperative autologous transfusion with the cell-saver apparatus, were analyzed retrospectively. The tumors in the 28 patients involved the proximal hepatic veins and inferior vena cava. The diameters of these hemangiomas ranged from 12x15 cm to 18-40 cm. All patients had varying degrees of THVE. ' RESULTS: The 28 patients with hemangioma received integrated resection and recovered. One patient had rupture of tumors resulting in massive hemorrhage of 6000 ml during liver resection; 4 patients had blood transfusions of 400-800 ml; the other 23 patients had no blood transfusion. Only 6 patients underwent the Pringle maneuver with resection. The other 22 patients underwent THVE during the liver resection. The interval of THVE was 5-30 minutes (mean 16 minutes). CONCLUSIONS: Intraoperative autologous transfusion during modified, normal-temperature THVE for extracapsular resection of huge hepatic cavernous hemangioma is feasible.

Neural-like cells from adipose-derived stem cells for cavernous nerve injury in rats

Although the remaining nerve tissue can regenerate and partly restore erectile function when the cavernous nerve is compressed/severed and function lost, the limited regenerative ability of these nerve tissues often fails to meet clinical needs. Adipose-derived stem cells are easy to obtain and culture, and can differentiate into neural cells. Their proliferation rate is easy to control and they may be used to help restore injured cavernous nerve function. Sprague-Dawley male rats(n = 45) were equally randomized into three groups: fifteen rats as a sham-operated group, fifteen rats as a bilateral nerve crush(BINC) group(with no further intervention), fifteen rats as a BINC with intracavernous injection of one million neural-like cells from adipose-derived stem cells(NAS)(BINC + NAS) group. After 4 weeks, erectile function was assessed by stimulating the cavernous body. The number of myelinated axons in the dorsal cavernous nerve was determined by toluidine blue staining. The area of neuronal nitric oxide synthase-positive fibers in the dorsal penile nerve was measured by immunohistochemical staining. Masson staining was used to analyze the ratio of smooth muscle to collagen in penile tissue. The results demonstrate that maximal intracavernous pressure, the ratio of maximal intracavernous pressure to mean arterial pressure, the numbers of myelinated axons and neuronal nitric oxide synthase-positive fibers in the dorsal penile nerve, and the ratio of smooth muscle to collagen could be increased after cell transplantation. These findings indicate that neural-like cells from adipose-derived stem cells can effectively alleviate cavernous nerve injury and improve erectile function. All animal experiments were approved by the Animal Ethics Committee of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China(approval No. 2017-1925) on September 15, 2017.

The origin of blood supply for cavernous hemangioma of the liver

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the origin of blood supply to cavernous hemangioma of the liver (CHL). METHODS: To observe the relation of cavernous hemangioma of the liver to the hepatic artery and portal vein, we performed serial selective hepatic arteriography in 22 patients. Five patients after ligation of the right hepatic arteries underwent portography and liver staining by in jection of methylene blue into the portal veins and 2 patients had hepatic specimens resected, which were made into a model cast by filling the hepatic veins (yellow) and portal venous branches (blue) with methyl methacrylate after vascular lavage. RESULTS: Serial selective hepatic arteriography showed that hepatic arteries and hemangioma were displayed simultaneously, and that hemangioma was supplied by one to numerous arterial branches. In the portal phase of portography, contrast medium failed to enter the tumor and the intrahepatic branches of the portal vein were pushed aside by the tumor; in the liver parenchymal phase, however, the tumor appeared to be a low-density area. Hepatic arteriography and portography revealed that the fistula between the artery and portal vein may not be existed. The liver stained with methylene blue showed that the normal hepatic parenchyma could be stained with deep blue; in contrast, the tumor was not stained at all. The casting specimens showed that the eroded tumor left a round vacant area because of its total shedding, and no blue stained branches of the portal vein extended into the tumor. CONCLUSION: Blood supply of CHL may originate from the hepatic artery.