Evaluation of the efficacy and safety of endoscopic band ligation in the treatment of bleeding from mild to moderate gastric varices type 1

BACKGROUND According to practice guidelines,endoscopic band ligation(EBL)and endoscopic tissue adhesive injection(TAI)are recommended for treating bleeding from esophagogastric varices.However,EBL and TAI are known to cause serious complications,such as hemorrhage from dislodged ligature rings caused by EBL and hemorrhage from operation-related ulcers resulting from TAI.However,the optimal therapy for mild to moderate type 1 gastric variceal hemorrhage(GOV1)has not been determined.Therefore,the aim of this study was to discover an individualized treatment for mild to moderate GOV1.AIM To compare the efficacy,safety and costs of EBL and TAI for the treatment of mild and moderate GOV1.METHODS A clinical analysis of the data retrieved from patients with mild or moderate GOV1 gastric varices who were treated under endoscopy was also conducted.Patients were allocated to an EBL group or an endoscopic TAI group.The differences in the incidence of varicose relief,operative time,operation success rate,mortality rate within 6 wk,rebleeding rate,6-wk operation-related ulcer healing rate,complication rate and average operation cost were compared between the two groups of patients.RESULTS The total effective rate of the two treatments was similar,but the efficacy of EBL(66.7%)was markedly better than that of TAI(39.2%)(P<0.05).The operation success rate in both groups was 100%,and the 6-wk mortality rate in both groups was 0%.The average operative time(26 min)in the EBL group was significantly shorter than that in the TAI group(46 min)(P<0.01).The rate of delayed postoperative rebleeding in the EBL group was significantly lower than that in the TAI group(11.8%vs 45.1%)(P<0.01).At 6 wk after the operation,the healing rate of operation-related ulcers in the EBL group was 80.4%,which was significantly greater than that in the TAI group(35.3%)(P<0.01).The incidence of postoperative complications in the two groups was similar.The average cost and other related economic factors were greater for the EBL than for the TAI(P<0.01).CONCLUSION For mild to moderate GOV1,patients with EBL had a greater one-time varix eradication rate,a greater 6-wk operation-related ulcer healing rate,a lower delayed rebleeding rate and a lower cost than patients with TAI.

Ligation-assisted endoscopic submucosal resection following unroofing technique for small esophageal subepithelial lesions originating from the muscularis propria

BACKGROUND The majority of esophageal subepithelial lesions originating from the muscularis propria(SEL-MPs)are benign in nature,although a subset may exhibit malignant characteristics.Conventional endoscopic resection techniques are time-consuming and lack efficacy for small SEL-MPs.AIM To evaluate the efficacy and safety of ligation-assisted endoscopic submucosal resection(ESMR-L)following unroofing technique for small esophageal SEL-MPs.METHODS From January 2021 to September 2023,17 patients diagnosed with esophageal SEL-MPs underwent ESMR-L following unroofing technique at the endoscopy center of Shenzhen People’s Hospital.Details of clinicopathological characteristics and clinical outcomes were collected and analyzed.RESULTS The mean age of the patients was 50.12±12.65 years.The mean size of the tumors was 7.47±2.83 mm and all cases achieved en bloc resection successfully.The average operation time was 12.2 minutes without any complications.Histopathology identified 2 Lesions(11.8%)as gastrointestinal stromal tumors at very low risk,12 Lesions(70.6%)as leiomyoma and 3 Lesions(17.6%)as smooth muscle proliferation.No recurrence was found during the mean follow-up duration of 14.18±9.62 months.CONCLUSION ESMR-L following roofing technique is an effective and safe technique for management of esophageal SEL-MPs smaller than 20 mm,but it cannot ensure en bloc resection and may require further treatment.

Subsequent pregnancy outcomes and fertility rates in the case series that underwent bilateral hypogastric artery ligation(BHGAL)due to severe postpartum hemorrhage

Objective:To evaluate the effect of bilateral hypogastric artery ligation(BHGAL)on women's pregnancy outcomes and fertility rates in cases with severe postpartum hemorrhage.Methods:Patients hospitalized in a tertiary care center between 2007 and 2018 were included in the study.The records of cases were obtained from the hospital database,retrospectively.Maternal demographic data,morbidities or complications associated with BHGAL surgery,any additional haemostatic interventional or surgical procedures,preoperative admission and lowest postoperative haematocrit-hemoglobin values,blood products given,type of anaesthesia,intensive care unit(ICU)and length of hospital stay were recorded.In cases without surgical sterilization,future fertility and subsequent pregnancy outcomes were assessed for at least two years after operation.Information was obtained through face-to-face or telephone interviews with patients whose long-term fertility and subsequent pregnancy outcomes were assessed.Results:Sixty-eight patients with BHGAL surgery history were included in the study.26 Of 37 cases(70%)that did not undergo surgical sterilization had a desire for pregnancy after the surgery.Six of these cases(23%)were diagnosed with secondary infertility.The fertility rate of these cases was 77%,and subsequent pregnancy was detected in 20 women.A total of 25 pregnancies,including first and second pregnancies,developed,and 15 of these pregnancies resulted in term delivery,six preterm births,one stillbirth,and three abortions.Conclusions:The postoperative pregnancy rate was found to be higher than the rate of women with infertility problems,and this surgery does not seem to adversely affect pregnancy outcomes.This is a tertiary center experience and cohort studies with large patient series are needed.

Endoscopic band ligation or endoscopic tissue adhesive injection in the treatment of gastric varices:Which is better?

The combination of endoscopic ultrasound with endoscopic treatment of type 1 gastric variceal hemorrhage may improve the robustness and generalizability of the findings in future studies.Moreover,the esophageal varices should also be included in the evaluation of treatment efficacy in subsequent studies to reach a more convincing conclusion.

Endoscopic“calabash”ligation and resection for small gastric mesenchymal tumors

BACKGROUND Gastric mesenchymal tumors(GMT)are identified as soft tissue neoplasms that arise from mesenchymal stem cells within the gastrointestinal tract.GMT pri-marily encompass gastric stromal tumors(GST),gastric leiomyomas,and gastric schwannomas.Although most GMT are benign,there are still potential malignant changes,especially GST.Thus,early surgical intervention is the primary treat-ment for GMT.We have designed a simple endoscopic“calabash”ligation and resection(ECLR)procedure to treat GMT.Its efficacy and safety need to be com-pared with those of traditional endoscopic techniques,such as endoscopic sub-mucosal excavation(ESE).AIM To assess the safety and effectiveness of ECLR in managing small GMT(sGMT)with a maximum diameter≤20 mm by comparing to ESE.METHODS This retrospective analysis involved patients who were hospitalized in our institution between November 2021 and March 2023,underwent endoscopic resection,and received a pathological diagnosis of GMT.Cases with a tumor diameter≤20 mm were chosen and categorized into two cohorts:Study and control groups.The study group was composed of patients treated with ECLR,whereas the control group was composed of those treated with ESE.Data on general clinical characteristics(gender,age,tumor diameter,tumor growth direction,tumor pathological type,and risk grade),surgery-related information(complete tumor resection rate,operation duration,hospitalization duration,hospitalization cost,and surgical complications),and postoperative follow-up were collected for both groups.The aforementioned data were subsequently analyzed and compared.RESULTS Five hundred and eighty-nine individuals were included,with 297 cases in the control group and 292 in the study group.After propensity score matching,the final analysis incorporated 260 subjects in each cohort.The findings indicated that the study group exhibited shorter operation duration and lowered medical expenses relative to the control group.Furthermore,the study group reported less postoperative abdominal pain and had a lower incidence of intraoperative perforation and postoperative electrocoagulation syndrome than the control group.There were no substantial variations observed in other parameters among the two cohorts.CONCLUSION ECLR is a viable and effective approach for managing sGMT.

Laparoscopic right radical hemicolectomy: Central vascular ligation and complete mesocolon excision vs D3 lymphadenectomy - How I do it?

In colon cancer surgery,ensuring the complete removal of the primary tumor and draining lymph nodes is crucial.Lymphatic drainage in the colon follows the vascular supply,typically progressing from pericolic to paraaortic lymph nodes.While NCCN guidelines recommend the removal of 10-12 lymph nodes for ade-quate oncological resection,achieving complete oncological resection involves more than just meeting these numerical targets.Various techniques have been developed and studied over time to attain optimal oncological outcomes.A key technique central to this goal is identifying the ileocolic vessels at their origin from the superior mesenteric vessels.Complete excision of the visceral and parietal mesocolon ensures the intact removal of the specimen,while D3 lymphade-nectomy targets all draining regional lymph nodes.Although these principles emphasize different aspects,they ultimately converge to achieve the same goal of complete oncological resection.This article aims to simplify the surgical steps that align with the principle of central vascular ligation and mesocolon mobilization while ensuring adequate D3 dissection.

A Study of Radiation-Induced Telomere Instability Using Multiplex Ligation-Dependent Probe Amplification (MLPA)

The integrity of the chromosomes for two WIL2-derived lymphoblastoid cell lines (TK6 and WTK1) in the presence and absence of ionizing radiation was analyzed by Multiplex Ligation-Dependent Probe Amplification (MLPA). The TK6 cell line has the native p53 tumor-suppressor gene, whereas WTK1 cells contain a p53 mutation. Each cell line was isolated pre- and post-irradiation (2 and 3 Gy) and analyzed by MLPA. The impact of irradiation on these two cell lines was investigated using probes that target specific regions on chromosomes associated with subtelomeric regions. Results indicate that WTK1 and TK6 are impacted differently after irradiation, and that each cell line presents its own unique MLPA profile. The most notable differences are the appearance of a number of probes in the post-irradiated MLPA profile that are not present in the controls, and two unique probe signals only seen in WTK1 cells. These results build on our previous studies that indicate how different human cell lines can be affected by radiation in significantly different ways depending on the presence or absence of wild type p53.

CD4^(+)CD25^(+) regulatory T cells decreased future liver remnant after associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy

BACKGROUND Associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy(ALPPS)is an innovative surgical approach for the treatment of massive hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC),the key to successful planned stage 2 ALPPS is future liver remnant(FLR)volume growth,but the exact mechanism has not been elucidated.The correlation between regulatory T cells(Tregs)and postoperative FLR regeneration has not been reported.AIM To investigate the effect of CD4^(+)CD25^(+)Tregs on FLR regeneration after ALPPS.METHODS Clinical data and specimens were collected from 37 patients who developed massive HCC treated with ALPPS.Flow cytometry was performed to detect changes in the proportion of CD4^(+)CD25^(+)Tregs to CD4^(+)T cells in peripheral blood before and after ALPPS.To analyze the relationship between peripheral blood CD4^(+)CD25^(+)Treg proportion and clinicopathological information and liver volume.RESULTS The postoperative CD4^(+)CD25^(+)Treg proportion in stage 1 ALPPS was negatively correlated with the amount of proliferation volume,proliferation rate,and kinetic growth rate(KGR)of the FLR after stage 1 ALPPS.Patients with low Treg proportion had significantly higher KGR than those with high Treg proportion(P=0.006);patients with high Treg proportion had more severe postoperative pathological liver fibrosis than those with low Treg proportion(P=0.043).The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve between the percentage of Tregs and proliferation volume,proliferation rate,and KGR were all greater than 0.70.CONCLUSION CD4^(+)CD25^(+)Tregs in the peripheral blood of patients with massive HCC at stage 1 ALPPS were negatively correlated with indicators of FLR regeneration after stage 1 ALPPS and may influence the degree of fibrosis in patients’livers.Treg percentage was highly accurate in predicting the FLR regeneration after stage 1 ALPPS.

Bile Acid Overload Induced by Bile Duct and Portal Vein Ligation Improves Survival after Staged Hepatectomy in Rats

Objective Compared to portal vein ligation(PVL),simultaneous bile duct and portal vein ligation(BPL)can significantly enhance hypertrophy of the intact liver.This study aimed to investigate whether BPL could improve survival after extended hepatectomy independently of an increased remnant liver.Methods We adopted rat models of 90%BPL or 90%PVL.To investigate the role of bile acids(BAs)the BA pools in the PVL and BPL groups were altered by the diet.Staged resection preserving 10%of the estimated liver weight was performed 3 days after BPL;PVL;or sham operation.Histology,canalicular network(CN)continuity;and hepatocyte polarity were evaluated.Results At 3 days after BPL;PVL;or sham operation when the volumetric difference of the intended liver remained insignificant,the survival rates after extended hepatectomy were 86.7%,47%,and 23.3%,respectively(P<0.01).BPL induced faster restoration of canalicular integrity along with an intensive but transient BA overload.Staged hepatectomy after BPL shortened the duration of the bile CN disturbance and limited BA retention.Decreasing the BA pools in the rats that underwent BPL could compromise these effects,whereas increasing the BA pools of rats that underwent PVL could induce similar effects.The changes in CN restoration were associated with activation of LKB1.Conclusion In addition to increasing the future remnant liver,BPL shortened the duration of the spatial disturbance of the CN and could significantly improve the tolerance of the hypertrophied liver to staged resection.BPL may be a safe and efficient future option for patients with an insufficient remnant liver.

Endoscopic mucosal resection with double band ligation versus endoscopic submucosal dissection for small rectal neuroendocrine tumors

BACKGROUND Endoscopic resection remains an effective method for the treatment of small rectal neuroendocrine tumors(NETs)(≤10 mm).Moreover,endoscopic mucosal resection(EMR)with double band ligation(EMR-dB),a simplified modification of EMR with band ligation,is an alternative strategy to remove small rectal NETs.AIM To evaluate the feasibility and safety of EMR-dB for the treatment of small rectal NETs(≤10 mm).METHODS A total of 50 patients with small rectal NETs,without regional lymph node enlargement or distant metastasis confirmed by endoscopic ultrasound,computerized tomography scan,or magnetic resonance imaging,were enrolled in the study from March 2021 to June 2022.These patients were randomly assigned into the EMR-dB(n=25)group or endoscopic submucosal dissection(ESD)group(n=25).The characteristics of the patients and tumors,procedure time,devices cost,complete resection rate,complications,and recurrence outcomes were analyzed.RESULTS There were 25 patients(13 males,12 females;age range 28-68 years old)in the EMR-dB group,and the ESD group contained 25 patients(15 males,10 females;age range 25-70 years old).Both groups had similar lesion sizes(EMR-dB 4.53±1.02 mm,ESD 5.140±1.74 mm;P=0.141)and resected lesion sizes(1.32±0.52 cm vs 1.58±0.84 cm;P=0.269).Furthermore,the histological complete resection and en bloc resection rates were achieved in all patients(100%for each).In addition,there was no significant difference in the complication rate between the two groups.However,the procedure time was significantly shorter and the devices cost was significantly lower in the EMRdB group.Besides,there was no recurrence in both groups during the follow-up period.CONCLUSION The procedure time of EMR-dB was shorter compared with ESD,and both approaches showed a similar curative effect.Taken together,EMR-dB was a feasible and safe option for the treatment of small rectal NETs.

Rubber band ligation of hemorrhoids: A guide for complications

Rubber band ligation is one of the most important, costeffective and commonly used treatments for internal hemorrhoids. Different technical approaches were developed mainly to improve efficacy and safety. The technique can be employed using an endoscope with forward-view or retroflexion or without an endoscope, using a suction elastic band ligator or a forceps ligator. Single or multiple ligations can be performed in a single session. Local anaesthetic after ligation can also be used to reduce the post-procedure pain. Mild bleeding, pain, vasovagal symptoms, slippage of bands, priapism, difficulty in urination, anal fissure, and chronic longitudinal ulcers are normally considered minor complications, more frequently encountered. Massive bleeding, thrombosed hemorrhoids, severe pain, urinary retention needing catheterization, pelvic sepsis and death are uncommon major complications. Mild pain after rubber band ligation is the most common complication with a high frequency in some studies. Secondary bleeding normally occurs 10 to 14 d after banding and patients taking anti-platelet and/or anti-coagulant medication have a higher risk, with some reports of massive life-threatening haemorrhage. Several infectious complications have also been reported including pelvic sepsis, Fournier's gangrene, liver abscesses, tetanus and bacterial endocarditis. To date, seven deaths due to these infectious complications were described. Early recognition and immediate treatment of complications are fundamental for a favourable prognosis.

Ligation of intersphincteric fistula tract:What is the evidence in a review?

Broadly,complex fistulas are those that are not low transsphincteric or intersphincteric. The objectives of surgical management are to achieve fistula healing,prevent recurrences and maintain continence. The risk of incontinence associated with treatment ranges from10% to 57%. The objective of this manuscript is to review the current literature to date on the ligation of the intersphincteric fistula tract procedure(LIFT procedure) as a treatment option in these types of fistula.A search was conducted in Medline,PUBMED,EMBASE and ISI Web of Knowledge,and studies published from January 2009 to May 2013 were included. The primary outcomes were fistula healing rates,mean healing time and patient satisfaction with this surgical technique.Eighteen studies were included in this review. The total number of patients included was 592(65% male).The median age reported was 42.8 years. The most common type of fistula included was transsphincteric(73.3% of cases). The mean healing rate reported was74.6%. The risk factors for failure discovered were obesity,smoking,multiple previous surgeries and the length of the fistula tract. The mean healing time was5.5 wk,and the mean follow-up period was 42.3 wk.The patient satisfaction rates ranged from 72% to 100%. No de novo incontinence developed secondary to the LIFT procedure. There is not enough evidence that variants in the surgical technique achieve better outcomes(Bio-LIFT,LIFT-Plug,LIFT-Plus). This review indicates that the LIFT procedure is primarily effective for transsphincteric fistulas with an overall fistula closure of 74.6% and has a low impact on fecal continence. This procedure produces better outcomes at the first surgical attempt.

Comparison between endoscopic sclerotherapy and band ligation for hemostasis of acute variceal bleeding

AIM:To compare band ligation(BL) with endoscopic sclerotherapy(SCL) in patients admitted to an emergency unit for esophageal variceal rupture. METHODS:A prospective,randomized,single-center study without crossover was conducted.After endoscopic diagnosis of esophageal variceal rupture,patients were randomized into groups for SCL or BL treatment.Sclerotherapy was performed by ethanolamine oleate intravascular injection both above and below the rupture point,with a maximum volume of 20 mL.For BL patients,banding at the rupture point was attempted,followed by ligation of all variceal tissue of the distal esophagus.Primary outcomes for both groups were initial failure of bleeding control(5 d) ,early re-bleeding(5 d to 6 wk),and complications,including mortality.From May 2005 to May 2007,100 patients with variceal bleeding were enrolled in thestudy:50 SCL and 50 BL patients.No differences between groups were observed across gender,age,ChildPugh status,presence of shock at admission,mean hemoglobin levels,and variceal size. RESULTS:No differences were found between groups for bleeding control,early re-bleeding rates,complications,or mortality.After 6 wk,36(80%) SCL and 33(77 %) EBL patients were alive and free of bleeding.A statistically significant association between Child-Pugh status and mortality was found,with 16%mortality in Child A and B patients and 84%mortality in Child C patients(P<0.001) . CONCLUSION:Despite the limited number of patients included,our results suggest that SCL and BL are equally efficient for the control of acute variceal bleeding.

Endoscopic band ligation: Beyond prevention and management of gastroesophageal varices

Endoscopic band ligation (EBL) is the preferred endoscopic technique for the endoscopic treatment of acute esophageal variceal bleeding. EBL has also been used to treat nonvariceal bleeding. Recently, Han et al demonstrated that EBL can be a feasible and safe alternate technique for the management of iatrogenic gastric perforation especially in cases in which closure with endoclips is difficult. EBL is technically simpler to perform than other methods and provides a good view of the lesions under direct pressure and suction from the transparent ligation cap. EBL can be used even if the diameter of the perforation is greater than 10 mm or if there is a severe tangential angle. In this commentary, we discuss the efficacy and safety of EBL for the closure of iatrogenic gastrointestinal perforation. We also discuss the advantages and disadvantages of EBL for the treatment of nonvariceal bleeding.

Endoloop ligation after endoscopic mucosal resection using a transparent cap: A novel method to treat small rectal carcinoid tumors

BACKGROUND Local endoscopic resection is an effective method for the treatment of small rectal carcinoid tumors, but remnant tumor at the margin after resection remains to be an issue.AIM To evaluate the efficacy and safety of resection of small rectal carcinoid tumors by endoloop ligation after cap-endoscopic mucosal resection(LC-EMR) using a transparent cap.METHODS Thirty-four patients with rectal carcinoid tumors of less than 10 mm in diameter were treated by LC-EMR(n = 22) or endoscopic submucosal dissection(ESD)(n =12) between January 2016 and December 2017. Demographic data, complete resection rates, pathologically complete resection rates, operation duration, and postoperative complications were collected. All cases were followed for 6 to 30 mo.RESULTS A total of 22 LC-EMR cases and 12 ESD cases were enrolled. The average age was48.18 ± 12.31 and 46.17 ± 12.57 years old, and the tumor size was 7.23 ± 1.63 mm and 7.50 ± 1.38 mm, respectively, for the LC-EMR and ESD groups. Resection time in the ESD group was longer than that in the LC-EMR group(15.67 ± 2.15 min vs 5.91 ± 0.87 min; P < 0.001). All lesions were completely resected at one time. No perforation or delayed bleeding was observed in either group.Pathologically complete resection(P-CR) rate was 86.36%(19/22) and 91.67%(11/12) in the LC-EMR and ESD groups(P = 0.646), respectively. Two of the three cases with a positive margin in the LC-EMR group received transanal endoscopic microsurgery(TEM) and tumor cells were not identified in the postoperative specimens. The other case with a positive margin chose follow-up without further operation. One case with remnant tumor after ESD received further local ligation treatment. Neither local recurrence nor lymph node metastasis was found during the follow-up period.CONCLUSION LC-EMR appears to be an efficient and simple method for the treatment of small rectal carcinoid tumors, which can effectively avoid margin remnant tumors.

Associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy for extensive alveolar echinococcosis:First case report in the literature

Alveolar echinococcosis(AE) is a zoonotic disease that is caused by Echinococcus multilocularis that affects liver and a variety of organs and tissues. It differs from other echinococcal disease because it shows tumor like behavior in the affected organ and tissues. The treatment of choice is concomitant medical therapy and resection with negative margins. Nevertheless, resection with the intent of negative margins(R0) may lead to serious complications such as liver failure. In the present case report, we used Associating Liver Partition and Portal Vein Ligation for Staged Hepatectomy(ALPPS) procedure, which was defined in 2012 by Schnitzbauer et al, in a 28-year-old male patient to avoid complications of major liver resection in order to treat alveolar echinococcosis. Until now, we have not encountered any study using ALPPS procedure for the treatment of alveolar echinococcosis. In the present case report we aimed to show that ALPPS procedure can be safely performed for marginnegative resection of primary or recurrent AE that shows a tumor like behavior. It is our opinion that this procedure should be performed in centers that have expertise and sufficient technical capacity to perform liver transplantation and advanced liver surgery.

Rescue endoscopic band ligation of iatrogenic gastric perforations following failed endoclip closure

Iatrogenic gastric perforation is one of the most serious complications during therapeutic endoscopy,despite significant advances in endoscopic techniques and devices.This case study evaluated the clinical efficacy and safety of the rescue endoscopic band ligation (EBL) technique in iatrogenic gastric wall perforation following the failure of primary endoclip closure.Five patients were enrolled in this study.These patients underwent emergency endoscopy following the onset of acute gastric wall perforation during endoscopic procedures.The outcome measurements were primary technical success and immediate or delayed procedure-related complications.Successful endoscopic closure using band ligation was reported in all patients,with no complication occurring.We conclude that EBL may be a feasible and safe alternate technique for the management of acute gastric perforation,especially in cases where closure is difficult with endoclips.

Rescue associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy after portal embolization: Our experience and literature review

AIM To report a single-center experience in rescue associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy(ALPPS), after failure of previous portal embolization. We also performed a literature review.METHODS Between January 2014 and December 2015, every patient who underwent a rescue ALPPS procedure in Toulouse Rangueil University Hospital, France, was included. Every patient included had a project of major hepatectomy and a previous portal vein embolization(PVE) with insufficient future liver remnant to body weight ratio after the procedure. The ALPPS procedure was performed in two steps(ALPPS-1 and ALPPS-2), separated by an interval phase. ALPPS-2 was done within 7 to 9 d after ALPPS-1. To estimate the FLR, a computed tomography scan examination was performed 3 to 6 wk after the PVE procedure and 6 to 8 d after ALPPS-1. A transcystic stent was placed during ALPPS-1 and remained opened duringthe interval phase, in order to avoid biliary complications. Postoperative liver failure was defined using the 50-50 criteria. Postoperative complications were assessed according to the Dindo-Clavien Classification.RESULTS From January 2014 to December 2015, 7 patients underwent a rescue ALPPS procedure. Median FLR before PVE, ALPPS-1 and ALPPS-2 were respectively 263 cc(221-380), 450 cc(372-506), and 660 cc(575-776). Median FLR/BWR before PVE, ALPPS-1 and ALPPS-2 were respectively 0.4%(0.3-0.5), 0.6%(0.5-0.8), and 1%(0.8-1.2). Median volume growth of FLR was 69%(18-92) after PVE, and 45%(36-82) after ALPPS-1. The combination of PVE and ALPPS induced a growth of median initial FLR of +408 cc(254-513), leading to an increase of +149%(68-199). After ALPPS-2, 4 patients had stage Ⅰ-Ⅱ complications. Three patients had more severe complications(one stage Ⅲ, one stage Ⅳ and one death due to bowel perforation). Two patients suffered from postoperative liver failure according to the 50/50 criteria. None of our patients developed any biliary complication during the ALPPS procedure.CONCLUSION Rescue ALPPS may be an alternative after unsuccessful PVE and could allow previously unresectable patients to reach surgery. Biliary drainage seems to reduce biliary complications.

Protective effect of bicyclol against bile duct ligation-induced hepatic fibrosis in rats

AIM: To evaluate the protective effect of bicyclol against bile duct ligation(BDL)-induced hepatic fibrosis in rats.METHODS: Sprague-Dawley male rats underwent BDL and sham-operated animals were used as healthy controls. The BDL rats were divided into two groups which received sterilized PBS or bicyclol(100 mg/kg per day) orally for two consecutive weeks. Serum, urine and bile were collected for biochemical determinations. Liver tissues were collected for histological analysis and a whole genome oligonucleotide microarray assay. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting were used to verify the expression of liver fibrosis-related genes.RESULTS: Treatment with bicyclol significantly reduced liver fibrosis and bile duct proliferation after BDL. The levels of alanine aminotransferase(127.7 ± 72.3 vs 230.4 ± 69.6, P < 0.05) and aspartate amino-transferase(696.8 ± 232.6 vs 1032.6 ± 165.8, P < 0.05) were also decreased by treatment with bicyclol in comparison to PBS. The expression changes of 45 fibrogenic genes and several fibrogenesis-related pathways were reversed by bicyclol in the microarray assay. Bicyclol significantly reduced liver m RNA and/or protein expression levels of collagen 1a1, matrix metalloproteinase 2, tumor necrosis factor, tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases 2, transforming growth factor-b1 and α-smooth muscle actin.CONCLUSION: Bicyclol significantly attenuates BDLinduced liver fibrosis by reversing fibrogenic gene expression. These findings suggest that bicyclol might be an effective anti-fibrotic drug for the treatment of cholestatic liver disease.

Role of band ligation for secondary prophylaxis of variceal bleeding

AIM To summarize and critically examine the role of band ligation in secondary prophylaxis of variceal bleeding in patients with cirrhosis. METHODS A literature review was performed using the MEDLINE and PubM ed databases. The search terms consisted of the words "endoscopic band ligation" OR "variceal band ligation" OR "ligation" AND "secondary prophylaxis" OR "secondary prevention" AND "variceal bleeding" OR "variceal hemorrhage" AND "liver cirrhosis". The data collected from relevant meta-analyses and from the most recent randomized studies that were not included in these meta-analyses were used to evaluate the role of endoscopic band ligation in an effort to demonstrate the most recent advances in the treatment of esophageal varices. RESULTS This study included 11 meta-analyses published from 2002 to 2017 and 10 randomized trials published from 2010 to 2017 that evaluated the efficacy of band ligation in the secondary prophylaxis of variceal bleeding. Overall, the results proved that band ligation was superior to endoscopic sclerotherapy. Moreover, the use of β-blockers in combination with band ligation increased the treatment effectiveness, supporting the current recommendations for secondary prophylaxis of variceal bleeding. The use of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt was superior to combination therapy regarding rebleeding prophylaxis, with no difference in the survival rates; however, the results concerning the hepatic encephalopathy incidence were conflicting. Recent advances in the management of secondary prophylaxis of variceal bleeding have targeted a decrease in portal pressure based on the pathophysiological mechanisms of portal hypertension.CONCLUSION This review suggests that future research should be conducted to enhance current interventions and/or to develop innovative treatment options with improved clinical endpoints.