Although it is difficult to master the surgical learning curve for treatment of perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (HCCA), there have been no studies on surgical outcomes between a novice and an experienced surgeon. Thus, the current study attempted to evaluate surgical outcomes from a single surgeon based on learning curve for surgical treatment of HCCA.

From January 2008 to December 2016, a single surgeon performed surgical treatment for 108 patients with HCCA at Severance Hospital, Seoul, Korea. Among them, 101 patients with curative surgical resection were included in this study. The learning curve was assessed by a moving average graph and CUSUM method using operation time. Surgical outcomes between the early period group (EPG) and the late period group (LPG) were compared according to learning curve.

Operation time (603.17±117.59 and 432.03±91.77 minutes;

<0.001), amount of bleeding during operation (1127.86±689.54 and 613.05±548.31 ml;

<0.001), and severe complication rates (47.6% and 27.1%,

=0.034) were significantly smaller in the LPG. There was no significant difference in R0 resection rate (85.7% and 76.3%;

=0.241) as well as long-term survival rate.

In this study, operation time, amount of bleeding during operation, length of hospital stay, and severe complication rate were improved after stabilization of the learning curve. However, R0 resection rate and survival outcomes were not significantly influenced by the learning curve for surgical treatment of HCCA.

In this study, operation time, amount of bleeding during operation, length of hospital stay, and severe complication rate were improved after stabilization of the learning curve. However, R0 resection rate and survival outcomes were not significantly influenced by the learning curve for surgical treatment of HCCA.

Owing to the short supply of homologous vein allografts, we previously used ringed Gore-Tex vascular grafts for middle hepatic vein (MHV) reconstruction in living donor liver transplantation. 2-Aminoethyl datasheet When ringed Gore-Tex grafts became unavailable, we used Hemashield vascular grafts. This study aimed to compare the patency and complication rates of Hemashield and ringed Gore-Tex grafts.

This retrospective two-arm study compared the study group that received Hemashield grafts (n=157) and the propensity score-matched control group that received ringed Gore-Tex grafts (n=157).

In the Hemashield and Gore-Tex groups, the recipient age was 54.7±9.4 and 53.3±6.3 years; Model for End-stage Liver Disease scores were 15.9±9.2 and 16.9±8.3; and graft-recipient weight ratios were 1.07±0.24 and 1.10±0.23, respectively. In the Hemashield group, V5 reconstruction was performed using single (n=113, 72.0%), double (n=39, 24.8%), and triple (n=3, 1.9%) anastomoses. The proportion of double and triple anastomoses for V5 and V8 wasreconstruction.

Biliary complications continue to be the major morbidity and mortality causes following living donor liver transplantation (LT). Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) has been performed to identify the biliary leakage source. However, this can lead to retrograde cholangitis and pancreatitis, and is not sufficient to diagnose bile leakage from cuts’ surface. This study aimed to describe the use of T1-Weighted Magnetic Resonance (MR) Cholangiography with Gd-EOB-DTPA (Primovist) examination for evaluating the bile duct complication following LT.

From March 2012 to December 2018, 869 adult LT were performed at the Seoul National University Hospital. Forty-three recipients had undergone MR Cholangiography with Gd-EOB-DTPA. We reviewed these cases with their clinical outcomes and described the utility of the MR cholangiography with Gd-EOB-DTPA.

In radiologic examinations performed in the patients suspected of bile duct complication, 95% had bile leakage and stricture. Cut surface leakage was diagnosed in two cases, and biliary leakage from the anastomosis site was diagnosed in the others. Most patients with leakage had undergone percutaneous drainage and ERCP, which was performed to evaluate the bile secretion function of the hepatocytes. There was no contrast-enhanced bile duct image in one case with severe rejection, and it might have been related to hepatocyte secretary dysfunction.

T1-Weighted MR Cholangiography with Gd-EOB-DTPA 40-minute delay examination is a feasible and safe non-invasive procedure for identifying biliary leakage sites.

T1-Weighted MR Cholangiography with Gd-EOB-DTPA 40-minute delay examination is a feasible and safe non-invasive procedure for identifying biliary leakage sites.

Hepatic inflammatory pseudotumor (HIPT) is a rare disease characterized by chronic infiltration of inflammatory cells and area of fibrosis. The objective of this retrospective observational study was to investigate clinicopathological features and outcomes of patients who underwent hepatic resection (HR) for HIPT.

From 2009 to 2018, seven patients with HIPT underwent HR, accounting for 0.06% of 11,979 adults who underwent HR at our center.

These seven patients included five men and two women. Their mean age was 62.3±11.6 years. In four patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-associated liver cirrhosis or chronic hepatitis, liver masses were suspected of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) or combined HCC-cholangiocarcinoma based on imaging studies. In three patients without HBV infection, two patients were suspected of HCC, for whom liver biopsy was not performed. One patient was suspected of liver abscess or HIPT, for whom percutaneous liver biopsy was performed and the mass was diagnosed with HIPT. However, this patient underwent HR owing to abdominal pain. No patient presented with abnormally elevated levels of alpha-fetoprotein, protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonist-II, or CA19-9. During a mean follow-up period of 76.4±34.8 months, no patient experienced recurrence of HIPT.

HIPT, a rare form of liver disease, is often misdiagnosed as malignant liver tumor. Active histological diagnosis is warranted for patients with suspected HIPT to avoid unnecessary operation. HR can be indicated in case of diagnostic ambiguity of HIPT or under a clinical diagnosis of malignant liver tumor.

HIPT, a rare form of liver disease, is often misdiagnosed as malignant liver tumor. Active histological diagnosis is warranted for patients with suspected HIPT to avoid unnecessary operation. HR can be indicated in case of diagnostic ambiguity of HIPT or under a clinical diagnosis of malignant liver tumor.