Junji Kita's research while affiliated with Dokkyo Medical University and other places

We report three patients with inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery (IPDA) aneurysm rupture. The patients include a 76-year-old man, a 53-year-old woman, and a 63-year-old man. In all patients, median arcuate ligament syndrome caused rupture of an IPDA aneurysm. With rapid diagnosis using contrast enhanced computed tomography scans, all patients were managed effectively with transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) without delay. Two patients were complicated by duodenal stenosis due to retroperitoneal hematomas. Duodenal stenosis should be considered in patients with IPDA rupture. We propose careful resumption of oral intake after treatment.

Superior mesenteric artery aneurysm (SMAA) is reported to be the third-most common type of visceral aneurysm (VA), accounting for 5% of all VAs. The etiology of SMAA is commonly thought to be infection, and it usually exists in the proximal part of the superior mesenteric artery, which is suitable for endovascular treatment. We herein report an extremely rare case of the distal part of SMAA caused by Takayasu's arteritis (TA), which was successfully resected using a mini-laparotomy method without impairing the intestinal blood supply. A 51-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with sustained fever and lower back pain. Physical examination showed that she had a discrepancies in blood pressure between both arms. Contrast-enhanced whole-body computed tomography showed stenosis of the thoracic aorta and an aneurysm located in the distal part of the superior mesenteric artery. The diameter of the aneurysm was 4.5 cm. The aneurysm was resected via 4-cm mini-laparotomy, and the vascularity of the intestine was successfully preserved. The postoperative course was uneventful, and the patient was diagnosed as having TA based on both clinical and pathologic findings. Additional corticosteroid therapy was started to treat the arteritis, and at 3-month follow-up she was without critical incidents. Mini-laparotomy is a safe and less-invasive approach to treat SMAA, especially when the lesion is located in the distal part of the artery.

We report a case of intraductal papillary neoplasm of the bile duct (IPNB) that developed in a patient with primary sclerosing cholangitis. A 46-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with obstructive jaundice. The liver function tests demonstrated increased serum liver enzyme levels. Computed tomography showed dilatation of the intrahepatic bile ducts. Abdominal ultrasonography revealed a highly echoic protruding lesion in the posterior bile duct near the right lobe of the liver. The lesion was suspected to be IPNB, but we were unable to confirm whether it was a carcinoma. A right hepatectomy was performed, and this showed that the dilated bile duct was filled with mucin and contained several yellowish papillary tumors. Histologically, the neoplastic biliary epithelium showed papillary growth in the dilated lumen. The tumor was diagnosed as IPNB, high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia secreting abundant mucin. No recurrence has been detected 3 years after surgery.

Background: Among various preoperative evaluations of liver function, accurate assessment of liver cirrhosis (LC) is especially important in patients undergoing surgery for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Objective: To explore the most significant laboratory parameter associated with LC in patients undergoing surgery for HCC. Methods: From among 588 HCC patients in our collected database who underwent liver surgery, 371 for whom sufficient laboratory data were evaluable, including direct serum fibrosis markers such as hyaluronic acid and type 3 procollagen peptide (P-3-P), were enrolled. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to define the ideal cutoff values of laboratory parameters, and the area under the ROC curve for LC was measured. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to clarify the laboratory parameter most significantly associated with LC. Results: Multivariate analysis of 13 laboratory parameters that had been selected by univariate analysis showed that the aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index (APRI) (≤ 0.8/>0.8) (odds ratio, 2.687; 95% confidence interval 1.215-5.940; P = 0.015) was associated with LC, along with the aspartate aminotransferase to alanine aminotransferase ratio, the indocyanine green retention ratio at 15 min (ICG R15), and the level of hyaluronic acid. Among these four parameters associated with LC, ROC curve analysis revealed that APRI (0.757) had the largest area under the ROC (aspartate aminotransferase to alanine aminotransferase 0.505, ICG R15 0.714, and hyaluronic acid 0.743). Conclusions: APRI is closely associated with LC in patients undergoing surgery for HCC.

Background: An inflammation-based prognostic score, the modified Glasgow prognostic score (mGPS), has been reported to be useful for predicting postoperative survival in patients with various types of cancer. However, no studies have investigated whether the mGPS can predict biliary stent (BS) patency in patients undergoing BS placement for unresectable malignant biliary obstruction (UMBO). Aim: To evaluate the usefulness of the mGPS for predicting BS patency in patients undergoing intraoperative placement of uncovered expandable metallic stents (EMSs) for UMBO. Patients and methods: The mGPS was calculated as follows: patients with both an elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) level (>1.0 mg/dl) and hypoalbuminemia (<3.5 g/dl) were allocated a score of 2. Patients with only an elevated CRP level were allocated a score of 1, and patients without an elevated CRP level were allocated a score of 0. EMS patency was compared by Kaplan-Meier analysis and log-rank test between the two groups (mGPS 0 vs. mGPS 1 or 2). The significant risk factors for EMS occlusion were investigated by Cox proportional hazards model analysis. Results: Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that patients with mGPS 1 (n=7) and 2 (n=19) had a lower EMS patency rate (p=0.014) than patients with mGPS 0 (n=37). Although univariate analyses revealed that a high serum total bilirubin level, stent-in-stent placement, and mGPS 1 or 2 were significant risk factors predictive of EMS occlusion, multivariate analysis demonstrated that no independent risk factors were significant. Conclusion: mGPS is a significant predictor of EMS patency in patients undergoing intraoperative placement of BS.

Background: We investigated whether a preoperative scoring system (the "CRP-AFP Score [CAS]") based on the serum levels of C-reactive protein and alpha-fetoprotein would predict outcome in patients undergoing hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma. Methods: The CAS was defined as follows: patients with an elevated level of both C-reactive protein (>.3 mg/dL) and alpha-fetoprotein (>20 ng/mL) were assigned a score of 2, and patients showing one or none of these abnormalities were assigned a score of 1 or 0, respectively. Results: A total of 349 patients were identified. Pathologic findings, in terms of tumor size, histologic grade, vascular invasion, intrahepatic metastasis, and recurrence rate, worsened as the CAS increased. CAS 2 patients had a poorer 5-year overall survival than CAS 0 or 1 patients (32.2% vs 59.7% vs 49.2%, respectively; P < .001). Conclusions: The CAS is an informative scoring system that can predict outcome in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma after hepatectomy.

Background: The current standard treatment for extrahepatic distal bile duct carcinoma (EDBDC) is surgical resection, as no effective alternative treatment exists. In this study, we investigated the treatment strategies and outcomes for 90 cases of EDBDC at our department. Material and methods: Between April 2000 and March 2013, 90 pancreatoduodenectomies (PDs) were performed for EDBDC. The mean patient age was 69.1 ± 9.8 years, and there were 59 males and 31 females. Extended lymph adenectomy including lymph nodes around the common hepatic artery and celiac axis was performed in all patients. The mean operation time was 537.1 ± 153.8 min and the mean operative blood loss was 814.0 ± 494.0 ml. There were no operation-related deaths. The overall 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates were 90.0%, 51.2%, and 45.0%, respectively. Results: Lymph node metastasis was present in 28 patients (N+; 31.1%), and it was absent in 62 (N-; 68.9%). The 5-year survival rate was 20.0% for N+ patients and 52.4% for N- patients, which is significantly higher (P=0.03). Nine cases (10.0%) showed hepatic-side ductal margin (HM) positivity for carcinoma. The 5-year survival rate was 18.7% for HM-positive patients and 48.3% for HM-negative patients, which is significantly higher (P=0.005). In multivariate analysis, N+ was the strongest adverse prognostic factor. Subclass analysis of 62 cases (excluding 28 N+ cases) revealed 7 patients with positive HMs (11.3%) and 55 patients with negative HMs (88.7%). The 5-year survival rate was 47.6% for HM-positive patients and 49.8% for HM-negative patients (P=0.73). Thirty-five cases (38.9%) recurred: there were 19 cases of local recurrence (21.1%), 11 cases of liver metastasis (12.2%), 4 cases of distant recurrence (4.4%), and 1 case of para-aortic lymph node metastasis (1.1%). Conclusions: In conclusion, when HM is positive in N+ cases, additional resection of the bile duct is not necessary to render the HM negative for carcinoma.

Abstract The outcome of liver resection (LR) for elderly hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with portal hypertension (PHT) who may be excluded as liver transplantation candidates has not been fully evaluated. One hundred ninety-five patients who underwent initial curative LR for HCC with PHT were divided into 2 groups: age <70 years (n = 131) and age ≥70 years (n = 64). Clinicopathologic data and postoperative complications were compared. Preoperative characteristics and postoperative complications were similar in both groups. However, in-hospital mortality was significantly more frequent in elderly than in younger patients (11% versus 1%, P = 0.002). No significant intergroup differences were observed in the 5-year disease-free survival rate or recurrence rate (19.7% versus 17.2%; P = 0.338, 63% versus 56%; P = 0.339). Although LR for elderly HCC patients with PHT can be performed with curative intent and gives results comparable with those in younger patients, it is associated with higher in-hospital mortality.

It is known that portal vein (PV) or superior mesenteric vein (SMV) is easily invaded by locally advanced pancreatic head cancer due to anatomical characteristics. Few studies have investigated the results of PD with PV or SMV resection (PVR) for pancreatic head cancer. We retrospectively reviewed a database of 83 patients who had undergone PD for pancreatic head cancer (PC). We divided them into two groups, a group with PD and PVR (PD +PVR G) and a group with PD and no PVR (PD -PVR G). The clinicopathological findings and mortality were analyzed. Twenty-nine of the 83 patients (34.9%) needed PD with PVR. Median survival and disease free survival were 20.4 months and 10.6 months, respectively. The 5-year overall survival rate was 8.1% in PD +PVR G and 7.4% in PD -PVR G, respectively. There was no difference between the two groups (p = 0.091, HR: 1.576; 95% CI: 0.9299-2.670). The 5-year disease free survival rate was 9.6% in PD +PVR G and 10.2% in PD -PVR G, respectively. Also, there was no difference between the two groups (p = 0.206, HR: 1.414; 95% CI: 0.8264-2.420). Since PVR by itself is not a risk factor of postoperative morbidity and mortality and contributes to improving 5-year overall survival and disease free survival, PVR should be done for selected cases with locally advanced pancreas head cancer.

ABO-incompatible living-donor liver transplantation (ABO-LDLT) is generally more difficult to perform than ABO-incompatible kidney transplantation. Despite introduction of rituximab, ABO-LDLT in non-responders is a still difficult issue. A 23-year-old woman with primary sclerosing cholangitis underwent LDLT. The recipient's blood type was 0(+) and the donor's was B(+). Rituximab was infused twice on preoperative day (POD) 14 and 7. Plasma exchange (PE) was performed on PODs 5, 3, 2, and 1. However, repeated PE failed to decrease the anti-B antibody titer. On the other hand, preoperative esophagogastroscopy revealed esophageal varices with red color sign. Therefore, simultaneous liver transplantation and Hassab operation were performed. The donor left lobe of the liver was orthotopically transplanted into the recipient following Hassab operation. Flow cytometry on the day of surgery showed that the frequencies of B cells (CD20+) and memory B cells (CD20+/CD27+) in the peripheral blood were 0.9% and 0.3%, respectively; flow cytometry of cells recovered from the spleen revealed that the frequencies of B cells and memory B cells were 2.5% and 2.4%, respectively. Acute cellular rejection occurred on POD 15, and was treated by steroid pulse therapy, leading to a decrease in the anti-B antibody titer. The liver was functioning well on POD 390 (AST 19, ALT 34). In non-responders to ABO-LDLT, anti-donor blood type antibody-producing cells remains in the spleen after the conventional preoperative regimen. Splenectomy is an option for ABO-LDLT non-responders.