Predictive value of intraoperative biopsies and liver function tests for preservation injury in orthotopic liver transplantation

Carcinoembryonic antigen and some liver function tests (alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyl-transpeptidase, lactic dehydrogenase and cholinesterase) were evaluated in patients with primary colorectal cancer in order to define their role in the pre-operative detection of liver metastases.The records of 278 consecutive patients admitted to the Istituto Nazionale Tumori of Milan between January 1982 and December 1983 who were suffering from primary invasive colo-rectal cancer and who underwent laparotomy were retrospectively analyzed.At laparotomy, liver metastases were found in 38 pts (13.7%). Considering single tests, CEA was the most sensitive (71%); no single test was found to be reliably predictive, when the result was abnormal. On the contrary, the normal value of each test was associated with a good prediction.When we considered all the five tests together in the single patient their predictive value, when abnormal, proved to be quite good only if four or five results were abnormal. On the other hand, liver metastases in the presence of all normal tests were found only in two patients, so giving a negative predictive value of about 97%.So we conclude that, in the lack of an infallable imaging technique for liver evaluation, in the presence of all normal tests any other investigation on the liver could be avoided. However, when liver tests are pathologic, some other imaging technique should be performed in order to supply the surgeon with information about the extent and the spread of the metastases.

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Optimizing the Management of Abnormal Liver Function Tests after Orthotopic Liver Transplant: A Systems-Based Analysis of Health Care Utilization

The American Surgeon ◽

10.1177/000313481708301028 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 83 (10) ◽

pp. 1152-1156 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Tara A. Russell ◽

Stephanie A. K. Angarita ◽

Amy Showen ◽

Vatche Agopian ◽

Ronald W. Busuttil ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Liver Transplantation ◽

Liver Function ◽

Viral Hepatitis ◽

Orthotopic Liver Transplantation ◽

Liver Function Tests ◽

Acute Cellular Rejection ◽

Diagnostic Workup ◽

Not Otherwise Specified ◽

Bed Days ◽

Cellular Rejection

Elevated liver function tests (eLFTs) are a major cause of unplanned readmissions (UR) after orthotopic liver transplantation. Diagnostic workup for eLFTs requires multiple invasive and noninvasive procedures, often done in the inpatient setting to expedite diagnosis, yet consequently resulting in increased costs. In this study, we evaluated eLFT readmissions at a single institution with respect to resource utilization. From 3/2013 to 12/2015, 388 patients underwent orthotopic liver transplantation, resulting in 463 UR totaling 5833 bed days; 87 (18.8%) UR and 929 (15.9%) bed days were for eLFTs. During eLFT-UR all patients underwent repeat laboratory testing, 75 (86.2%) liver ultrasound, 66 (75.8%) liver biopsy, and 17 (19.5%) endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. Discharge diagnoses were acute cellular rejection (40.2%), transaminitis not otherwise specified (17.2%), biliary complications (16.1%), recurrent hepatitis (11.5%), vascular complications (5.8%), viral hepatitis (5.8%), and steatohepatitis (3.5%). The greatest bed-day utilization was secondary to acute cellular rejection (60.8%) and biliary complications (13.7%). More than 35 per cent of eLFT-UR were due to transaminitis not otherwise specified, steatohepatitis, recurrent or viral hepatitis, none of which necessitate inpatient treatment. In addition, >25 per cent of eLFT-UR bed days were attributed to diagnostic workup. Identifying patients who can undergo expedited outpatient workup and require only outpatient management will result in significantly decreased readmissions, bed days, and hospital costs.

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