Refractory Ascites with Intrahepatic Portal Thrombosis after Living Donor Liver Transplantation Successfully Treated by Splenic Artery Embolization and Apixaban (Case Report)

Refractory ascites is a rare complication after liver transplantation, and its incidence ranges from 5% to 7%. A 56-yearold man diagnosed with HBV-LC with massive ascites underwent living donor liver transplantation. After transplantation, more than 1000 ml/day of ascites was steadily drained until two weeks after LT. CT showed intrahepatic Rt. portal vein thrombosis and many remnant collaterals with splenomegaly. We decided to embolize the proximal splenic artery and use apixaban to reduce portal flow and resolve the intrahepatic portal thrombosis. One day after splenic artery embolization, the patient's ascites dramatically decreased. Three days later, he was discharged from the hospital. Three months later, a follow-up liver CT showed resolution of thrombosis and no ascites. Splenic artery embolization was an effective and safe procedure for portal flow modulation in portal hyertension. Apixaban was effective for partial portal vein thrombosis in a liver transplant recipient.

Effects of Portal Preconditioning In Low-Volume Liver Remnants: Study In Rats

The increase of liver surgical indications, the expansion of the margins in hepatic resections and the lack of organ donors led to the use of more split livers from cadaver and living donors and smaller liver remnants in post-operatory patients. The use of increasingly smaller grafts associated with hepatic resections broadened the spectrum for observation of small-for size syndrome, caused by significant inflammation and early hepatic fibrosis. The small-for-size syndrome is manifested clinically by prolonged cholestasis, refractory ascites and progressive hepatic dysfunction (encephalopathy and coagulopathy). In the search for mechanisms to reduce liver damage, preconditioning is presented as a possibility of protecting the low weight remnant in experimental works. Objective: Study the hepatic tissue measuring the impact of portal preconditioning in small hepatic remnant in Wistar rats Methods: Rats weighing approximately 250g were divided in 4 groups with 7 members each. Group 1, Control group requiring only collection of the material, blood laboratory analysis and liver biopsy for pathology and immunohistochemistry; Group 2, Sham, were operated with simple laparotomy, 48 hours later they were subjected to another surgery with sample collection to do blood laboratory analysis and liver biopsy for pathology and immunohistochemistry. Group 3, hepatectomy with preconditioning. In this group was made the preconditioning procedure before the resection of 70% of the liver, 48 hours later they underwent another surgery for sample collection to do blood laboratory analysis and liver biopsy for pathology and immunohistochemistry. Group 4, hepatectomy without preconditioning. In this group the members were operated with resection of 70% of the liver, 48 hours later were reoperated with sample collection to do blood laboratory analysis and liver biopsy for pathology and immunohistochemistry. We studied and compared the impacts in morphology, laboratory, histology, immunohistochemistry.Results: There was no intraoperative mortality in the model used, there was no statistically significant difference in histological and laboratory parameters between the groups with and without preconditioning, there was an increase in the expression of PCNA with statistical significance in the hepatic remnant of the group submitted to preconditioning. Conclusion: Liver preconditioning can provide an increase in cell proliferation in small volume liver remnant.

An unusual cause of ascites: Castleman disease

Background Castleman disease (CD) is a group of rare lymphoproliferative diseases with common lymph node histological features that can easily be misdiagnosed as infections, multiple autoimmune diseases, and malignant tumors. Case presentation Here we report a rare case of a Chinese male with refractory ascites for two years and was eventually diagnosed as CD. Conclusions The challenges in diagnosis of CD arise from the large differential, clinical heterogeneity and our limited understanding of pathology. In case of rare ascites, CD needs to be considered.

Technical and Medium-Term Clinical Outcomes of Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt with Fluoroscopy and Additional Trans-abdominal Ultrasound Guidance

Background and Objective The aim of the study is to evaluate the technical and clinical outcomes of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) performed with additional transabdominal ultrasound guidance. Material and Methods Patients who underwent TIPS between January 2004 to January 2020 in our center were studied. Technical, hemodynamic, angiographic, and clinical outcome were recorded up to 1 year of follow-up. Results TIPS was attempted in 162 patients (median [range] age 37[3–69] years; 105 were males and 57 were females; Etiology: Budd-Chiari syndrome [BCS] 91, cirrhosis 65, symptomatic acute portal venous thrombosis [PVT] 3, veno-occlusive disease [VOD] 2, congenital portosystemic shunt [CPSS] 1) during the study period. Indication for TIPS was refractory ascites in 135 patients (BCS 86, cirrhosis 49) and variceal bleed in 21 patients (BCS 5, cirrhosis 16). Technical success was seen in 161 of the 162 (99.4%) patients. The tract was created from hepatic vein in 55 patients and inferior vena cava (IVC) in 106 patients. Complications within 1 week post TIPS were seen in 29 of the 162 (18%) patients, of whom one developed unexplained arrhythmia and hypotension and died. Of the patients with available follow-up, clinical success was noted in 120 (81%), while 14 (9%) patients had partial nonresponse and six (4%) had complete nonresponse. Eight (5%) patients died during the follow-up period. Conclusion The technical success of TIPS creation with additional transabdominal ultrasound guidance is very high with low peri-procedural complication rate. It has enabled the inclusion of a wider spectrum of cases like acute PVT and obliterated hepatic veins which were otherwise considered contraindications.

Angioplasty With Stent Implantation for Portal Venous Stenosis Caused by Abdominal Tuberculosis: A Case Report and Literature Review

Abdominal tuberculosis is one of common forms of extra-pulmonary tuberculosis. However, portal vein involvement leading to portal venous stenosis and portal hypertension is a rare complication in abdominal tuberculosis. Because of the non-specific presentations and insensitive response to anti-tuberculosis therapy of the lesions involving portal vein, it continues to be both a diagnostic and treatment challenge. We have reported a 22-year-old woman presented with massive ascites and pleural effusion, which was proved to be TB infection by pleural biopsy. After standard anti-tuberculosis therapy, her systemic symptoms completely resolved while ascites worsened with serum-ascites albumin gradient >11 g/L. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography and portal venography showed severe main portal vein stenosis from compression by multiple calcified hilar lymph nodes. Finally, the patient was diagnosed with portal venous stenosis due to lymphadenopathy after abdominal tuberculosis infection. Portal venous angioplasty by balloon dilation with stent implantation was performed and continued anti-tuberculosis therapy were administrated after discharge. The ascites resolved promptly with no recurrence occurred during the six-month follow-up. Refractory ascites due to portal venous stenosis is an uncommon vascular complication of abdominal tuberculosis. Portal venous angioplasty with stent placement could be a safe and effective treatment for irreversible vascular lesions after anti-tuberculosis therapy.

Non-Selective Beta-Blockers in Liver Cirrhosis: the Effect of the "Therapeutic Window" and Patient Survival

Objectives of the study: to analyze the survival rate of patients who received and did not receive various drugs of the class of non-selective beta-blockers (NSBB) while waiting for liver transplantation (LT) on the waiting list for liver transplantation (WLLT), depending on the presence or absence of a "therapeutic window" for the appointment of NSBB; to determine risk factors for death when prescribing various representatives of the NSBB class in patients with refractory ascites (RA). Material and methods. The retrospective case-control study was conducted. The "case" group included 278 adult patients with decompensated liver diseases of various etiologies included in the WLLT, who were treated with NSBB while waiting for LT. The "control" group consisted of 72 patients with decompensated liver diseases of various etiologies included in the WLLT, who did not receive NSBB therapy during the waiting period for LT. For the subsequent analysis, the group of patients receiving NSBB (n = 278) was divided into two subgroups: with the presence of a "therapeutic window" (n = 175), and without it (n = 103). The survival rate of patients was determined by the Kaplan - Mayer method. Predictors of mortality of patients receiving NSBB in the absence of a" therapeutic window "for NSBB were determined using the Cox proportional hazards model in the groups of patients with RA (n = 103) and non-RA (n = 175). Results. The survival rate of patients receiving NSBB in the presence of a" therapeutic window "for NSBB is significantly higher than in the group of patients receiving NSBB in WLLP while waiting for LT in the absence of a" therapeutic window " for NSBB (Log-Rank < 0.0001). The risk of death in patients with RA treated with NSBB was significantly higher than in patients with non-RA (HR = 2.285; CI 1.237 4.220; p = 0.008). The risk of death for patients treated with propranol was significantly different from carvedilol (HR = 2,152 and HR = 0.765; p = 0.042, respectively). Conclusion. The results of the study confirmed the hypothesis that there is a "therapeutic window" for NSBB when they are prescribed to patients with decompensated cirrhosis of the liver and included in the WLLP. The use of NSBB contributes to an increase in the mortality of patients with RA, regardless of the type of drug, in the case when the "closed therapeutic window" phase develops. In order to reduce the mortality of patients waiting for LT for several years due to acute organ deficiency, doctors who lead patients to WLLT should assess the risk and benefit of using NSBB