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Biomedical subjects

G Clemente Ricote

Publications and source records attributed to G Clemente Ricote.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Tumoral response factors after radiofrequency ablation of hepatocellular carcinoma in cirrhotic liver.

OBJECTIVE: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) ablation by radiofrequency (RFA) is a novel technique with a great variety of methods whose efficacy and predictive factors have not been completely studied. Some of the main predictive factors in this type of treatment are analyzed in the present study. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Ninety-three patients with hepatocellular carcinoma over cirrhosis, and with no indication for surgical resection were treated by RFA. Two different types of electrodes were used for RFA (refrigerated-"Cool-Tip" and perfusion with saline solution, the approach was percutaneous, by laparoscopy or laparotomy. RESULTS: Overall survival at 1, 2 and 3 years was 88, 81, and 76%, with a free-disease survival (FDS) of 66, 31 and 17%, respectively. For tumors less than 3 cm, FDS at 1,2 and 3 years was 74, 44 and 30%, while for more than 3 cm in size FDS was 55, 12 and 0% (p = 0.02). FDS for HCC with one nodule was 70, 36 and 22%, and for more than one nodule it decreased to 50, 17 and 0% at 1, 2 and 3 years, respectively (p = 0.07). Surprisingly, the method employed for RFA has a main influence in FDS, with 0% at 3 years for perfusion electrodes and 26% for cool-tip electrodes at the same period. CONCLUSIONS: In this series, overall survival at three years was relatively high; however, tumoral size, number of nodules and RFS method were independent variables associated with disease-free survival.

Aged↗

Rheumatologic and autoimmune manifestations in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been associated with several autoimmune and rheumatologic disorders. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of these abnormalities in patients with chronic HCV. We studied 56 patients, 29 of whom (52%) had biochemical abnormalities that suggested immunological disorders. Cryoglobulinemia was detected in nine patients (22%), antinuclear antibodies in eleven (20%), rheumatoid factor in seven (19.27%) and hypocomplementemia in fourteen (29.16%). The most common clinical manifestations were: arthralgias (52%), myalgias (16%), xerostomia (28.5%) and xerophthalmia (14%). These results indicate the existence of a relationship between HCV and rheumatologic disorders. We conclude that HCV may play a role in the pathogenesis of these autoimmune phenomena, but more studies are required to define the extent of this role.

Adult↗

[Aneurysms of the splenic artery in patients with liver transplantation].

Splenic artery aneurysms (SAA) are not uncommon in patients with hepatic transplant (HT). Three in 150 transplanted patients in our institutions were diagnosed with SAA and two of them had a spontaneous rupture. In two patients embolization with interventionist radiology was performed with excellent results. SAA should be investigated before and after HT and be treated with embolization as soon as possible because of the high risk of rupture.

Adult↗

[The response to hepatitis B vaccine prior to orthotopic liver transplantation].

UNLABELLED: HBV hepatitis is a severe complication of orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) due to the immunosuppression therapy. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of the active HBV immunization on these patients before OLT. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a prospective trial, with 34 patients (20 M and 14 F), that received a double dose (40 micrograms) of HBV surface proteic Ag, on the 0th, 30th and 60th days of the study and posterior control of anti-HBs levels. If there wasn't a response, they received two more doses on the 90th and 120th days. RESULTS: There was a seroconversion in 22 patients (64.7%). Chronic alcoholism determined a lower rate of response than other etiologies (p < 0.05); this was the same in HCV chronic liver disease (p < 0.01). During their follow up, two patients had acute HBV hepatitis: one of them presented a negative response from the beginning, and in the other, anti-HBs developed transiently, when the HBV markers appeared. CONCLUSIONS: Previous HBV active immunization in OLT patients with double dose in a quick sequence, determined a positive response in a high number of patients with a higher rate of seroconversion than in other studies. The response was not so high in patients with chronic alcoholism or HVC chronic liver disease. We conclude that HVB vaccination should be done in these patients.

Adult↗

[Mixed cryoglobulinemia associated with hepatitis C virus].

We report six cases of essential mixed cryoglobulinemia associated with chronic liver disease and positive HCV markers, who showed several acute symptoms of vasculitis, arthralgias, neuropathy and glomerulonephritis. The presence in the serum and cryoprecipitates of anti HCV antibodies detected by the second-generation ELISA (ELISA 2) and the of HCV RNA by PCR in the serum in all six cases, suggest an important role for this virus in the pathogenesis of mixed cryoglobulinemia.

Adult↗

[The liver transplant program of the Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón: an analysis of the first 100 patients].

During a 3-year period between 1990 and 1993, 100 patients received orthotopic liver transplantation at the "Gregorio Marañón" University General Hospital. The mean age of the patients was relatively high (46.9 +/- 10 years), with an important number of cirrhotic patients (91%). The rate of primary liver failure was relatively low (4.5% of transplantations) although 12 cases with more than 55 years were included in the present series. Eleven retransplantations were performed, 8 for early failure of the graft and 3 for chronic failure. Postoperative complications of the graft were vascular in 9 cases, biliary in 17 cases, and acute rejection (cellular) in 70 patients, although only 50 of these patients required treatment with steroid boluses. Infections were diagnosed in 60 cases with 80% of major infections, 6 of them caused by Aspergillus fumigatus that were lethal in all the cases. Postoperative survival was 82%, 72%, 69% and 69% at 1 month, 6 months, 1 year and 2 years respectively.

Adult↗

[Ischemic hepatitis following liver biopsy in a patient with transplanted liver].

We report a case of ischemic hepatitis following a percutaneous liver biopsy in a 51 year old female patient, who had had an orthotopic liver transplant 6 months before. The angiographic study demonstrated a marked stenosis in the hepatic artery at the anastomosis site and a small arterioportal fistula. We suggest that the percutaneous liver biopsy was partially responsible for the ischemic hepatitis, due to the development of a small arterioportal fistula in a previously damaged vascular area with hepatic artery stenosis.

Anastomosis, Surgical↗

[Arterial revascularization of liver graft with PTFE vascular prosthesis].

When the hepatic artery is not available in liver transplantation because of its bad quality or low flow, arterial grafts from the donor have to be used to obtain arterial blood flow from the aorta. The case of use of a vascular PTFE prosthesis when no vascular grafts were available is presented, with good outcome 6 months after transplantation.

Blood Vessel Prosthesis↗

[Resection of recurrent hepatocarcinoma on a transplanted liver].

Recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma is rarely treated by surgical resection and has not been reported in the main series of liver transplantation. In this paper we present the case of a patient transplanted for hepatocellular carcinoma on cirrhosis who developed a tumoral recurrence in the transplanted liver four months later. The new tumor was removed by hepatectomy and the patient is free of tumor 24 months after resection. Surgical resection should be considered a treatment of tumoral recurrence after liver transplantation as is done after hepatectomy.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular↗

[Hepatic angiosarcoma with splenic metastasis].

Angiosarcoma of the liver is an extremely rare tumor with a rapidly fatal course. This report describes the case of a 52-year-old male with an hepatic angiosarcoma not related to any known carcinogen. The hepatosplenic metastases and the brief clinical course, did not let us to complete diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.

Hemangiosarcoma↗

[Transjugular hepatic biopsy. Apropos the first 100 cases and a review of the literature].

Under certain conditions a percutaneous liver biopsy cannot be carried out. In many of these patients transjugular liver biopsy is the correct option. We present our first hundred biopsies: in 92 cases a liver specimen was obtained; in 80 cases (87%) the tissue specimen allowed the histopathologic diagnosis; in five cases perforation of the hepatic capsule was observed, without producing hemoperitoneum. The mortality in our series was nil. In our experience and the revision of the literature, we consider that transvenous (transjugular) needle biopsy is an efficient and reliable procedure.

Biopsy, Needle↗

[The Budd-Chiari syndrome as the first manifestation of polycythemia vera].

The case of a 57-year-old male diagnosed as having Budd-Chiari syndrome secondary to a polycythemia vera, which produced a thrombosis of the suprahepatic veins as a first manifestation, is presented. The rarity of this clinical case and the rapidly lethal evolution of the patient, confirms the bad prognosis of this association.

Budd-Chiari Syndrome↗

[Colonoscopic approach in the therapy of sigmoid volvulus].

We present 13 patients with 15 episodes of colonic volvulus, who underwent colonoscopy to decompress and/or devolvulate. Colonoscopic exploration demonstrated a non obstructive dilatation in three cases. In the remaining 10 patients, with 12 episodes of volvulus, decompression was obtained in 83.3% and devoluvulation in 41.6%. There were two failures, due to peritoneal metastases and adhesions which fixed the volvulus. In 40% of the cases there were mild ischemic signs. Forty per cent of the patients were submitted to elective surgery and the two failures (20%) were operated in emergency. The remaining 4 patients declined surgical treatment. At is allows differential diagnosis, we think that, for these patients, colonoscopy should be the first therapeutic approach; it also allows decompression and/or devolvulation and an early diagnosis of the associated ischemia.

Adult↗

[Course of cellular immunity in patients with chronic inflammatory intestinal disease].

In a preliminary study of the immunological aspects of intestinal inflammatory disease we found an immunological deficit of T helper lymphocytes, decreased monocytes and chemotaxis and poor response to nonspecific mitogen stimulus. Based on these findings, the study was repeated in the same patients three years later to confirm the evolution of this deficit. Recuperation was observed in the cases in which the disease evolved favorably, suggesting that certain aspects of the immune disorder might be secondary.

Colitis, Ulcerative↗