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Biomedical subjects

H Bismuth

Publications and source records attributed to H Bismuth.

At least 235 records · Page 13Linked to original sources

Effect of storage temperature on early graft function following liver transplantation.

The effect of storage temperature on early graft function following liver transplantation was investigated by analyzing the results following transplantation during three periods in which different techniques for graft storage were used. The techniques involved ice-packing (period 1), storage in a standard operating room refrigerator without ice-packing (period 2) and storage in an accurately controlled refrigerator without ice-packing (period 3). In period 2 there was a significantly higher incidence of histological lesions, primary non-function and retransplantation compared to periods 1 and 3. It was concluded that this was due to inaccurate control of the standard refrigerator in period 2, thus allowing the temperature of the graft to increase, while in periods 1 and 3 the graft temperature was kept close to 4 degrees C by ice-packing and accurate refrigerator control, respectively. These results demonstrate that accurate control of storage temperature is important in terms of subsequent graft function. This may become more important as storage times are progressively increased with the use of UW solution.

Cold Temperature↗

The Paul Brousse liver transplant series 1989 to 1992: new trends in the last four years.

In the last four years, 551 liver transplantations have been performed at the Paul Brousse center, for a total of 840 liver transplantations performed from 1984 to 1992. Several changes have been observed in the field of liver transplantation in the past years. The field of immunosuppression was marked mainly by the advent of FK506 as a preventive treatment of rejection and as a treatment of cortico-resistant rejection. Results are still under analysis. From the surgical viewpoint, the main modification was the advent of UW solution, which extends cold ischemic time. However, our policy was to maintain the cold ischemic time at less than 12 hours. Primary indications for liver transplantations have changed with an increase in the rate of patients transplanted for cirrhosis related to hepatitis virus infection: from 24% in the period 1984-1988 to 42% in the period 1989-1992. The difference was due mainly to HCV-related cirrhosis, which increased from 8% to 20%. Alcoholic cirrhosis was a rare indication in the period 1989-1992 (3.4%); however, it was an increasing indication in the last 2 years. In order to improve the long-term results, major attention was given to the recurrence of initial liver disease. In patients transplanted for HBsAg-positive liver disease, long-term passive anti-HBs immunoprophylaxis was administered, which reduced the rate of HBV recurrence in patients without HBV replication before transplantation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Academic Medical Centers↗

[Pregnancy after hepatic transplantation. 17 pregnancies].

The number of orthotopic liver transplantations (OLT) is increasing and longterm survival is improving. More women recipients may choose to become pregnant. We report a one-center experience with the course and outcome of 17 pregnancies in 17 liver transplant out of 675 OLT since 1985. 10 women delivered of 10 healthy infants at 38 +/- 1.5 week's gestation. There was no preterm delivery and the mean birth weight was 2.990 +/- 370 g, birth weight was adequate for gestational age in any case. Four cesarean sections were performed for obstetrical indications. No congenital anomalies occurred in the children. Hypertension occurred in 2 out of twelve patients and appeared as the main complication to deal with. There was one case with graft function impairment at 37 weeks' gestation. One uncomplicated pregnancy is ongoing at 29 weeks' gestation. There were 4 spontaneous and 2 therapeutic abortions for impaired liver function. Pregnancy is successful in a large proportion of these patients but must be planned and managed as high-risk situations by an obstetrician and a specialist of the liver transplant. Pregnancy should be advised against in patients with poor liver function or active viral infection; a 12 months interval from OLT to pregnancy is since to be the minimal requirement. Post-transplant immunosuppressive therapy consisted of azathioprine, corticosteroids and ciclosporin A, and was maintained throughout pregnancy. Genetic counselling should be provided when the primary liver disease is inherited. This being said, as shown by the results of our study and those reported in the literature, pregnancy is not only feasible but also successful in a large proportion of OLT recipients.

Abortion, Spontaneous↗

Partial portacaval shunt: renaissance of an old concept.

BACKGROUND: Partial diversion of the portal system aims to reduce portal pressure sufficiently to prevent variceal hemorrhage but still maintain adequate hepatic portal flow. METHODS: Partial portacaval shunts were performed in 25 patients with cirrhosis with portal hypertension and esophageal varices, either as a primary procedure (n = 16) or for failure of endoscopic sclerotherapy (n = 9), with ringed polytetrafluoroethylene prostheses (8, 10, or 12 mm). RESULTS: All patients have now been followed up for at least 1 year. The operative mortality rate (2 months) was 4%. In 24 patients who survived beyond the initial perioperative period, there was no recurrence of variceal bleeding. Cumulative shunt patency (up to 4 years) is 96%. Acute encephalopathy was detected in two patients (8%), but no patients had signs of chronic encephalopathy. Intraoperative pressure measurements revealed a significant correlation between decreasing diameter of the graft and the percentage reduction of the portacaval pressure gradient. Selective angiography, performed 1 year after surgery, revealed that hepatopetal flow was maintained in 70% of patients with a 10 mm shunt. CONCLUSIONS: It is possible to achieve a partial portacaval shunt, related to the diameter of the prosthesis, that preserves hepatopetal flow in the majority of patients and is associated with a very low incidence of shunt thrombosis. This effectively prevents recurrent variceal bleeding and significant postoperative encephalopathy. The performance of subsequent orthotopic liver transplantation is not compromised. The technique is recommended, either as a primary procedure or when sclerotherapy has failed, in patients with good liver function who are unlikely to require early liver transplantation (grade A and some grade B cirrhosis).

Adolescent↗

Liver transplantation by "face-à-face" venacavaplasty.

A modification of the technique of liver transplantation by the face-à-face venacavaplasty is described and the use in four patients reported. This technique enables livers with a small vena cava to be inserted in an anatomic fashion and should help increase the use of such grafts where disparity between vessel size exists.

Adult↗

[Liver transplantation in non-alcoholic cirrhosis in adults].

Liver transplantation has become the treatment of end-stage cirrhosis. The results of transplantation should be improved by a better knowledge of prognostic criteria in cirrhosis, which would help in timing the transplantation, and by a better prevention of graft reinfection with hepatitis viruses.

Adult↗

Passive immunoprophylaxis after liver transplantation in HBsAg-positive patients.

110 HBsAg-positive patients underwent orthotopic liver transplantation and received long-term anti-hepatitis B virus (HBV) passive immunoprophylaxis with anti-HBs immunoglobulin. During a mean follow-up period of 20 months, all patients became HBsAg negative after transplantation but circulating HBsAg reappeared in 25 (22.7%). Overall 1-year survival was 83.6% and overall 2 year actuarial recurrence of HBsAg was 29% (59% after posthepatitis B cirrhosis, 13% after posthepatitis B-delta cirrhosis, and 0% after fulminant hepatitis B). Patients with HBV cirrhosis who were HBV-DNA positive had a much greater risk of HBsAg recurrence than patients who were HBV-DNA negative (96% vs 29% at 2 years). Reappearance of HBsAg was associated with evidence of HBV replication and abnormal histological findings in the graft. Long-term passive anti-HBV immunoprophylaxis significantly reduced HBV reinfection and improved survival in patients without evidence of active HBV replication before orthotopic liver transplantation.

Adolescent↗

Secondary surgery for liver trauma.

Over a 10-year period from 1980, 46 patients with liver injuries were referred after primary admission to other hospitals. Previous surgery had been performed in 40 cases and the predominant reasons for referral were uncontrollable bleeding and postoperative sepsis with biliary leakage. Of 30 such cases, 19 were treated by liver resection; all were of a limited nature and no major hepatectomies were performed. Only two deaths occurred in these patients and this low mortality rate supports our conservative approach to liver trauma. Other reasons for referral were late biliary stenosis, complicated penetrating injury and intrahepatic haematoma. Three cases were referred with postoperative hepatic failure; two responded to resection of infected necrotic tissue and liver transplantation was attempted in the third. Injuries to liver segments 6 and 7 were those most frequently referred for assistance with bleeding, and all patients were safely transferred after intra-abdominal packing. This injury is particularly suitable for resection by segmentectomy rather than a formal hepatectomy, which has been associated with a high mortality rate in trauma cases. Further patients with intractable injuries might be salvaged by liver transplantation.

Accidents, Traffic↗

Portasystemic shunting versus liver transplantation for the Budd-Chiari syndrome.

Over 12 years, 22 patients with the Budd-Chiari syndrome were treated surgically. Eighteen underwent a mesenterico-caval shunt (MCS); two, a side-to-side portacaval shunt; one, a mesenterico-atrial shunt (MAS); and one, a liver transplantation (OLT). One patient died after operation from the precipitating condition, and two MCS grafts that thrombosed were restored. All 21 surviving patients remain well, free from ascites, and all shunts are patent after a mean follow-up of 5.6 +/- 1 years, five patients with more than 10 years' follow-up. This long-term survival achieved by portasystemic shunts suggests that they have a major role in the treatment of the Budd-Chiari syndrome. The authors prefer the mesenterico-caval shunt using a jugular graft. This ensures a total portasystemic shunt, avoids subhepatic surgery, and reduces the long-term risk of prosthetic graft thrombosis. The MAS was reserved for cases with complete caval thrombosis. Patients with significant degrees of caval compression were satisfactorily decompressed by MCS. In patients not promptly treated, the disease progresses to cirrhosis, and such patients must be evaluated for transplantation similarly to those with other hepatopathies.

Adolescent↗

Transepidermal water loss modifications in rats and humans treated with cyclosporin.

Modifications of transepidermal water loss (TEWL) of rat and human skin induced by oral administration of cyclosporin (CS) were investigated. The integrity of the cutaneous barrier was evaluated using TEWL measurement which is a relatively simple and noninvasive means of assessing the functional state of the cutaneous barrier. After 12 weeks, the TEWL of treated rats decreased significantly and this difference was still present after the 16 weeks of treatment. In humans, there was a statistically significant decrease of TEWL on both forearm and thigh in CS-treated patients compared to non-CS-treated patients and controls (p less than 0.05). These results suggest that CS causes skin modifications, particularly concerning its barrier status. The nature of these skin modifications still remains to be determined.

Administration, Oral↗

Genes for interleukin-1, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor are expressed at markedly reduced levels in the livers of patients with severe liver disease.

The genes for interferon (IFN) alpha, IFN gamma, IL-1 beta, IL-6, and TNF alpha were transcribed at readily detectable levels both in liver biopsies from individuals with normal liver function and in samples of normal viable liver taken for transplantation. These results provided evidence for the concept that such multifunctional cytokines play a role in homeostasis in normal human tissues. In normal human liver, in situ hybridization studies showed that, in the absence of a detectable inflammatory response, both hepatocytes and mononuclear cells exhibited a similar degree of expression of IL-6 mRNA in keeping with the finding that IL-6 is produced by cells of different lineages. The levels of IL-1, IL-6, and TNF mRNA were found to be markedly reduced in extracts of the livers of patients with primary biliary cirrhosis and other forms of autoimmune liver disease at a time when extensive liver lesions were apparent, compared to the levels of expression of these cytokines in the livers of normal individuals. The reduced expression of IL-1, IL-6, and TNF mRNAs appeared to be a specific effect and not due to a general reduction in RNA synthesis as the IFN alpha, IFN gamma and actin mRNAs were expressed at similar levels in both normal and diseased livers. The levels of IL-1 beta, IL-6, and TNF mRNAs were also reduced in samples of liver from a patient with a drug induced fulminant hepatitis suggesting that this specific pattern of altered cytokine gene expression was characteristic of the advanced stage of severe liver disease.

Autoimmune Diseases↗