Hepatic rejection after orthotopic liver transplantation for hepatic veno-occlusive disease or graft-versus-host disease following bone marrow transplantation.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to P Honore.
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This case report concerns a 30-year-old man who survived a 4.2 g diltiazem overdose. He sustained vasoplegic shock with a junctional escape rhythm which required high doses of norepinephrine and epinephrine. Among other complications, ileus with paralytic intestinal pseudo-obstruction developed on day three. Cecal distention was demonstrated by abdomen computed tomodensitometry. The ileus resolved on day seven following the poisoning. Diltiazem plasma concentrations were determined during the first three days. The possible role of other medications, activated charcoal and sufentanil, is noted.
1. 5-Hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) is a well known neurotransmitter implicated in mental disorders, tryptophan (Trp) as amino acid precursor may be interesting. 2. A rapid and simple reversed-phase (mu Bondapac C18 as stationary phase) liquid chromatographic method with fluorimetric detection (excitation: 302 nm, emission: 340 nm) is described for the quantitation of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and free tryptophan (Trp), in whole blood. 5-fluoro-dl-tryptophan (5-FdlT) was used as internal standard. The mobile phase was 0.01 M phosphate buffer (pH = 4.5) with 0.0025 M 1-heptane sulfonic acid and 15% methanol. 3. In blood of healthy subjects (n = 30), the concentrations were, for 5-HT: 258 +/- 68 ng/ml and for Trp: 5.7 +/- 1.02 micrograms/ml. 4. The assay was used to follow the effect of antidepressant drugs, as a 5-HT reuptake inhibitor (clomipramine) and a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (moclobemide). After 4 week treatments, we observed, with clomipramine by 7 patients (150 mg/day) a highly significant reduction (p < 0.01) in 5-HT levels (77% +/- 12) and with moclobemide by 8 patients (300 or 450 or 600 mg/day) a highly significant increase in 5-HT levels (from 16% to 300% according to the drug dosage). These two drugs did not influence blood Trp concentrations. 5. Assays on whole blood present various advantages: (i) the simplicity for clinical departments (ii) the absence of sample pretreatment and (iii) the assurance that the entire platelet population is assayed since all of the 5 HT in blood is bound to platelets.
Cytokines regulate both aspecific inflammatory responses and specific immune responses. Inflammatory changes occur in the organ transplant as a result of tissue trauma and ischemia/reperfusion in the organ donor and at the time of transplant operation. There is a possibility that cytokines play a role in mediating theses changes. These aspecific inflammatory changes may not only affect graft function but also influence graft immunogenicity (enhanced MHC and adhesion molecule expression) and thus, vulnerability to rejection. Cytokines orchestrate the specific immune response elicited by organ transplantation. Relevance of cytokines to the rejection reaction is multifactorial in nature: 1) promotion of the proliferation an differentiation of specific alloreactive T and B cells clones and differentiation and activation of CTL and NK cells, 2) chemotactic effect and induction of the expression of adhesion molecules, 3) enhancement of MHC class I and II expression, and 4) direct cytotoxic effect on the target grafted cells. Therefore, modulation of cytokine activity either specifically (monoclonal antibody, soluble receptor, etc.) or aspecifically (cyclosporin, FK 506, Rapamycin, steroids, etc.) is essential in controlling graft rejection. Determination of circulating cytokines and cytokines measurement within the biological fluids produced by an organ transplant may help in the diagnosis of rejection episodes and other complications following organ transplantation.
Multiple organ procurement techniques are increasingly popular in many transplant centers. This paper describes a technique for multiorgan unit(s) explantation in rats. The procedure involves in situ preliminary dissection, cold perfusion of the thoracic and abdominal organ units as separate procedures, explantation, and finally the ex situ isolation of various organ units as single and/or multiple organ combination units. The procedure is feasible, allows for flexibility in the separation of combination organ units, and is reproducible. The exercise is provided as a training and research tool for clinical and research transplant surgeons. The technique is also presented as an animal model for clinical organ sharing.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate subjects with different types of diabetes mellitus regarding their serum levels of lipoprotein(a). High serum Lp(a) concentration is associated with a high risk of coronary heart disease. Diabetic patients are prone to developing coronary heart disease. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: The subjects were 66 type I diabetic patients, 100 type II diabetic patients treated with diet alone or diet combined with oral hypoglycemic agents, and 46 insulin-requiring type II diabetic patients. Subjects were compared with 142 nondiabetic outpatients. RESULTS: Subjects with insulin-requiring type II diabetes mellitus were found to have an increase both in serum Lp(a) concentration and in prevalence of serum Lp(a) concentration > 30 mg/dl compared with the other groups of diabetic patients and nondiabetic control subjects. A nonsignificant increase in the prevalence of coronary heart disease was also found in insulin-requiring type II diabetic patients. The levels of serum concentrations of Lp(a) were not significantly related to the degree of glycemic control, duration of diabetes, presence of macrovascular disease, or intake of female hormone therapy. High levels of Lp(a) in this group of diabetic patients could not be explained by the presence of albuminuria. CONCLUSIONS: Insulin-requiring type II diabetic patients have high levels of Lp(a). Chronic hyperinsulinemia might be an eventual causal factor.
A technique for revascularizing the arterial supply to an orthotopic liver transplant (OLT) in a 55-year-old male afflicted with end-stage alcoholic liver cirrhosis with portal hypertension is reported. The presence of well-developed portosystemic collaterals and an unsuitable recipient common hepatic artery necessitated the dissection and liberation of the right gastroepiploic artery (RGEA) for its subsequent use as the recipient arterial source. Posttransplantation, save for an early biliary leak which was corrected promptly, the patient's evolution was uneventful. Two separate celiac angiographic series at 6 weeks and 20 months posttransplantation revealed an excellent flow through the recipient and donor arterial systems. Additionally, the RGEA demonstrated an adaptation in caliber when pre- and posttransplantation angiograms were compared. It was concluded that the RGEA is a suitable rescue option for revascularization of OLT's provided it satisfies elementary hemodynamic requirements.
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Two cases of hemobilia are reported; the first caused by a liver biopsy procedure, and the second ensuing an accidental liver laceration. In both cases, arteriography led to diagnosis and the ligature of the right hepatic artery stopped the hemorrhage with complete success. A review of the literature emphasizes the nowadays leading prevalence of iatrogenic hemobilia followed by those resulting from blunt abdominal liver trauma. Diagnostic facilities are reviewed and selective arteriography is stressed as being the more useful technique. From a therapeutical standpoint interventional radiology and surgery are both given their own place.
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The influence of the length and origin of a small bowel graft on graft versus host disease (GVHD) was studied in 33 (Lewis x brown Norway) F1 hybrids transplanted with different types of Lewis small bowel grafts. Recipients of an entire small bowel graft (N = 9), a jejunal graft (N = 6), or an ileal graft (N = 6) displayed a similar acute lethal GVHD, with 100% mortality rate and equivalent survival time (15 +/- 0.7, 16.8 +/- 0.9, and 16 +/- 0.6 days, respectively) (P greater than 0.01). On the other hand, 80% of the recipients of a segmental jejunal graft (N = 10) recovered from a transitory form of GVHD and regained weight similarly to the isografted rats (N = 4). It was concluded that the entire small bowel, jejunum, and ileum can provoke an equivalent GVHD after transplantation, whereas a segment of jejunum decreases the intensity of GVHD, probably by reducing the amount of transplanted lymphoid tissue.
Partial ileal bypass (PIB) was performed in 8 young adults (5 males and 3 females, mean age 37 +/- 5 years) with a history of vascular surgery (aorto-coronary bypass, ACB, n = 6; stroke, n = 2), presenting with hyperlipidemia (II B: n = 7; IIA: n = 1). None of the patients had diabetes, 2 had mild hypertension, and all were cigarette smokers. Hypolipidemic drugs were discontinued prior to PIB. Following bypass surgery, patients received vitamin B12 injections twice monthly. Total plasma cholesterol (TPC) and total plasma triglycerides (TPT) were assayed at 3 months and 1 year after surgery. The mean follow-up period was 84 months. Mean TPC level was significantly lower (3.96 +/- 0.57 preoperatively vs 2.19 +/- 0.79 (p less than 0.001) and 2.54 +/- 0.76 (p less than 0.01) 3 months and 1 year postsurgery, respectively. Mean TPT level was significantly lower 3 months after the intervention (4.85 +/- 2.37 vs 2.33 +/- 0.62, p. less than 0.02), but not after one year. Similar trends were observed throughout the follow-up period. One of the ACB patients died of drowing, while three others had recurring angina pectoris symptoms. Coronary angiography showed that, despite low TPC levels, coronary artery disease had extended either to other vessels not included in the former bypass, or beyond the anastomoses. Patients with a history of stroke were asymptomatic. PIB is effective in normalizing TPC. Nonetheless, this isolated procedure is insufficient to prevent the evolution of multifactorial atherosclerosis.
Fluid management and assessment of organ perfusion in organ donors with hypotonic polyuria remain poorly investigated problems. In our protocol, urinary losses (565 +/- 202 ml/h) were replaced volume for volume by 3.3% dextrose/0.3% natrium chloride solution (Baxter) with 20 mmol/l potassium chloride. Concentrated red blood cells were administered to maintain hematocrit at about 30%, and volume expansion (central venous pressure above 6 mmHg) was obtained by gelatin (haemaccel) infusion. In all donors (n = 9), plasma electrolytes remained within normal limits despite hypotonic polyuria. Suppression of initial plasma renin activity (PRA: 9.7 +/- 3.6 ng/ml per hour) was obtained by subacute volume expansion. In eight donors the hemodynamic status improved, dopamine administration, when used, was discontinued, and PRA decreased (2.3 +/- 0.7 ng/ml per hour; P less than 0.05). The only donor who failed to respond to fluid therapy had increased PRA (24.2 ng/ml per hour). During fluid challenge, an inverse relationship was demonstrated between mean arterial pressure and PRA in all nine donors (r = -0.61; P less than 0.001), while there were no significant changes in blood urea. creatinine, or urine output. It is concluded that in organ donors, proper maintenance of the hemodynamic status and suppression of the renin stress response may be obtained by an adequate fluid management, involving both qualitative restoration and expansion of intravascular volume.
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One hundred and fourteen consecutive totally implantable catheters were inserted in 114 patients between April 1984 and April 1987. Catheters were inserted under neuroleptanalgesia, through the jugular vein in 101 cases or the internal saphenous vein in 13 cases. No problem was encountered during the insertion procedure. Infection occurred in 5.2% of the patients but removal of the device was required in only 2.6%. Occlusion of the catheter occurred in 6.1% of the patients but never during the first 2 months. This complication rate is lower than the one observed with external tunnelled catheters. The comfort of the patient is substantially improved and nursing care is greatly facilitated.
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A 55-year-old patient with primary pulmonary leiomyosarcoma was treated by pneumonectomy. The diagnosis was established by histology of the operative piece. Bronchoscopy and cytology of expectorations were negative. This rare tumor (fewer than 100 cases described) differs from bronchial carcinoma by its method of spread, mainly hematogenic, and its better prognosis. clinical and radiographic data do not provide differential diagnoses. Treatment is essentially surgical since the tumor is only weakly radio-sensitive and responds poorly to chemotherapy.
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