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R Pichlmayr

Publications and source records attributed to R Pichlmayr.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1997

Liver transplantation for metastatic neuroendocrine tumors.

OBJECTIVE: This article describes the experience with liver transplantation in patients with irresectable neuroendocrine hepatic metastases. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Liver transplantation has become an established therapy in primary liver cancer. On contrast, there is little experience with liver transplantation in secondary hepatic tumors. So far, in the majority of patients being transplanted for irresectable liver metastases, long-term results have been disappointing because of early tumor recurrence. Because of their biologically less aggressive nature, the metastases of neuroendocrine tumors could represent a justified indication for liver grafting. METHODS: In a retrospective study, the data of 12 patients who underwent liver transplantation for irresectable neuroendocrine hepatic metastases were analyzed regarding survival, tumor recurrence, and symptomatic relief. RESULTS: Nine of 12 patients currently are alive with a median survival of 55 months (range, 11.0 days to 103.5 months). The operative mortality was 1 of 12, 2 patients died because of septic complications or tumor recurrences or both 6.5 months and 68.0 months after transplantation. all patients had good symptomatic relief after hepatectomy and transplantation. Four of the nine patients who are alive have no evidence of tumor with a follow-up of 2.0, 57.0, 58.0, and 103.5 months after transplantation. CONCLUSIONS: In selected patients, liver transplantation for irresectable neuroendocrine hepatic metastases may provide not only long-term palliation but even cure. Regarding the shortage of donor organs, liver grafting for neuroendocrine metastases should be considered solely in patients without evidence of extrahepatic tumor manifestation and in whom all other treatment methods are no longer effective.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Resectional surgery of hilar cholangiocarcinoma: a multivariate analysis of prognostic factors.

PURPOSE: To define the prognostic factors after surgical resection of bile duct carcinomas at the hepatic bifurcation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The retrospective single-center experience details 151 patients after surgical resection of central bile duct carcinoma performed between 1971 and 1995. Tumor removal was accomplished by resection of the bile duct bifurcation either alone (group I, n = 33), in combination with hepatic resection (group II, n = 77), or combined with hepatic and vascular resection (group III, n = 41). Survival analysis was performed by the Kaplan-Meier method and the relationship between each of the clinicopathologic variables and survival was assessed by the log-rank test. Multivariate results were confirmed using Cox regression. RESULTS: The overall hospital mortality rate was 9.9% and depended on the extent of resection (group 1, 6.1%; group II, 7.8%; group III, 17.1%). After exclusion of hospital deaths, the overall patient survival rate was 28.4% at 5 and 15.5% at 10 years, with a median survival duration of 2.05 +/- 0.23 years. Univariate survival analysis identified tumor size, lymph node metastases, residual tumor stage, and tumor grading as factors with a statistically significant prognostic impact. Survival prognosis was not influenced by the site of the tumor according to the classification of Bismuth and Corlette, extent of resection, International Union Against Cancer (UICC) stage, perineural and vascular invasion, age, or sex. In a multivariate Cox analysis, only lymph node metastases and residual tumor stage proved to be of independent prognostic significance. CONCLUSION: Resection of central bile duct carcinoma is feasible in many patients and a favorable outcome after resection is mainly determined by curative resection and the absence of lymph node metastases.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Indications and Role of Liver Transplantation for Malignant Tumors.

PURPOSE: The indication for liver transplantation in malignant liver tumors has been controversial due to disappointing results and shortage of donor organs. The authors evaluated the experience and results of a single center in order to define present indications and selection criteria in hepatobiliary malignancy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Retrospective analysis of 212 patients who underwent liver transplantation for malignant tumors between 1972 and 1995: Primary hepatobiliary tumors: hepatocellular carcinoma, n = 124 (with underlying cirrhosis, n = 86; fibrolamellar subtype, n = 8); intrahepatic bile duct (cholangiocellular) carcinoma, n = 24; proximal bile duct carcinoma, n = 29; other uncommon entities (n = 15); secondary liver tumors: neuroendocrine, n = 11, and nonendocrine, n = 9. RESULTS: Survival rates in primary liver cancer were correlated to International Union Against Cancer (UICC) tumor stage. For hepatocellular and proximal bile duct carcinoma significantly better outcome was found in UICC-tumor stage I and II versus III and IV. No long-term survival was found after transplantation for intrahepatic bile duct carcinoma, hemangiosarcoma and nonendocrine liver metastases. Comparison of transplant and resected patients with hepatocellular carcinoma stage I and II with underlying cirrhosis showed better survival after transplantation: 1-, 3-, 5-year survival rate of 83.3% versus 76.9%, 75.8% versus 44.0%, 60.6% versus 44.0%, and median survival 96.5 versus 23.2 months. Although this difference was not significant, no patient died from tumor recurrence in the transplant group versus three in the resection group. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Patients with malignant tumors can be selected for transplantation with predictable likelihood for long-term survival. According to the present data, liver transplantation can be considered in unresectable UICC-stage II hepatocellular and proximal bile duct carcinoma, the uncommon entities fibrolamellar carcinoma, epitheliod hemangioendothelioma and hepatoblastoma as well as liver metastases from neuroendocrine tumors. UICC-stage II and IV hepatocellular carcinoma as well as intrahepatic bile duct carcinoma, hemangiosarcoma and metastases from nonendocrine tumors should be excluded from transplantation alone. For hepatocellular carcinoma, multimodality treatment protocols have had a proven impact on the prevention of early recurrence and prolongation of survival. There is evidence that liver transplantation in still resectable hepatocellular carcinoma with underlying cirrhosis might be more appropriate in order to cure the cancer-bearing disease.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1997

[Scintigraphic method to test the function of intraperitoneal draining catheters for regional intraabdominal chemotherapy].

AIM: Intraoperative peritoneal chemohyperthermia (IPCH) followed by one or more courses of closed intraperitoneal chemotherapy via peritonealdialysis-catheter (Zellermann) is a promising concept for treatment of peritoneal carcinomatosis. METHODS: To prove the functionality of the catheter a scintigraphic method is introduced using a liquid solution of sodium chloride-- Tc-99m-Diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (Tc-99m-DTPA) (500 ml). This study was aimed to look for problems over the period of application and to measure the intraperitoneal distribution and resorption of the fluid. RESULTS: One leakage and 3 revisible obstructions occured in 26 applications done in 20 patients. The upper right and the central abdomen was not reached as extensive as the other regions. The abdomen was divided into 9 regions of equal size. In 4 out of 19 patients (20%) the fluid tracer was missed in more than 3 regions (up to 40% of the total area). CONCLUSIONS: It is to early to decide whether methological modifications are necessary in these cases, but closed chemotherapies in patients with maldistribution may not be indicated. This will be in particular necessary if there is a relation between the maldistribution and the location of recurrencies. The demonstrated simple scintigraphic method, however, is able to recognize patients at risk.

Abdominal Neoplasms↗
PubMed1997

Results of portal thrombectomy and splanchnic thrombolysis for the surgical management of acute mesentericoportal thrombosis.

BACKGROUND: Acute venous mesenteric ischaemia is rare and there is no standard conservative or operative treatment. METHODS: The results of surgical treatment for acute mesentericoportal thrombosis were retrospectively analysed in 31 patients. The thrombotic occlusion affected the superior mesenteric vein in 19 patients, the portal vein in eight and both vessels in four. Surgical treatment comprised venous thrombectomy (nine patients), bowel resection (17), a combination of thrombectomy and bowel resection (two), distal splenorenal shunt (one) and simple laparotomy (two). RESULTS: When the mesentericoportal blood flow was restored, the mortality rate was lower, but not significantly so, than after bowel resection alone (two of nine versus seven of 17). In addition to thrombectomy, local thrombolysis with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator was performed in five patients via a catheter placed into a distal mesenteric vein and all survived. The overall hospital mortality rate was 11 (35 per cent) of 31. CONCLUSION: An active approach should be encouraged in patients with this condition employing thrombectomy in addition to bowel resection. Early results are encouraging and local thrombolysis warrants further study.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

[Surgical therapy of pancreatic carcinoma].

Among different treatment modalities for exocrine pancreatic cancer from the surgical point of view the performance of complete tumor resection must be the aim independent any controversies about principles of surgery. Although the overall prognosis is generally poor, therapeutic nihilism is not justified any longer because postoperative mortality could be decreased to less than 5% in the past years. Nevertheless, the rate of long-term survival can only be improved by early diagnosis based on the knowledge of individual risk factors as well as by multimodality strategies including perioperative regimens (chemo- and/or radiotherapy) to increase survival rates even in advanced stages of this tumor with its dismal prognosis.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

[Aspects relevant for abdominal surgery of attempted suicide].

In this retrospective study of 24 patients who were treated at our clinic during the last 22 years after having attempted suicide, we evaluated aspects concerning abdominal- and transplantation surgery. There was a predominance of "hard" (70%) versus "soft" (30%) methods for suicide attempt. Intra-abdominal injuries resulting from attempted suicide by stabbing or shooting should lead to laparotomy-the prognosis is then good. Surgical treatment after intoxication, especially caustic ingestion, depends on endoscopic and clinical findings. The highly increased rates of suicide in patients with end-stage renal disease can be reduced significantly by kidney transplantation. The risk of suicide after transplantation is further diminished with improved immunosuppressive treatment. Only in a few cases there is an indication for liver transplantation-in some cases of fulminant hepatic failure caused by self-administered paracetamol overdose. Auxiliary liver transplantation may then be considered.

Abdominal Injuries↗
PubMed1997

[Intraoperative (hyperthermic) intraperitoneal chemotherapy--considerations and aspects of safe intra- and postoperative treatment with cytostatic drugs].

The application of open intraoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy following cytoreductive surgery for the treatment of pseudomyxoma peritonei or peritoneal carcinomatosis requires safety precautions for the medical and non-medical personnel. In agreement with already existing rules, precautions were established which result in an optimum of safety. These concern the preparation of the cytostatic drugs, the application in the operating room as well as personal precautions intra- and postoperatively. After the establishment of theses recommendations, 22 patients were treated with open intraperitoneal chemotherapy in 1.5 years without any severe accidents. Therefore, a safe intraoperative use of cytotoxic drugs is possible. At the moment, the indication for such an approach may be given in peritoneal carcinomatosis from appendix, colon or ovarian cancer. In the future, an adjuvant application in other gastrointestinal malignancies (e.g. T3/T4 gastric carcinoma) may be considered.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Development of microchimerism in pediatric patients after living-related liver transplantation.

Microchimerism has been suggested to play an important role in the long-term acceptance of allogeneic organ grafts by transplant patients and for the maintenance of a state of donor-specific low responsiveness. In order to elucidate the kinetics of the development of chimerism we have performed a follow-up analysis in 10 pediatric patients with living-related liver transplantation (LRLTx). Blood samples obtained during the first 6 months and at 18 months post-transplant and skin biopsies taken at one month were analysed for the presence of donor cells by PCR using donor-specific HLA-DRB1 primer pairs or primers for a Y chromosome-specific sequence. Furthermore 13 long-term patients more than 2 yr after LRLTx were studied at two different time points. In the follow-up studies donor cells could be demonstrated in the blood of all patients immediately after transplantation. After a gradual decline all patients became chimerism-negative for several weeks or months. At 6 months, however, in five of eight patients tested and at 18 months in six of nine patients donor cells had reappeared. This biphasic pattern in the development of chimerism is proposed to reflect the occurrence of different donor-derived cell populations in the recipient. The population giving rise to the first wave of chimerism probably represents matured cells with a limited lifespan which are released from the graft into the circulation of the recipient during the first weeks after transplantation. The population of cells occurring with the second wave of chimerism is likely to have been generated by donor-derived cells with stem cell potential located either in the graft or in the hematopoetic organs of the recipient after emigration from the graft. This model may be able to explain fluctuations in the incidence and degree of microchimerism described in other patient populations during the first year post-transplant. Of the 13 long-term patients, chimerism could be demonstrated in 11. In seven patients it was detected in both blood and skin, in three patients the results obtained for blood and skin were discordant. In one patient only blood was analysed. It is not clear whether the negative results really reflected the absence of chimerism or whether the number of donor cells was below the level of detectability.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

[Surgical treatment of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma].

Cholangiocarcinoma is the second most frequent malignant tumor, after hepatocarcinoma, of the liver; it is diagnosed in approximately 10% of the cases. This retrospective study reviewed follow-up in 50 patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma treated from June 1979 through February 1993. Among these 50 patients, 32 underwent liver resection and 18 had a liver transplantation. After resection, the median survival was 13.9 months. Tumor stage was seen to have an effect on the Kaplan-Meier plots although the differences were not significant. Four patients died from tumor recurrence more than five years after curative resection, 4 patients are living today. After transplantation, the median survival was 5 months. Among the 18 patients, 1 recipient who had a stage II tumor is currently living 42 months after transplantation with no evidence of recurrence. Despite the high degree of malignancy of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, a certain number of patients do benefit from liver resection, justifying this aggressive surgical approach. Inversely, transplantation does not appear to be an exceptional therapeutic alternative. In the future, cholangiocarcinomas will require multimodal therapeutics.

Bile Duct Neoplasms↗
PubMed1997

Risk of renal cell carcinoma after kidney transplantation.

Between December 1968 and July 1995, 2372 renal transplant recipients were seen regularly in our outpatient clinic. 154 patients (6.5%) of these subsequently developed a malignant tumor. One of the most frequently observed malignancies was a renal cell carcinoma in the native kidneys, found in 12 patients (7.8%; i.e. 0.5% of the total population), two of them with analgesic nephropathy and one with adult polycystic kidney disease. So-called acquired cystic kidney disease of the native kidneys was found in 73% of the patients with renal cell carcinoma. In the patients with renal cell carcinoma the median age at transplantation was 43.9 (39-55) yr. The median time from onset of end-stage renal failure and from transplantation to the appearance of the tumor amounted to 117.3 (43-206) and 75.8 (5-164) months, respectively. Despite nephrectomy, four patients died of the cancer (6-57 months). As a consequence we suggest a regular sonographic screening of the native kidneys twice a year in all renal transplant patients. As in dialysis patients, the main risk factors for the development of renal cell carcinoma seem to be so-called acquired cystic disease of the native kidneys and the underlying renal disease, such as analgesic nephropathy, and obviously not the immunosuppressive regimen after transplantation.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Antioxidative vitamins in prevention of ischemia/reperfusion injury.

Involvement of oxygen free radicals in ischemia-/reperfusion injury is based on measurement of increased products of lipid peroxidation after organ ischemia and restoration of blood flow during surgical operations and reperfusion of organ transplants. In cardiology inverse epidemiological correlations between plasma vitamin E levels and mortality due to ischemic heart disease, as well as beneficial effects of vitamin E on experimentally induced oxidative damage to the heart support the hypothesis, that vitamin E might have a protective role against myocardial ischemia-/reperfusion injury. In abdominal surgery efficiency of free radical scavengers has been intensively studied on animal models of hepatic ischemia and reperfusion. Examination of free radical scavengers and adenosine metabolites in liver tissue during hepatic ischemia revealed that vitamin E and glutathione levels as well as hepatic adenosine triphosphate levels are decreased during hepatic ischemia and reperfusion. The beneficial effects of alpha-tocopherol on hepatic viability and survival rate after ischemia and reperfusion demonstrated in these studies will be of great importance concerning further studies in organ preservation. In clinical kidney transplantation prevention of lipid peroxidation and improvement in kidney viability and function was demonstrated after infusion of a multivitamin cocktail in a prospective randomised study.

Antioxidants↗
PubMed1997

[Rational diagnosis in primary and recurrent pheochromocytoma].

Measurement of urine and plasmacatecholamines allows reliable diagnosis of primary and recurrent pheochromocytoma. Chromaffin tumors which are thereby not identified may safely be operated upon without preoperative high-dosage phenoxybenzamine. In more than 80% of patients, ultrasonography suffices for localizing adrenal pheochromocytoma as well as paraganglioma. CT or MRI may be helpful when malignancy is suspected. Venous catheterization and sampling is only indicated when other diagnostic procedures fail to identify the source of a proven hypersecretion of catecholamines, and thus adrenal hyperplasia is suspected.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

[Possibilities and limits of evaluation research: development of evaluation methods with an example].

Given limited resources in health care, effectiveness and efficiency of medical procedures have to be evaluated logically. Rational decision making for resource allocation in health care services is based on medical, ethical and economic aspects. Systematic observation and query of medical procedures regarding their results delivers important data to this discussion. This study on kidney and liver transplantation serves as a model, transferable to other domains of health care services, and describes the most essential questions of evaluation research: When is the medical procedure necessary, reasonable and justified? How can the quality of treatment be described and guaranteed? What represents utility in quantitative and qualitative terms?

Adult↗
PubMed1997

[Rationalization versus rationing in surgery].

In the discussion on cost savings in public health, one can differentiate between rationalisation and rationing. In this context rationalisation means increase in productivity with reduced resources, or more efficient rationing of the available means in order to obtain sufficient room for manoeuvre in the public health system. By efficient use of the existing resources and adaptation to medically appropriate and necessary options one is able to define medical standards for treatment. These treatment standards enable the preservation of medical freedom of action as well as participation in scientific-technological progress with the help of consequent evaluation of treatment patterns. This process could result in the development of a so-called priorisation, i.e. active preference of certain indications or therapies, which correspond extensively to the expectations and priorities of all concerned persons. From the medical point of view explicit rationing of health performances has to be strictly rejected.

Cost Savings↗