1/368. liver transplantation for endstage hepatitis c cirrhosis in a patient with primary hypogammaglobulinaemia.liver transplantation was performed in a patient with primary hypogammaglobulinaemia, chronic hepatitis c and hepatic failure. The immediate posttransplant period was uncomplicated. Owing to a stricture of the choledochojejunostomy the patient was reoperated with construction of a hepaticojejunostomy 11 months posttransplant. The patient remained hepatitis c virus (HCV) rna-positive, with high and increasing levels of HCV. Liver biopsies demonstrated the recurrence of HCV. 14 months after the transplantation the patient developed severe diarrhoea caused by cryptosporidium parvum. The infection did not respond to available therapeutic measures. He deteriorated with development of liver failure and died 18 months after the transplantation. The present case report illustrates the difficulties associated with organ transplantation in patients with primary hypogammaglobulinaemia.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = hepatitis, chronic hepatitis (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/368. Ileal varices associated with recurrent bleeding in a patient with liver cirrhosis.We report a rare case of massive and recurrent bleeding from ileal varices in a patient with hepatitis c virus-positive liver cirrhosis. A 66-year old woman, who had undergone laparotomy and blood transfusion 36 years before (because of an extrauterine pregnancy) and endoscopic sclerotherapy for esophageal varices 1 year previously, was admitted to our hospital with loss of bright red blood per rectum. The bleeding was massive and recurrent, and frequent blood transfusions were required. Endoscopic studies failed to find the bleeding site. In the venous phase of selective superior mesenteric angiography, mesenteric varices in the lower part of the abdominal cavity were observed. laparotomy was performed to control the repeated bleeding which had lasted for more than 1 month. Varices communicating with the right ovarian vein were found on the ileal wall and segmental resection of the ileum was performed. Histological examination demonstrated a massive varicose vein and several dilated veins in the submucosa. The patient's postoperative course was favorable, with no hemorrhagic events during a follow-up of more than 6 months after surgery. Ileal varices should be considered in the diagnosis of a patient who presents with lower gastrointestinal bleeding and portal hypertension.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.1466043144249keywords = hepatitis (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/368. Complete remission of multiple hepatocellular carcinomas associated with hepatitis c virus-related, decompensated liver cirrhosis by oral administration of enteric-coated tegafur/uracil.We report a case of complete remission of multiple hepatocellular carcinomas after oral administration of enteric-coated tegafur/uracil. A 77-yr-old woman was diagnosed as having recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma associated with decompensated liver cirrhosis. We administered enteric-coated tegafur/uracil to this patient. After 1 month of oral administration, there was a decrease in tumor markers. An image analysis showed disappearance of hepatocellular carcinoma. No recurrence of the hepatocellular carcinoma was recognized for 18 months up to the time of the patient's death, which was due to massive bleeding from a hemorrhagic rectal ulcer. At autopsy, the tumor lesion had necrotized. Oral administration of enteric-coated granules containing tegafur/uracil may provide an effective treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.58641725769959keywords = hepatitis (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/368. Recurring fibro-obliterative venopathy in liver allografts.Recurrent diseases in liver allografts are not uncommon. These occur most frequently in those transplanted for viral hepatitis B and C. We report an unusual case of recurrent process in two consecutive liver allografts received by a 37-year-old woman, who previously had an unremarkable past medical history but developed a rapidly progressive cholestatic liver failure. Histopathologic examination of the native liver showed fibroocclusive lesions of both terminal hepatic venules and portal vein branches. The exuberant fibroobliterative process created dense fibrosis with whorled appearance, and broad fibrous septa connecting adjacent central areas, and sometimes bridging portal to central areas. Dense portal fibrosis resulted in compression atrophy and loss of bile ducts. The first allograft, which failed within 3 months, showed histopathologic findings similar to that of the native liver. A liver biopsy that was performed 20 months after the second liver transplant again showed similar histopathology. The histopathologic features and clinical presentation of this patient suggest an unusual form of recurring progressive fibroobliterative venopathy causing liver failure.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.1466043144249keywords = hepatitis (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/368. Fibrosing cholestatic hepatitis in renal transplant recipients with hepatitis c virus infection.Fibrosing cholestatic hepatitis (FCH) has been described as a specific manifestation of hepatitis b virus (HBV) infection in liver allograft recipients characterized by a rapid progression to liver failure. Only sporadic cases have been reported in other immunocompromised groups infected with HBV and in a few transplant recipients with hepatitis c virus (HCV) infection. We present the occurrence of FCH in 4 HCV-infected renal transplant recipients within a series of 73 renal transplant recipients with HCV infection followed up closely serologically and with consecutive liver biopsies. All 4 patients received the triple-immunosuppressive regimen (azathioprine, cyclosporine A, methylprednisolone). The interval from transplantation to the appearance of liver dysfunction was 1 to 4 months and to histological diagnosis, 3 to 11 months. The biochemical profile was analogous to a progressive cholestatic syndrome in 3 patients, whereas the fourth patient had only slightly increased alanine aminotransferase and gamma-glutamyl transferase (gammaGT) levels. Liver histological examination showed the characteristic pattern of FCH in 2 patients, whereas the other 2 patients had changes compatible with an early stage. All patients were anti-HCV negative at the time of transplantation, whereas 2 patients, 1 with incomplete and 1with complete histological FCH features, seroconverted after 3 and 31 months, respectively. The patients were HCV rna positive at the time of the first liver biopsy and showed high serum HCV rna levels (14 to 58 x 10(6) Eq/mL, branched dna). HCV genotype was 1b in 3 patients and 3a in 1 patient. After histological diagnosis, immunosuppression was drastically reduced. Two patients died of sepsis and liver failure 16 and 18 months posttransplantation, whereas the seroconverted patients showed marked improvement of their liver disease, which was histologically verified in 1 patient. In conclusion, FCH can occur in HCV-infected renal transplant recipients. It seems to develop as a complication of a recent HCV infection during the period of maximal immunosuppression and is associated with high HCV viremia levels. There are indications that drastic reduction of immunosuppression may have a beneficial effect on the outcome of the disease.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1.6126474586739keywords = hepatitis (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/368. Sarcomatoid hepatocellular-carcinoma showing rhabdomyoblastic differentiation in the adult cirrhotic liver.An unusual case of a massive liver tumour composed of rhabdomyosarcoma with a small focus of hepatocellular carcinoma in a 52-year-old man is presented. He had hepatitis b virus (HBV) surface antigen in his serum. Macroscopically, a large tumour with satellite nodules occupied the right lobe of the cirrhotic liver. Microscopically, the tumours were composed of small and short spindle-shaped undifferentiated cells, mixed with desmin-positive round rhabdomyoblasts and elongated striated muscle cells, strongly suggestive of rhabdomyosarcoma of the liver. Elevated levels of alpha-fetoprotein in the serum led us to examine the liver tumour closely in multiple sections, which disclosed a hepatocellular carcinoma component measuring 2 cm in diameter within the massive tumour. Immunohistochemically, the hepatocellular carcinoma cells were alpha-fetoprotein positive. There was neither a tumour capsule, nor distinct demarcation, and cytokeratin-positive clusters of undifferentiated cells were intermingled with the hepatocellular carcinoma and rhabdomyosarcoma at the border. The invading tumour outside the liver and metastatic tumours were pure rhabdomyosarcomas. It is suggested that the present case should be diagnosed as rhabdomyosarcoma transformed from hepatocellular carcinoma.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.1466043144249keywords = hepatitis (Clic here for more details about this article) |
7/368. association of lamivudine resistance in recurrent hepatitis B after liver transplantation with advanced hepatic fibrosis.BACKGROUND: Orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) in patients with hepatitis b virus (HBV) infection is known to be associated with a high recurrence rate and poor prognosis. lamivudine, a nucleoside analogue, is a potent inhibitor of HBV replication, but it is associated with a 14-39% rate of resistance. methods: We report on four patients who underwent OLT for HBV infection. In all cases, the HBV infection recurred in the grafted liver and was treated with lamivudine (100 mg daily) on a compassionate-use basis. The patients were monitored closely for serum liver enzymes, hepatitis B surface antigen and HBV dna (by hybridization). Liver biopsy was performed before and after lamivudine therapy. HBV dna was amplified from serum for each patient and sequenced through a conserved polymerase domain, the tyrosine-methionine-aspartate-aspartate (YMDD) locus. RESULTS: All four patients exhibited lamivudine resistance 9-20 months after initiation of the drug. In all patients with a clinically mild disease, liver histology findings (12-24 months after lamivudine therapy) showed progressive fibrosis as compared to biopsies performed before lamivudine therapy, with a significant increase (> or =2 points) in the Knodell score in three patients. Moreover, two patients exhibited worsening of the necroinflammatory process. A mutation at the YMDD motif of the HBV polymerase gene was detected in all cases. CONCLUSIONS: lamivudine resistance frequently occurs in patients with recurrent HBV infection after OLT and is associated with advanced hepatic fibrosis and necroinflammatory process. A combination of antiviral therapies may be necessary.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.87962588654938keywords = hepatitis (Clic here for more details about this article) |
8/368. High alpha-fetoprotein level in HCV-related nodular liver cell dysplasia.The diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma is generally made in patients with a mass lesion in the cirrhotic liver if the alpha-fetoprotein level is >1,000 ng/L. Other causes of elevation of alpha-fetoprotein to this extreme degree include nonseminomatous germ cell tumor and hepatic metastasis. However, it is extremely rare for benign hepatic lesions to cause alpha-fetoprotein of > 1,000 ng/ml. We report a Chinese patient with spontaneous normalization of alpha-fetoprotein with an initial value > 10,000 ng/ml due to nodular dysplasia complicating hepatitis c-related liver cirrhosis. The alpha-fetoprotein was secreted from the dysplastic liver cells.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.1466043144249keywords = hepatitis (Clic here for more details about this article) |
9/368. Successful recanalization of late portal vein thrombosis after liver transplantation using systemic low-dose recombinant tissue plasminogen activator.portal vein thrombosis (PVT) is an infrequent complication following hepatic transplantation. However, deterioration of liver function and accompanying complications may be life threatening. Several attempts of surgical or percutaneous transhepatic procedures have been described. In some cases high dose fibrinolytic regimens have been successful. We describe the case of a male liver recipient with recurrent liver fibrosis due to hepatitis B reinfection and late portal vein thrombosis 45 months after transplantation. Complete recanalization was achieved using systemic low dose recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA).- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.1466043144249keywords = hepatitis (Clic here for more details about this article) |
10/368. Disappearance of hepatitis b virus core deletion mutants and successful combined kidney/liver transplantation in a patient treated with lamivudine.hepatitis b virus (HBV) core deletion variants with enhanced viral replication are associated with rapid deterioration of liver function in renal allograft recipients. antiviral agents such as famciclovir and lamivudine offer new treatment strategies for these patients. Appearance, accumulation and persistence of HBV core deletion mutants were closely monitored in a kidney transplant recipient with liver cirrhosis before and after initiation of antiviral treatment. Under treatment with famciclovir HBV dna concentration decreased by 50 %, HBV mutants persisted. After replacement of famciclovir by lamivudine HBV replication was reduced below the detection limit. lamivudine was well tolerated and liver function improved. After successful combined kidney/liver transplantation the patient became HBsAg and HBV dna (detected by PCR) negative under continuous hyperimmune globulin and lamivudine treatment. Antiviral therapy with lamivudine may be useful in treatment of progressive liver disease associated with HBV core deletion mutants in renal allograft recipients and may enable successful liver transplantation.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.58641725769959keywords = hepatitis (Clic here for more details about this article) |
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