佐久間 康成

BACKGROUND: Sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (SOS) after liver transplantation (LT) is a rare and potentially lethal complication. We retrospectively reviewed the outcomes of patients with post-transplant SOS. METHODS: Between May 2001 and December 2019, of 332 patients who underwent LT, 5 (1.5%) developed SOS. The median age at LT was 1.7 years (range 0.1-66.5). SOS was histopathologically diagnosed and classified as early-onset (<1 month) or late-onset. RESULTS: The median time to diagnosis of SOS was one month after LT. All patients developed acute cellular rejection before SOS, and the cause of SOS was acute cellular rejection in four patients and unknown in one. The treatment of SOS included conversion to tacrolimus from cyclosporine, intrahepatic hepatic vein stent placement, strengthening of immunosuppression, and plasma exchange. The 5-year graft survival rates in patients with and without SOS were 53.0% and 92.5%, respectively (p < 0.001). Of three patients with early-onset SOS, two patients improved and are doing well, and one patient died of graft failure four months after LT. CONCLUSIONS: The cause and treatment of post-transplant SOS are not yet defined. The poor outcomes in patients with early-onset SOS may be improved by strengthening of immunosuppression. Patients with late-onset SOS are ultimately treated by repeat LT.

BACKGROUND: Conventional therapies, including chemoembolization and radiation therapy, have been expected to prolong the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with extrahepatic metastases, which remains poor. However, little information is available on the efficacy of conventional therapies for such patients under tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) treatment. METHODS: We retrospectively investigated 127 HCC patients with extrahepatic metastases, who were divided into the non-TKI (conventional therapies) and TKI groups and further subdivided into the TKI alone and TKI plus conventional therapies groups. Conventional therapies included transcatheter arterial chemoembolization, cisplatin-based chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, and UFT, an oral chemotherapeutic agent. RESULTS: The median of the overall survival (OS) of the 127 patients with extrahepatic metastases was 7.0 months. Meanwhile, the median OS of the TKI and non-TKI groups was 12.1 and 4.1 months, respectively. Imitating TKI after diagnosing metastases promoted a favorable increase in OS. Among the TKI group, the median OS in the TKI alone group was 8.9 months. TKI plus conventional therapies promoted no improvement in OS after adjusting for the patients' background data. CONCLUSION: TKI promoted a better OS in HCC patients with extrahepatic metastases compared to conventional therapies. However, TKI plus conventional therapies promoted no improvement in the prognosis of such patients.

BACKGROUND: There is no consensus about long-term outcomes in patients with biliary atresia. We retrospectively reviewed the long-term outcomes in pediatric patients who underwent living donor liver transplantation for biliary atresia. METHODS: Between May 2001 and December 2020, 221 (73%) of 302 pediatric patients who underwent living donor liver transplantation had biliary atresia. The median age at living donor liver transplantation was 1.2 (range 0.2-16.5) years, and follow-up was 10.3 ± 5.5 years. RESULTS: The 10-year graft survival rates in patients with and without biliary atresia were 94% and 89%, respectively (P = .019). The 10-year graft survival was significantly poorer in patients ≥12 years of age (84%) versus those <12 years of age at living donor liver transplantation (0-2 years: 95%; 2-12 years: 96%) (P = .016). The causes of graft failure in patients with biliary atresia included late-onset refractory rejection (n = 6), bowel perforation (n = 2), and acute encephalitis (n = 2), as well as cerebral hemorrhage, hepatic vein thrombosis, and sepsis (n = 1 for all). All 7 patients with graft failure due to refractory rejection and hepatic vein thrombosis underwent repeated liver transplantation and are alive in 2021. The rates of post-transplant portal vein complications and early-onset acute cellular rejection in patients with biliary atresia were higher than in those without biliary atresia (P = .042 and P = .022, respectively). In 2021, of 60 adolescents with biliary atresia, 14 (23%) reported medication nonadherence. The rate of liver dysfunction due to late-onset acute cellular rejection and graft failure due to late-onset refractory rejection in patients with nonadherence was higher than in patients with satisfactory adherence (P = .009). CONCLUSION: The long-term prognosis after living donor liver transplantation in pediatric patients with biliary atresia is quite good. However, long-term support to enhance medication adherence is required in adolescents with biliary atresia.

There is little information about the outcomes of pediatric patients with hepatolithiasis after living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). We retrospectively reviewed hepatolithiasis after pediatric LDLT. Between May 2001 and December 2020, 310 pediatric patients underwent LDLT with hepaticojejunostomy. Treatment for 57 patients (18%) with post-transplant biliary strictures included interventions through double-balloon enteroscopy (DBE) in 100 times, percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD) in 43, surgical re-anastomosis in 4, and repeat liver transplantation in 3. The median age and interval at treatment were 12.3 years old and 2.4 years after LDLT, respectively. At the time of treatments, 23 patients (7%) had developed hepatolithiasis of whom 12 (52%) were diagnosed by computed tomography before treatment. Treatment for hepatolithiasis included intervention through DBE performed 34 times and PTBD 6, including lithotripsy by catheter 23 times, removal of plastic stent in 8, natural exclusion after balloon dilatation in 7, and impossibility of removal in 2. The incidence of recurrent hepatolithiasis was 30%. The 15-years graft survival rates in patients with and without hepatolithiasis were 91% and 89%, respectively (p = 0.860). Although hepatolithiasis after pediatric LDLT can be treated using interventions through DBE or PTBD and its long-term prognosis is good, the recurrence rate is somewhat high.

膵全摘では周術期血糖・栄養管理が重要である.12年間の膵全摘32例の周術期血糖・栄養状態を検討した.一期的・二期的膵全摘は各々16例で計48病変の約80%を膵管内乳頭粘液性腫瘍と浸潤性膵管癌が占めた.5年生存率は60.2%,一期的・二期的膵全摘で差はなかった.HbA1cは術前6.7%,術後1年は7.7%と上昇,prognostic nutritional index(PNI)は術前47.8,術後1年は43.0と低下した.予後因子を単変量解析すると術後1年neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio,術前platelet-lymphocyte ratio,術後1年PNIが抽出され,多変量解析では術後1年PNIが有意な因子であった.術後1年PNI 40.5未満は予後不良で,高力価パンクレアチン製剤投与群は予後良好であった.膵全摘後は正しい病態把握のもとに内外分泌治療を行うことが重要である.(著者抄録)

Polyamines are important to the survival and activation of organs and tissues via a homeostatic cell-metabolic process, and the polyamine content in cytoplasm decreases with aging. Decreases in cellular polyamine have been known to augment mutagenesis and cell death. Thus, supplementary polyamine in food is important to the prevention of aging. Here we show the anti-aging effects of oral intake of polyamine using luciferase-transgenic rats. Healthy rats, 10-12 weeks old, were given foods containing 0.01% and 0.1% (w/w) of polyamine, as compared a control food without polyamine, for 4 weeks. Using a bioimaging system, the photon intensities seen in the whole bodies and livers of rats consuming 0.1% of polyamine in food were stronger than those in rats consuming 0.01% and 0% of polyamine. However, there were no differences between groups in other characteristics, such as liver damage and body weight. In conclusion, we found that polyamine intake can activate cells throughout the whole body, providing an anti-aging effect.

BACKGROUND There is no consensus about the long-term prognosis of pediatric patients with a variety of rare liver diseases but with inherited metabolic diseases (IMDs). We retrospectively reviewed the developmental outcomes of patients with IMDs undergoing living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). MATERIAL AND METHODS Between May 2001 and December 2020, of 314 pediatric patients who underwent LDLT, 44 (14%) had IMDs. The median age at LDLT was 3.0 years old (range 0-15.0 years). Associations between the post-transplant complications and graft survival rate in patients with IMDs and biliary atresia (BA) were calculated. We evaluated the safety of LDLT from heterozygous carrier donors, the prognosis of patients with IMDs who have metabolic defects expressed in other organs, and developmental outcomes of patients with IMDs. RESULTS The 10-year graft survival rates in patients with IMDs and BA were 87% and 94%, respectively (P=0.041), and the causes of graft failure included pneumocystis pneumonia, acute lung failure, hemophagocytic syndrome, hepatic vein thrombosis, portal vein thrombosis, and sepsis. The rate of post-transplant cytomegalovirus viremia in patients with IMDs was higher than that of patients with BA (P=0.039). Of 39 patients with IMDs, 15 patients (38%) had severe motor and intellectual disabilities in 4 patients, intellectual developmental disorders including epilepsy in 2, and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in 2. Of 28 patients with IMDs, 13 (46%) needed special education. CONCLUSIONS The long-term outcomes of LDLT in patients with IMDs are good. However, further long-term social and educational follow-up regarding intellectual developmental disorders is needed.

Introduction: After kidney transplantation, patients should be treated with caution and monitored for surgical complications. Among the possible surgical complications, strangulation ileus after kidney transplantation is rare. Case presentation: A 59-year-old woman who had undergone kidney transplantation at 41 years of age presented to our hospital with lower abdominal pain. She was diagnosed with strangulation ileus and underwent emergency surgery. In the lower right abdomen, the small intestine was compressed by cord-like tissue running from the intraperitoneal space to the retroperitoneal space. We confirmed that the cord-like tissue was the ureter of the transplanted kidney. The necrotic small intestine was resected, and ureter-ureteral anastomosis of the ureter of the transplanted kidney was performed. Conclusion: All surgical procedures, including ureteroneocystostomy, require careful attention. The occurrence of some postoperative surgical complications can be prevented by carefully performing the kidney transplantation procedure.

症例は48歳の男性で,約1ヵ月前に左手外傷に対して鼠径部より採皮,植皮術を施行され,退院後より腹部違和感を自覚していた.腹部症状が増悪し意識障害も出現したため前医を受診し,造影CTで広範な門脈血栓症を認め,入院となった.翌日,下部消化管出血を認め,当院転院となった.転院時造影CTで上腸間膜静脈血栓症と診断された.小腸壊死は明らかでなく,抗凝固療法を開始し,約40日の経過で血栓はほぼ消失した.経口摂取開始後に嘔吐が出現したため,小腸造影および小腸3D-CTを撮影したところ上部空腸の器質的狭窄を認めた.転院後第59病日に小腸部分切除術を施行した.病理学的には血栓形成を伴う虚血性腸炎の診断であった.術後20日目に退院し,現在も再発は認めていない.本症例では,3D-CTが遅発性小腸狭窄の範囲の推定と切除範囲の決定に有用であった.(著者抄録)

症例は48歳の男性で,約1ヵ月前に左手外傷に対して鼠径部より採皮,植皮術を施行され,退院後より腹部違和感を自覚していた.腹部症状が増悪し意識障害も出現したため前医を受診し,造影CTで広範な門脈血栓症を認め,入院となった.翌日,下部消化管出血を認め,当院転院となった.転院時造影CTで上腸間膜静脈血栓症と診断された.小腸壊死は明らかでなく,抗凝固療法を開始し,約40日の経過で血栓はほぼ消失した.経口摂取開始後に嘔吐が出現したため,小腸造影および小腸3D-CTを撮影したところ上部空腸の器質的狭窄を認めた.転院後第59病日に小腸部分切除術を施行した.病理学的には血栓形成を伴う虚血性腸炎の診断であった.術後20日目に退院し,現在も再発は認めていない.本症例では,3D-CTが遅発性小腸狭窄の範囲の推定と切除範囲の決定に有用であった.(著者抄録)

Patients with hepatitis-associated aplastic anemia (HAA) who undergo living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT) have a poor prognosis with infections and bleeding complications. Rapid recovery of blood cells is critical for preventing these complications and improving the outcome. Immunosuppressive therapy (IST) combined with thrombopoietin receptor agonists is considered effective for aplastic anemia. However, there are no data on the benefits of adding thrombopoietin receptor agonists to IST for HAA. We present the case of a child with severe HAA who underwent LDLT, and who achieved rapid blood cell recovery with IST combined with romiplostim, a thrombopoietin receptor agonist. In addition, despite having undergone LDLT, the patient had no adverse events such as serious liver dysfunction or thrombosis. This case suggests that IST combined with thrombopoietin receptor agonists may be a promising treatment option for HAA patients undergoing LDLT.

BACKGROUND: Complications associated with ultrasonographically guided percutaneous transhepatic liver biopsy (PTLB) after liver transplantation (LT) have been rarely reported, and there is no consensus about its safety. We retrospectively reviewed the safety and outcomes of PTLB after pediatric LT. METHODS: Between January 2008 and December 2019, 8/1122 (0.71%) pediatric patients who underwent ultrasonographically guided PTLB after LT developed complications. The median age at PTLB was 7.8 years (range 0.1-17.9). Grafts included left lobe/left lateral segment in 1050 patients and others in 72. PTLB was performed using local anesthesia±sedation in 1028 patients and general anesthesia in 94. RESULTS: Complications after PTLB included acute cholangitis in 3 patients, sepsis in 2, respiratory failure due to over-sedation in 1, subcapsular hematoma in 1, and intrahepatic arterioportal fistula in 1. The incidence of complications of PTLB in patients with biopsy alone and those with simultaneous interventions was 0.49% and 3.19%, respectively (p = .023). Patients who developed acute cholangitis, respiratory failure, subcapsular hematoma, and arterioportal fistula improved with non-operative management. Of two patients with sepsis, one underwent PTLB and percutaneous transhepatic portal vein balloon dilatation and developed fever and seizures the following day. Sepsis was treated with antibiotic therapy. Another patient who underwent PTLB and exchange of percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage catheter developed fever and impaired consciousness immediately. Sepsis was treated with antibiotic therapy, mechanical ventilation, and continuous hemofiltration. CONCLUSIONS: Percutaneous transhepatic liver biopsy after pediatric LT is safe. However, combining liver biopsy with simultaneous procedures for vascular and biliary complications is associated with an increased risk of complications.

症例は37歳,女性.25歳で偶発的に膵体尾部に嚢胞性病変を指摘され,精査目的に当院消化器内科に紹介された.腹部造影CTとMRI検査では膵尾部に約5cmの嚢胞性腫瘤を認め膵粘液性嚢胞腫瘍(mucinous cystic neoplasm:MCN)が疑われたが,経過観察の方針となった.32歳時の第2子妊娠を契機に経過観察が一時中断となり,5年後の37歳に再診した.嚢胞性腫瘤は多房化し,大きさ6cmへの増大を認め,血清CA19-9の上昇を伴ったことから手術目的に消化器外科紹介となった.腹腔鏡下膵体尾部脾摘術を施行し,術後経過は良好で術後11日目に退院した.病理組織像では卵巣様間質を認め,微小浸潤を伴った膵粘液性嚢胞腺癌の診断であった.MCNの自然史を解明するには長期経過観察例の集積が必要である.(著者抄録)

症例は37歳,女性.25歳で偶発的に膵体尾部に嚢胞性病変を指摘され,精査目的に当院消化器内科に紹介された.腹部造影CTとMRI検査では膵尾部に約5cmの嚢胞性腫瘤を認め膵粘液性嚢胞腫瘍(mucinous cystic neoplasm:MCN)が疑われたが,経過観察の方針となった.32歳時の第2子妊娠を契機に経過観察が一時中断となり,5年後の37歳に再診した.嚢胞性腫瘤は多房化し,大きさ6cmへの増大を認め,血清CA19-9の上昇を伴ったことから手術目的に消化器外科紹介となった.腹腔鏡下膵体尾部脾摘術を施行し,術後経過は良好で術後11日目に退院した.病理組織像では卵巣様間質を認め,微小浸潤を伴った膵粘液性嚢胞腺癌の診断であった.MCNの自然史を解明するには長期経過観察例の集積が必要である.(著者抄録)

Maternal T cells from perinatal transplacental passage have been identified in up to 40% of patients with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID). Although engrafted maternal T cells sometimes injure newborn tissue, liver failure due to maternal T cells has not been reported. We rescued a boy with X-linked SCID who developed liver failure due to engrafted maternal T cell invasion following living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) following unrelated umbilical cord blood transplantation (UCBT). After developing respiratory failure 3 weeks postpartum, he was diagnosed with X-linked SCID. Pathological findings showed maternal T cells engrafted in his liver and hepatic fibrosis gradually progressed. He underwent UCBT at 6 months, but hepatic function did not recover and liver failure progressed. Therefore, he underwent LDLT using an S2 monosegment graft at age 1.3 years. The patient had a leak at the Roux-en-Y anastomosis, which was repaired. Despite occasional episodes of pneumonia and otitis media, he is generally doing well 6 years after LDLT with continued immunosuppression agents. In conclusion, the combination of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and liver transplantation may be efficacious, and HSCT should precede liver transplantation for children with X-linked SCID and liver failure.