We describe a patient with liver metastases from colorectal cancer treated with chemotherapy and hepatic resection, who developed unresectable multifocal liver recurrence and who received liver transplantation using a novel planned technique: heterotopic transplantation of segment 2‐3 in the splenic fossa with splenectomy and delayed hepatectomy after regeneration of the transplanted graft. We transplanted a segmental liver graft after in‐situ splitting without any impact on the waiting list, as it was previously rejected for pediatric and adult transplantation. The volume of the graft was insufficient to provide liver function to the recipient, so we performed this novel operation. The graft was anastomosed to the splenic vessels after splenectomy, and the native liver portal flow was modulated to enhance graft regeneration, leaving the native recipient liver intact. The volume of the graft doubled during the next two weeks and the native liver was removed. After 8 months, the patient lives with a functioning liver in the splenic fossa and without abdominal tumor recurrence. This is the first case reported of a segmental graft transplanted replacing the spleen and modulating the portal flow to favor graft growth, with delayed native hepatectomy.
Background: The role of machine perfusion after kidney transplantation (KT) in extended criteria donors (ECD) is unclear, and the current evidence in the literature remains controversial.Methods: We present an open‐label single center randomized trial where 109 patients undergoing KT with ECD grafts between January 2019 and December 2022 were randomized to receive kidneys treated with either hypothermic oxygenated perfusion (HOPE, n = 54) or static cold storage (SCS, n = 55) alone. The primary endpoint was the incidence of delayed graft function (DGF). The secondary endpoints included postoperative complications and graft function and survival in the first year after KT.Results: The trial failed to meet its primary endpoint. DGF developed in 31 (57%) and 37 (67%) patients in the HOPE and SCS groups, respectively (p = 0.3). Posthoc analysis showed that HOPE was associated with a lower risk for DGF for grafts from donors aged 60 years or older (OR 0.32, 95% CI 0.12–0.87, p = 0.026) and in patients undergoing dual KTs (OR 0.22, 95% CI 0.06–0.87, p = 0.031).Conclusions: HOPE does not reduce the rate of DGF after KT in ECD donors. However, HOPE appears to be associated with better outcomes in the case of older donors and dual KTs.
Background: Colorectal liver metastases (CRLM) occur in up to 50% of colorectal cancer with a significant impact on patient survival, of whom only 20–30% will be considered suitable for surgical treatment. Despite the progress in systemic therapies, palliative chemotherapy alone results in a 5-year overall survival (OS) < 10%. Recently, liver transplantation (LT) has been reconsidered as an option and demonstrates improved survival in highly selected patients. This study assessed the impact of implementing a standardised patient selection protocol (LITORALE) on post-transplant outcomes for unresectable CRLM (uCRLM) at a high-volume single centre. Methods: This is a prospective observational study including all consecutive patients transplanted for uCRLM at our institution between July 2015 and September 2024. This prospective observational study evaluated the impact of the LITORALE protocol on post-transplant outcomes in uCRLM patients at a single centre. Patients who underwent LT between July 2015 and September 2024 were grouped into pre-LITORALE (2015–2021) and LITORALE (post-2021) cohorts. Recipient profiles, transplant variables, and post-transplant outcomes were compared. Results: Twenty-one patients were included (eight pre-LITORALE, thirteen LITORALE). The LITORALE group had a lower median number of lesions (4 vs. 17.5, p = 0.004), a smaller major lesion size (3 cm vs. 5.5 cm, p = 0.082), and a significantly lower tumour burden score (6.32 vs. 18.02, p = 0.002). Similar to recent major clinical trials, one- and three-years OS were 100% and 83%, respectively, after protocol introduction; recurrence patterns were significantly different, with reduced multi-site recurrences (7.7% vs. 50%, p = 0.048) and a higher incidence of lung-only recurrences in the LITORALE group (50% vs. 0%, p = 0.033). Conclusions: The introduction of the LITORALE protocol significantly influenced patient selection and recurrence patterns in LT for uCRLM. Although the limited number of patients and the short study timespan highlight the need for future validation, these preliminary results support the adoption of structured, multidisciplinary criteria to optimise oncologic outcomes.
Hepatic resection (HR) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) may require secondary liver transplantation (SLT). However, a previous HR is supposed to worsen post-SLT outcomes. Data of patients treated by SLT between 2000 and 2018 at two tertiary referral centers were analyzed. The primary outcome of the study was to analyze the impact of HR on post-LT complications. A Comprehensive Complication Index ≥ 29.6 was chosen as cutoff. The secondary outcome was HCC-related death by means of competing-risk regression analysis. In the study period, 140 patients were included. Patients were transplanted in a median of 23 months after HR (IQR 14–41). Among all the features analyzed regarding the prior HR, only time interval between HR and SLT (time HR-SLT) was an independent predictor of severe complications after LT (OR = 0.98, p < 0.001). According to fractional polynomial regression, the probability of severe complications increased up to 15 months after HR (43%), then slowly decreased over time (OR = 0.88, p < 0.001). There was no significant association between HCC-related death and time HR-SLT at the multivariable competing risks regression model (SHR, 1.06; 95% CI: 0.69–1.62, p = 0.796). This study showed that time HR-SLT was key in predicting complications after LT, without affecting HCC-related death.
Introduction: Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is the second most common primary tumor of the liver, and the recurrence after hepatic resection (HR), the only curative therapy, is linked with a worse prognosis. Systemic chemotherapy (SC) and liver loco-regional treatments, like trans-arterial chemoembolization (TACE) or radio embolization (TARE), have been employed for the treatment of unresectable intrahepatic metastasis (IM) with benefit on overall survival (OS), but SC has a limited effect on peritoneal metastasis (PM). In the last years, novel treatments like electrochemotherapy (ECT) with bleomycine (BLM) for IM and cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS and HIPEC) for PM have been applied in small series but with encouraging results. We hereby describe the first synchronous application of ECT and CRS and HIPEC for the treatment of a patient with IM and PM from CCA.Case Description: A 47-year-old male patient with CCA underwent HR followed by adjuvant SC. After 14 months, for the occurrence of IM, the patient underwent a second HR and SC. Nonetheless, a new recurrence occurred and a third attempt of HR was proposed. Due to the intraoperative finding of unresectable IM with PM, no resective procedure was performed and the patient was referred to our center. CRS and HIPEC with cisplatin and mitomycin for PM and ECT with BLM on a bulky metastasis of the hepatic hilum were performed after 38 months from the first HR. The length of hospital stay was 19 days. At the computed tomography (CT) performed 11 days after treatment complete necrosis of the treated IM was detected.Results: CT scan after 3 and 6 months and magnetic resonance after 9 months were performed. Necrosis of the treated IM nor PM but progression of the residual liver lesions was observed. After 3 months, the patient received SC and underwent TACE after 8 months and TARE after 9 months for the residual liver metastases. At 14 months from CRS and HIPEC, the patient is alive, in good condition, and with stability of the disease.Conclusions: The association of ECT and CRS and HIPEC could be safe and effective for the treatment of unresectable recurrent intrahepatic CCA with PM.