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Clin Transplant 2019 Feb 17:e13497. Epub 2019 Feb 17.

Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA.

Background: Strongyloides stercoralis infects 100 million people worldwide. Mortality rates in hyperinfection syndrome exceed 50%. Donor-derived Strongyloides infection has occurred after heart, kidney, kidney-pancreas and liver transplantation; yet, only 10% of the U. Read More

Clin Transplant 2019 Feb 17:e13499. Epub 2019 Feb 17.

Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit Street, GRB 005, Boston, MA, 02114.

These updated guidelines from the Infectious Diseases Community of Practice of the American Society of Transplantation review the management of transplantation in HIV infected individuals. Transplantation has become the standard of care for patients with HIV and end stage kidney or liver disease. Although less data exist for thoracic organ and pancreas transplantation, it is likely that transplantation is also safe and effective for these recipients as well. Read More

J Visc Surg 2019 Feb 14. Epub 2019 Feb 14.

Service de chirurgie hépatique, pancréatique, biliaire et transplantation hépatique, pôle des pathologies digestives, hépatiques et de la transplantation, université de Strasbourg, hôpital de Hautepierre-Hôpitaux universitaires de Strasbourg, 1, avenue Molière, 67098 Strasbourg, France.

The circumportal pancreas (CPP) is a normal though rare anatomical variant of the pancreas resulting from fusion of ventral and dorsal pancreatic buds during embryogenesis. Preoperative imaging in a 69-year-old man displayed the presence of a CPP completely encasing the portal vein. For pancreatic resection, missing a CPP is associated with a higher risk of postoperative complications. Read More

Diabetes Care 2019 Feb 14. Epub 2019 Feb 14.

Department of Renal and Pancreatic Transplantation, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, U.K.

Objective: People with type 1 diabetes and kidney failure have an increased risk for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). Simultaneous pancreas and kidney transplantation (SPKT) improves survival, but the long-term risk for MACE is uncertain.

Research Design And Methods: We assessed the frequency and risk factors for MACE (defined as fatal cardiovascular disease and nonfatal myocardial infarction or stroke) and related nonfatal MACE to allograft failure in SPKT recipients with type 1 diabetes who underwent transplantation between 2001 and 2015 in the U. Read More

Curr Opin Organ Transplant 2019 Feb 11. Epub 2019 Feb 11.

Division of Pediatric Transplantation, Department of Surgery, Hillman Center for Pediatric Transplantation, UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Thomas E. Starzl Transplant Institute, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, USA.

Purpose Of Review: Over the past decades, visceral transplantation has become the standard of care for patients with irreversible intestinal failure who suffer complications of total parenteral nutrition (TPN). Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after solid organ transplantation is a rare but often fatal complication with high mortality. GVHD after intestinal transplantation, given the large lymphoid content of the graft, is more frequent compared with other solid organs. Read More

J Immunother Cancer 2019 Feb 13;7(1):45. Epub 2019 Feb 13.

Tumor Immunology Unit, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 58, 20132, Milan, Italy.

Background: The thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), a key cytokine for development of Th2 immunity, is produced by cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in pancreatic cancer where predominant tumor infiltrating Th2 over Th1 cells correlates with reduced patients' survival. Which cells and molecules are mostly relevant in driving TSLP secretion by CAFs in pancreatic cancer is not defined.

Methods: We performed in vitro, in vivo and ex-vivo analyses. Read More

Stem Cell Res Ther 2019 Feb 13;10(1):53. Epub 2019 Feb 13.

Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel.

Background: Insulin-dependent diabetes is a multifactorial disorder that could be theoretically cured by functional pancreatic islets and insulin-producing cell (IPC) implantation. Regenerative medicine approaches include the potential for growing tissues and organs in the laboratory and transplanting them when the body cannot heal itself. However, several obstacles remain to be overcome in order to bring regenerative medicine approach for diabetes closer to its clinical implementation; the cells generated in vitro are typically of heterogenic and immature nature and the site of implantation should be readily vascularized for the implanted cells to survive in vivo. Read More

JAMA Surg 2019 Feb 13. Epub 2019 Feb 13.

Dumont-UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) Transplant and Liver Cancer Center, Division of Liver and Pancreas Transplantation, Department of Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA.

Importance: Anastomotic biliary complications (ABCs) constitute the most common technical complications in liver transplant (LT). Given the ever-increasing acuity of LT, identification of factors contributing to ABCs is essential to minimize morbidity and optimize outcomes. A detailed analysis in a patient population undergoing high-acuity LT is lacking. Read More

J Diabetes Complications 2019 Jan 4. Epub 2019 Jan 4.

Ist Department of Internal Diseases, University Hospital Martin and Jessenius Medical Faculty of Comenius University, Slovak Republic.

Introduction: Sex differences are defined as biology-linked differences between women and men that occur through the sex chromosomes and their effects on organ systems.

Material And Methods: The objective of this prospective study was to determine risk factors for post-transplant diabetes mellitus (PTDM) in men and women.

Results: A total of 417 patients (271 men and 146 women) were included in the monitored group. Read More

Acta Radiol 2019 Feb 12:284185119828190. Epub 2019 Feb 12.

2 Surgical Department, Section of Transplant Surgery, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.

Background: Arterial and venous thrombosis are feared complications of pancreas transplantation (PTx). Microbubble contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) is a non-invasive imaging technique that can augment diagnostic capabilities of transplant organ perfusion.

Purpose: To document the state to which CEUS can improve the vascular evaluation of PTx compared to conventional Doppler ultrasound (US) directly after surgery. Read More

Int J Surg Case Rep 2019 Feb 5;55:187-191. Epub 2019 Feb 5.

Department of General, Visceral, Thoracic and Transplantation Surgery, Department of Pathology, Clinics for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Katharinenhospital Klinikum Stuttgart, Germany.

Background: Intraductal tubular papillary neoplasm (ITPN) displays a very rare subtype of epithelial neoplasms of the pancreas. ITPN is characterized by intraductal tubulopapillary growth and cellular dysplasia. In contrast to intraductal papillary neoplasm (IPMN) no overt epithelial mucin production is observed. Read More

Am J Transplant 2019 Feb 12. Epub 2019 Feb 12.

Division of Transplantation, Department of Surgery.

Single-center studies have demonstrated regional organ procurement collaboration to reduce travel redundancy and improve procurement efficiency. We studied deceased donor kidney, liver, and pancreas transplants performed in the U.S. Read More

Ann Transplant 2019 Feb 11;24:75-83. Epub 2019 Feb 11.

Division of Kidney and Pancreas Transplantation, Department of Surgery, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.

BACKGROUND The permissible extent of pretransplant dialysis for patient and allograft survival is unclear. We assumed that a short period of dialysis before living donor kidney transplantation (LDKT) will show the similar results as preemptive kidney transplantation (PKT). MATERIAL AND METHODS We retrospectively evaluated the outcomes of LDKT according to pretransplant dialysis duration in both unmatched cohorts (n=1984) and propensity-score-matched cohorts (n=986) cohorts. Read More

Langenbecks Arch Surg 2019 Feb 9. Epub 2019 Feb 9.

Department of HPB surgery and liver transplantation, Beaujon Hospital, APHP, University Paris VII, 100 boulevard du General Leclerc, 92110, Clichy, France.

Introduction: Risk factors of postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) after laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy (LDP) are not well known and were studied, including the stapler cartridge size and drainage modality.

Methods: Between January 2008 and December 2016, 181 LDP were performed and the pancreas was sectioned by stapler in 130 patients (72%). Patients received white (2. Read More

Sci Rep 2019 Feb 7;9(1):1636. Epub 2019 Feb 7.

Department of Clinical Application, Center for iPS cell Research and Application, Kyoto, Japan.

During embryogenesis, exocrine and endocrine pancreatic tissues are formed in distinct regions within the branched ductal structure in mice. We previously reported that exocrine-specific inactivation of Pdx1 by Elastase-Cre caused not only hypoplastic exocrine formation but also substantial endocrine defects resulting in diabetic phenotype, indicating the existence of an exocrine-driven factor(s) that regulates proper endocrine development. In this study, we identified Trefoil Factor 2 (TFF2) as an exocrine gene expressed from embryonic day 16. Read More

Oncotarget 2019 Jan 11;10(4):437-448. Epub 2019 Jan 11.

Department of Renal Medicine and Transplant Nephrology, Manchester Royal Infirmary, Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK.

Background: Central Nervous System (CNS) lymphoma is a rare presentation of post-transplantation lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD).

Methods: This single center retrospective study reviewed presentations, management and outcomes of CNS lymphomas in kidney transplant patients transplanted 1968 to 2015, and reviews relevant current literature.

Results: We identified 5773 adult kidney transplant recipients of who 90 had a PTLD diagnosis confirmed. Read More

Sci Rep 2019 Feb 6;9(1):1490. Epub 2019 Feb 6.

Section of Gene Expression Regulation, Frontier Science Research Center, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan.

Human tissue-specific stem cells (hTSCs), found throughout the body, can differentiate into several lineages under appropriate conditions in vitro and in vivo. By transfecting terminally differentiated cells with reprogramming factors, we previously produced induced TSCs from the pancreas and hepatocytes that exhibit additional properties than iPSCs, as exemplified by very low tumour formation after xenogenic transplantation. We hypothesised that hTSCs, being partially reprogrammed in a state just prior to iPSC transition, could be isolated from any terminally differentiated cell type through transient reprogramming factor overexpression. Read More

Ann Transplant 2019 Feb 7;24:70-74. Epub 2019 Feb 7.

Department of Transplant, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Methodist University Hospital Transplant Institute, Memphis, TN, USA.

Iliac artery calcification is a common phenomenon complicating renal transplantation, particularly in those with diabetes. The potential for vascular clamp injury can threaten the renal allograft, ipsilateral lower extremity, or both. Utilization of internal balloon occlusion can allow for placement of a "Chimney Patch" graft, fashioned from a deceased donor artery, to the calcified vessel, eliminating the risk of clamp injury and minimizing warm ischemic time. Read More

Rinsho Ketsueki 2019 ;60(1):12-16

Department of Hematology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City University.

In allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), ascites may develop owing to several causes, including sinusoidal obstruction syndrome, infections, malignancies, and malnutrition. However, it is often difficult to determine its precise cause. Here, a 59-year-old male developed chylous ascites three months post allogeneic bone marrow transplantation for relapsed acute myeloid leukemia. Read More

Cardiovasc Intervent Radiol 2019 Feb 6. Epub 2019 Feb 6.

Interventional Radiology, Freeman Hospital, Freeman Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE7 7DN, UK.

Pseudoaneurysms after visceral transplantation represent a significant risk to patients. We report the successful treatment of three transplant (pancreas, liver and kidney) artery anastomotic pseudoaneurysms using physician-modified fenestrated endovascular stent grafts. In all cases, surgical repair was considered high risk and would have compromised the arterial supply to the graft. Read More

Hepatology 2019 Feb 5. Epub 2019 Feb 5.

Biomedical Research Center, Northwest Minzu University, Lanzhou, China.

Recently, Drinane et al. presented the case of a kidney-pancreas transplant patient with chronic hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection who failed to clear HEV after two courses of ribavirin, and who thereafter eradicated HEV when ribavirin was combined to sofosbuvir. The authors claimed that sofosbuvir has a therapeutic activity against HEV. Read More

Nat Commun 2019 Feb 5;10(1):451. Epub 2019 Feb 5.

Center for Genetic Analysis of Behavior, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, 444-8787, Aichi, Japan.

Regeneration of human kidneys in animal models would help combat the severe shortage of donors in transplantation therapy. Previously, we demonstrated by interspecific blastocyst complementation between mouse and rats, generation of pluripotent stem cell (PSC)-derived functional pancreas, in apancreatic Pdx1 mutant mice. We, however, were unable to obtain rat PSC-derived kidneys in anephric Sall1 mutant mice, likely due to the poor contribution of rat PSCs to the mouse metanephric mesenchyme, a nephron progenitor. Read More

Stem Cells Transl Med 2019 Feb 5. Epub 2019 Feb 5.

Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a common spontaneous endocrine disorder in dogs, which is defined by persistent hyperglycemia and insulin deficiency. Like type 1 diabetes (T1D) in people, canine DM is a complex and multifactorial disease in which genomic and epigenomic factors interact with environmental cues to induce pancreatic β-cell loss and insulin deficiency, although the pathogenesis of canine DM is poorly defined and the role of autoimmunity is further controversial. Both diseases are incurable and require life-long exogenous insulin therapy to maintain glucose homeostasis. Read More

J Gastrointest Surg 2019 Feb 4. Epub 2019 Feb 4.

Department of Surgery, University of Chicago Medical Center, Transplantation Institute, 5841 S. Maryland Ave. MC5027, Room J-517, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.

Introduction: We assessed whether positive microbiological cultures from the islet preparation had any effect on the risk of infectious complications (IC) after total pancreatectomy with islet autotransplantation (TPIAT) in our center.

Methods: We analyzed preservation fluid and final islet product surveillance cultures with reference to clinical data of patients undergoing TPIAT. All patients received routine prophylactic broad-spectrum antibiotics. Read More

J Pathol 2019 Feb 4. Epub 2019 Feb 4.

Swiss Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Center, Department of Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland.

Proliferation of pancreatic acinar cells is a critical process in the pathophysiology of pancreatic diseases, because limited or defective proliferation is associated with organ dysfunction and patient morbidity. In this context, elucidating the signalling pathways that trigger and sustain acinar proliferation is pivotal to develop therapeutic interventions promoting the regenerative process of the organ. In this study we used genetic and pharmacological approaches to manipulate both local and systemic levels of thyroid hormones to elucidate their role in acinar proliferation following caerulein-mediated acute pancreatitis in mice. Read More

Ann Vasc Surg 2019 Jan 31. Epub 2019 Jan 31.

Department of Surgery and Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.

Pseudoaneurysm after pancreas transplantation has a reported incidence of 1.4% to 8.0% and may be caused by perioperative infection. Read More

J Am Coll Surg 2019 Jan 30. Epub 2019 Jan 30.

Division of Kidney and Pancreas Transplantation, Department of Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN.

Background: The new kidney allocation systems (KAS) instituted December 2014 permitted A2 to B deceased donor kidney transplantation (DDKTx) to improve access and reduce disparities in wait time for minorities. A recent United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) analysis, however, indicated only 4.5% of B candidates were registered for A2 kidneys. Read More

Acad Radiol 2019 Jan 29. Epub 2019 Jan 29.

Bernal Institute, School of Engineering, University of Limerick, Limerick, V94T9PX, Ireland; Health Research Institute, University of Limerick, Limerick, V94T9PX, Ireland.

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is characterized by hyperglycemia, owing to the loss of pancreatic β cells in response to an autoimmune reaction leading to a state of absolute insulin deficiency. T1DM treatment is shifting from exogenous insulin replacement therapy toward pancreatic β-cell replacement, to restore physiologically responsive insulin secretion to variations in blood glucose levels. β-cell replacement strategies include human whole pancreas transplantation, islet transplantation with cell encapsulation and bioengineered pancreas. Read More

Acta Oncol 2019 Jan 30:1-8. Epub 2019 Jan 30.

d Abdominal Centre , Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University, Copenhagen , Denmark.

Background: Patients undergoing curative surgery for cancers of the pancreas, duodenum or bile ducts currently attend follow-up at specialized centers. Traditionally, follow-up after cancer has focused on cancer relapse. The Danish Health and Medicines Authority has recently pushed for a wider focus incorporating patients' individual needs and concerns during cancer rehabilitation. Read More

Ann Gastroenterol Surg 2019 Jan 8;3(1):34-42. Epub 2018 Oct 8.

Division of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery and Transplantation Department of Surgery Graduate School of Medicine University of Kyoto Kyoto Japan.

Pancreatic islet transplantation provides an effective treatment option for patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D) with intractable impaired awareness of hypoglycemia and severe hypoglycemic events. Currently, the primary goal of islet transplantation should be excellent glycemic control without severe hypoglycemia, rather than insulin independence. Islet transplant recipients were less likely to achieve insulin independence, whereas solid pancreas transplant recipients substantially had greater procedure-related morbidity. Read More

Am J Stem Cells 2018 1;7(5):104-113. Epub 2018 Dec 1.

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular & Cellular Biology, Georgetown University Medical Center 3900 Reservoir Road NW, Washington DC 20007, USA.

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is an autoimmune disorder in which the body destroys its pancreatic β cells. Since these cells are responsible for insulin production, dysfunction or destruction of these cells necessitates blood glucose control through exogenous insulin shots. Curative treatment involves pancreas transplantation, but due to the incidence of transplant rejection and complications associated with immunosuppression, alternatives are being explored. Read More

Curr Opin Organ Transplant 2019 Jan 28. Epub 2019 Jan 28.

Division of Liver and Pancreas Transplantation, Department of Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA.

Purpose Of Review: Despite advances in the field, perioperative morbidity is common after liver transplantation. This review examines the current literature to provide up-to-date management of common surgical complications associated with liver transplantation.

Recent Findings: Research focuses on problems with anastomoses of the vena cava, portal vein, hepatic artery, and bile ducts. Read More

J Surg Res 2019 Mar 2;235:288-297. Epub 2018 Nov 2.

Institute for Cellular Medicine, Faculty Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK; NIHR Blood and Transplant Research Unit (Cambridge/Newcastle), The Institute of Transplantation, The Freeman Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.

Background: Pancreas transplantation restores insulin secretion in type 1 diabetes mellitus. The graft also produces exocrine secretions that can be drained enterically (enteric drainage [ED]) or via the bladder (bladder drainage [BD]). We suggest that in BD transplants, such secretions destroy bladder innate immunity, specifically host defense peptides/proteins (HDPs), which increases patient susceptibility to recurrent urinary tract infections (rUTIs). Read More

Clin Nucl Med 2019 Jan 25. Epub 2019 Jan 25.

From the Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET/CT, Apollo Hospitals, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.

Whole pancreatic transplant and islet cells transplantation are currently available strategies aiming toward diabetes cure. Beta cell specific noninvasive functional imaging using novel PET radiotracers are now available and can be used for beta cell imaging and quantification. Herein we describe a spectrum of 2 cases demonstrating beta cell targeted imaging using Ga-DOTA-exendin-4 PET/CT in patients with diabetes after simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation. Read More

Ann Transplant 2019 Jan 25;24:52-56. Epub 2019 Jan 25.

Department of Transplant Surgery, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.

Cell Transplant 2019 Jan 24:963689718823505. Epub 2019 Jan 24.

1 Diabetes Research Institute, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, FL, USA.

The need for chronic immune suppression (IS) is one of the hurdles precluding widespread use of islet cell transplantation to restore glycemic control in patients with type 1 diabetes. We report the case of a healthy nonhuman primate (NHP) treated on and off for over 2.5 years with steroid-free IS, consisting of daclizumab induction and maintenance therapy with rapamycin and low dose tacrolimus. Read More

Visc Med 2018 Dec 13;34(6):436-438. Epub 2018 Nov 13.

Department of General, Visceral, Transplantation, Vascular and Thoracic Surgery, University of Munich, LMU, Munich, Germany.

Acute pancreatitis is a common disease characterized by acinar cell destruction and acute inflammatory changes of the pancreas that lead to a systemic inflammatory response. A major research effort has been undertaken to unravel the underlying pathophysiology and to identify possible therapeutic targets. Still, only very few findings have influenced our clinical practice in the treatment of acute pancreatitis. Read More

JAMA Dermatol 2019 Jan 23. Epub 2019 Jan 23.

Department of Dermatology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco.

Importance: Risk factors for the development of skin cancer after solid-organ transplant can inform clinical care, but data on these risk factors are limited.

Objective: To study the association between HLA antigen mismatch and skin cancer incidence after solid-organ transplant.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This retrospective cohort study is a secondary analysis of the multicenter Transplant Skin Cancer Network study of 10 649 adults who underwent a primary solid-organ transplant between January 1, 2003, and December 31, 2003, or between January 1, 2008, and December 31, 2008. Read More

Stem Cell Reports 2019 Feb 17;12(2):351-365. Epub 2019 Jan 17.

Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Lipid Research, Washington University School of Medicine, Campus Box 8127, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, 1 Brookings Drive, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA. Electronic address:

Recent advances in human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC) differentiation protocols have generated insulin-producing cells resembling pancreatic β cells. While these stem cell-derived β (SC-β) cells are capable of undergoing glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS), insulin secretion per cell remains low compared with islets and cells lack dynamic insulin release. Herein, we report a differentiation strategy focused on modulating transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) signaling, controlling cellular cluster size, and using an enriched serum-free media to generate SC-β cells that express β cell markers and undergo GSIS with first- and second-phase dynamic insulin secretion. Read More

Cell 2019 Feb 17;176(4):790-804.e13. Epub 2019 Jan 17.

Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA. Electronic address:

The pancreatic islets of Langerhans regulate glucose homeostasis. The loss of insulin-producing β cells within islets results in diabetes, and islet transplantation from cadaveric donors can cure the disease. In vitro production of whole islets, not just β cells, will benefit from a better understanding of endocrine differentiation and islet morphogenesis. Read More

Pancreatology 2019 Jan 11. Epub 2019 Jan 11.

Department of General Surgery, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072, China. Electronic address:

Background: Severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) is a high mortality disease, for which there is a lack of effective therapies. Previous research has demonstrated that bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs), which have immunomodulatory and antioxidant properties, have potential for the treatment of SAP. It remains unclear, however, whether the free radical scavenger N-acetylcysteine (NAC) can enhance the therapeutic efficacy of BMSC transplantation in SAP. Read More

Clin Transplant 2019 Jan 19:e13481. Epub 2019 Jan 19.

NIHR Blood and Transplant Research Unit, Institute of Transplantation, Freeman Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.

Substance abuse is unfortunately common in organ donors. Often, these organs are declined for transplant, not only because of concerns around blood-borne virus transmission but also because of perceived poor outcomes. In kidney transplantation, previous studies have demonstrated donor smoking status significantly impacts transplant outcome, but intravenous drug use or alcohol dependence does not. Read More

Surg Obes Relat Dis 2018 Nov 28. Epub 2018 Nov 28.

The Dumont UCLA Transplant Center, Division of Liver and Pancreas Transplantation, Department of Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California. Electronic address:

Background: Though intestinal failure (IF) after bariatric surgery (BS) is uncommon, its prevalence is increasing. However, data on the outcomes for these patients are limited.

Objectives: To analyze the outcomes of treatment for patients with IF after BS. Read More

Endoscopy 2019 Feb 17;51(2):179-193. Epub 2019 Jan 17.

Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

ESGE suggests endoscopic therapy and/or extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL) as the first-line therapy for painful uncomplicated chronic pancreatitis (CP) with an obstructed main pancreatic duct (MPD) in the head/body of the pancreas. The clinical response should be evaluated at 6 - 8 weeks; if it appears unsatisfactory, the patient's case should be discussed again in a multidisciplinary team and surgical options should be considered.Weak recommendation, low quality evidence. Read More

Molecules 2019 Jan 15;24(2). Epub 2019 Jan 15.

Department of Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45147 Essen, Germany.

The aim of this study was to elucidate the impact of autologous umbilical cord blood cells (USSC) on bone regeneration and biomechanical stability in an ovine tibial bone defect. Ovine USSC were harvested and characterized. After 12 months, full-size 2. Read More

J Diabetes Res 2018 10;2018:2309108. Epub 2018 Dec 10.

University Hospital of Würzburg, Department of Neurology, 97080 Würzburg, Germany.

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is a common complication of diabetes with potential severe consequences. Its pathogenesis involves hyperglycemia-linked mechanisms, which may include changes in the expression of neurotrophic growth factors. We analyzed the expression of 29 factors potentially related to nerve degeneration and regeneration in skin biopsies from 13 type 1 diabetic pancreas and kidney recipients with severe DPN including severe depletion of intraepidermal nerve fibers (IENF) in lower limb skin biopsies (group Tx1 1st examination). Read More

Ann Transplant 2019 Jan 15;24:30-35. Epub 2019 Jan 15.

Department of General, Visceral and Transplant Surgery, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.

BACKGROUND Therapy of peritoneal metastases (PM) in solid organ transplant recipients is challenging. Pressurized intraperitoneal aerosol chemotherapy (PIPAC) might constitute a new therapeutic opportunity for these patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS This was a single-center, retrospective analysis of prospective registry data (NCT03210298) in a tertiary care center between 1. Read More

Dig Dis Sci 2019 Jan 14. Epub 2019 Jan 14.

Liver and Pancreas Transplant and Hepatobiliary Surgery Unit, Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Rua Ramiro Barcelos 2350, 6th Floor, Room 600, Porto Alegre, 90035-903, Brazil.

Background: Although MELD score is a reliable tool for estimating mortality in the waiting list, criteria for preoperative prediction of survival after liver transplantation (LT) are lacking. ALBI score was validated as a prognostic marker for hepatocellular carcinoma patients undergoing transarterial chemoembolization, hepatic resection, and sorafenib treatment but not for LT outcomes yet. This study aimed to evaluate ALBI score as a prognostic factor in LT. Read More

Anat Cell Biol 2018 Dec 29;51(4):232-235. Epub 2018 Dec 29.

Department of Anatomy, St. John's Medical College, Bangalore, India.

Portal vein provides about three-fourths of liver's blood supply. Portal vein is formed behind the neck of pancreas, at the level of the second lumbar vertebra and formed from the convergence of superior mesenteric and splenic veins. The purpose of this study is to review the normal distribution and variation, morphometry of portal vein and its branches for their implication in liver surgery and preoperative portal vein embolization. Read More

Int J Mol Sci 2019 Jan 10;20(2). Epub 2019 Jan 10.

Department of Medical Chemistry, Medical University of Gdansk, 80-210 Gdansk, Poland.

Pancreatic cancer is characterized by one of the lowest five-year survival rates. In search for new treatments, some studies explored several metal complexes as potential anticancer drugs. Therefore, we investigated three newly synthesized oxidovanadium(IV) complexes with 2-methylnitrilotriacetate (bcma), -(2-carbamoylethyl)iminodiacetate (ceida) and -(phosphonomethyl)-iminodiacetate (pmida) ligands as potential anticancer compounds using pancreatic cancer cell lines. Read More