Evaluation of fully automated chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassays for hepatitis B core-related antigen components, phosphorylated and non-phosphorylated hepatitis B core antigens: clinical significance and dynamics during hepatitis B e antigen seroconversion.

To assess the performance and clinical relevance of three assays-hepatitis B core-related antigen (HBcrAg), hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg), and phosphorylated HBcAg (pHBcAg)-in quantifying HBcrAg, a critical biomarker of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, fully automated chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassays (CLEIA) for two HBcAg variants were developed. Cutoff values for HBcAg and pHBcAg assays were established at 2.50 and 2.

Surgical complexity and long-term outcomes after liver resection for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: a multicenter study.

Introduction: Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) can invade surrounding structures such as inferior vena cava or hepatic hilum, leading to the surgical complexity; however, its effect on long-term outcomes remains poorly understood.

Methods: Data from consecutive patients with ICC who underwent liver resection (LR) between 2000 and 2020 at three tertiary hepatobiliary centers were retrospectively analyzed. Surgical complexity was defined as follows: Class I; LR, Class II; LR with biliary resection and reconstruction only, and Class III; LR with major vascular resection and reconstruction.

Antibody-mediated rejection without elevated anti-blood type antibody after ABO-incompatible living donor liver transplantation: a case report.

The incidence of antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) following ABO-incompatible (ABO-I) living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) has decreased since the introduction of rituximab. However, the prognosis is extremely poor once AMR develops. Therefore, perioperative monitoring of anti-blood type antibody titers is important.

A Risk Analysis for Ischemic Necrosis of the Remnant Stomach After Distal Pancreatectomy in Patients With Previous Distal Gastrectomy: A Multicenter Retrospective Survey by the Japanese Society of Pancreatic Surgery.

Background/purpose: The remnant stomach after distal gastrectomy (DG) which receives its blood supply mainly from the splenic artery (SPA), is at high risk for gastric ischemia following distal pancreatectomy (DP). We investigated the risk factors for ischemic necrosis of the remnant stomach (INS) during or after DP in DG patients.

Patients/methods: We collected 414 patients who underwent DP after DG between July 2009 and December 2019 by distributing questionnaires to members of the Japanese Society of Pancreatic Surgery (JSPS) in 2020, and the risk factors for INS were analyzed in 364 eligible patients.

The 2024 diagnostic criteria for primary sclerosing cholangitis.

Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is an idiopathic chronic cholestatic disease with a poor prognosis. As there were no specific biomarkers for diagnosing PSC, we developed diagnostic criteria in 2016 based on cholangiography and elevated biliary enzymes. Novel findings and knowledge have subsequently accumulated, and we now propose the 2024 diagnostic criteria, to overcome several limitations of the 2016 diagnostic criteria.

New insights into the adverse prognostic role of squamous differentiation in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: A comprehensive analysis.

Objectives: Squamous differentiation is uncommon in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) with limited systematic studies in the literature, mostly case reports. The study aimed to determine the rate of squamous differentiation in iCCA utilizing markers p63, Keratin 5/6, and p40, and to examine its correlation with clinicopathological characteristics and survival outcomes.

Methods And Results: A retrospective analysis was performed on 147 patients with histologically confirmed iCCA based on surgical specimens.

Cross-organ hierarchy of HLA molecular mismatches in donor-specific antibody development in solid organ transplantations.

Donor-specific antibodies (DSAs) against human leukocyte antigen (HLA) play a crucial role in antibody-mediated rejection, a major barrier to successful organ transplantation. Donor-recipient HLA molecular incompatibility critically influences DSA susceptibility, commonly assessed by analyzing mismatches in the HLA eplet repertoire. This study, including six distinct liver, lung, and kidney transplant cohorts from two centers (978 donor-recipient pairs), explores associations between individual eplet mismatches and DSA development.

Platelet aggregation elicits FasL expression and hepatocyte apoptosis in sinusoidal obstruction syndrome.

Sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (SOS) is a fatal liver condition resulting from sinusoidal endothelial cell injury and hepatocyte death, following liver or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation as well as chemotherapy. We showed evidence of platelet displacement and aggregation within the space of Disse in SOS. However, the relationship between platelets and hepatocyte death remains unclear.

Impact of the revised Japanese indication criteria for deceased donor liver transplantation on liver cirrhotic patients of Child-Pugh classification B with hepatocellular carcinoma.

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of the revised deceased donor liver transplantation (DDLT) criteria on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients newly eligible under the Child-Pugh classification B (CP-B), by focusing on the prognosis and the risk of HCC recurrence beyond the Japan criteria while on the waiting list.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was carried out on 1155 patients diagnosed with HCC at Kanazawa University Hospital between 2006 and 2021. Prognosis and recurrence were analyzed for patients eligible for DDLT under the revised criteria.

Defining advanced lymph node metastasis in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: A multicenter study.

Background: There is no specific boundary for stratifying survival outcomes in patients with node-positive intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). This study aimed to propose advanced nodal status in ICC.

Methods: Data from patients with pathologically confirmed node-positive ICC who underwent liver resection (LR) with lymph node dissection (LND) from 2000 to 2020 at three tertiary centers were retrospectively analyzed.

Effectiveness of pure laparoscopic right hepatectomy with a combined anterior and cranio-ventral approach for a giant hemangioma in a young woman.

Pure laparoscopic right hepatectomy is a challenging procedure especially for large tumors because of difficulties in mobilizing the liver and the risk of bleeding. An anterior approach has been proposed to overcome these problems. In this case report, we described a young unmarried woman with a giant hemangioma who successfully underwent pure laparoscopic right hepatectomy using the anterior approach.

Longitudinal Pancreatojejunostomy for Pancreaticodigestive Reconstruction in the Resection of Pancreatic Head Malignancy with Chronic Pancreatitis: A Case Report.

Introduction: With progress in pancreatic surgery, a preservation of residual organ function has become more important. Pancreatic malignancies are occasionally accompanied by chronic pancreatitis (CP) and pancreatolithiasis (PL). Longitudinal pancreatojejunostomy (LPJ) is reportedly a useful method of surgical management in cases of CP with PL.

Impact of aging on hepatic reserve after preoperative portal vein embolization in hepatectomy for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma.

Purpose: In the current situation of an increasing older adult population with perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (PHCC), the benefits and risks of surgical treatment of PHCC in older people remain controversial. Portal vein embolization (PVE) is a useful preoperative procedure to improve hepatic reserve in the future remnant liver (FRL) and avoid postoperative liver failure after extended hepatectomy for PHCC. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of aging on PVE.

Enhanced Germinal Center Reactions Within Tertiary Lymphoid Structures Following Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy and Intestinal Care-A Path to Robust Antitumor Immune Response in Borderline Resectable Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma.

Background: In 2019, 4 patients with borderline resectable-pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma(BR-PDAC)received neoadjuvant chemotherapy(NAC)with 3 cycles of gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel(GnP)over 12 weeks in combination with intestinal care, and subsequently underwent pancreatectomy. Surprisingly, histological response to NAC was Grade 3(viable tumor cells <10%)in 3 out of 4 patients. Aim/subjects: This study aimed to clarify the histopathological findings common to 3 patients with Grade 3 histological response to NAC.

Evaluation of a Chemiluminescent Enzyme Immunoassay for the Detection of Prostaglandin E-Major Urinary Metabolite (PGE-MUM).

Background: We developed a fully automated quantitative immunoassay for the detection of prostaglandin E-major urinary metabolite (PGE-MUM). In this study, we evaluated the analytical performance of this assay.

Methods: Sensitivity, within-run reproducibility, correlation with radioimmunoassay (RIA), cross-reactivity, dilution linearity, spike recovery performance, analyte stability, and effects of coexisting substances were evaluated.

Predictors of portal vein thrombosis after simultaneous hepatectomy and splenectomy: A single-center retrospective study.

Background: Although postoperative portal vein thrombosis (PVT) is a frequent complication of splenectomy, few studies have examined PVT after simultaneous hepatectomy and splenectomy (HS). The aim of this study was to clarify the risk factors for and characteristics of PVT after HS.

Methods: This retrospective observational study included 102 patients, including 76 with liver cirrhosis (LC) and 26 without, who underwent HS between April 2004 and April 2021.

Histopathological growth pattern and vessel co-option in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) exhibits different blood imaging features and prognosis depending on histology. To clarity histopathological growth patterns (HGPs) and vascularization processes of iCCA, we collected 145 surgical specimens and histologically classified them into large bile duct (LBD) (20 cases), small bile duct (SBD) (54), cholangiolocarcinoma (CLC) (35), combined SBD-CLC (cSBD-CLC) (26), and ductal plate malformation (DPM) (10) (sub)types. According to the invasive pattern at the interface between tumor and adjacent background liver, HGPs were classified into desmoplastic, pushing, and replacing HGPs.

Two Concepts of Hepatitis B Core-Related Antigen Assay: A Highly Sensitive and Rapid Assay or an Effective Tool for Widespread Screening.

Hepatitis B core-related antigen (HBcrAg) reflects the activity of intrahepatic covalently closed circular DNA. HBcrAg can be detected even in chronic hepatitis B patients in whom serum HBV DNA or hepatitis B surface antigen is undetectable. The HBcrAg measurement system was developed based on two concepts.

Clinicopathological features of cholangiolocarcinoma and impact of tumor heterogeneity on prognosis: A single institution retrospective study.

Cholangiolocarcinoma (CLC) is an extremely rare tumor classified as a subtype of small duct-type intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA). There are few detailed reports on CLC and the prognostic impact of tumor heterogeneity is not clear. Between April 2006 and June 2022, of the 774 primary liver cancer resection cases who presented at Kanazawa University Hospital, 14 patients were pathologically diagnosed with CLC through immunohistochemical analysis of their molecular and biological features.

Morphology of the Dorsal Pancreatic Artery and Its Oncological Significance in Pancreatic Cancer.

Objectives: Although the dorsal pancreatic artery (DPA) is an important artery that supplies the pancreas, its morphology has not been sufficiently studied. We investigated the morphology of the DPA and the progression of pancreatic cancer along this vessel.

Materials And Methods: Overall, 142 patients with pancreatic cancer who underwent surgical resection at Kanazawa University Hospital between 2004 and 2015 were enrolled.