AIM To identify clinical biomarkers that could early predict improved survival in patients with advanced-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated with transarterial chemoembolization combined with sorafenib (TACE-S). METHODS We retrospectively evaluated the medical records of consecutive patients with advanced-stage HCC who underwent TACE-S from January 2012 to December 2015. At the first...

PURPOSE To analyze the distribution of functional liver volume (FLV) in the margin volume (MV) surrounding hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT) before radiation therapy (RT) and to verify the safety of single photon emission computed tomography-based three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (SPECT-B3DCRT) by exploring the relation of FLV in MV to radiation-induc...

BACKGROUND Most patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have advanced-stage disease at diagnosis. The prognosis for patients with HCC is very poor, especially for those with portal vein tumour thrombi (PVTT). The purpose of our study was to observe the prognostic value of PVTT and tumour-infiltrating regulatory T cells (Tregs) and the correlation between them. METHODS We examined 76 HCC ...

BACKGROUND Portal vein thrombosis is a frequent complication in end-stage cirrhosis with a considerable peri-operative risk for liver transplant candidates. We aimed to characterize the pre-transplant portal vein thrombosis in a cohort of liver transplant recipients, and to identify independent risk factors for this complication. METHODS 380 consecutive primary orthotopic liver transplants we...

BACKGROUND Factor V Leiden has been reported in 2%-30% of patients with portal vein thrombosis. This wide variation makes it difficult to assess the importance of factor V Leiden as a predisposing factor. METHODS Factor V Leiden was determined by restriction fragment length polymorphism in 112 patients with portal vein thrombosis, 104 with deep vein thrombosis and 98 control subjects. RESUL...

A 64-year-male underwent a liver biopsy based on clinical concern for primary biliary cirrhosis. The biopsy, which yielded normal results, was uneventful, with no immediate postbiopsy complications. A later MRI demonstrated early opacification of the right portal vein on arterial-phase imaging, suggesting communication between the right hepatic artery and the right portal vein. A conservative, ...

Portal vein thrombosis and pancreatico-pleural fistula are unusual complications of chronic pancreatitis. We describe a patient with chronic alcoholic pancreatitis in whom erosion of the splenic vein led to portal vein thrombosis and to the development of a pancreatico-pleural fistula. We suggest that fistula formation may occur over a considerable time period as the portal vein thrombosis was ...

BACKGROUND Portal vein thrombosis is a fairly common and potentially life-threatening complication in patients with liver cirrhosis. The risk factors for portal vein thrombosis in these patients are still not fully understood. OBJECTIVES This study aimed to investigate the associations between various risk factors in cirrhotic patients and the development of portal vein thrombosis. PATIENTS...

OBJECTIVE To describe the appearance of transient hepatic attenuation differences (THADs) of extrahepatic origin. MATERIALS AND METHODS Five cases of THADs produced by compression of the extrahepatic portal vein at its confluence with the splenic vein were identified prospectively over a four-month period. Two additional cases of peripheral THADs resulting from main portal vein thrombosis wer...

The main indication of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) is the treatment of variceal bleeding and refractory ascites in cirrhotic patients. In the presence of portal vein thrombosis in patients with cirrhosis, the risk of variceal bleeding increases and portal vein access during the procedure can be difficult. Various approaches including transhepatic, trans-splenic approach...