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Surgery in obstructive jaundice is associated with complications related to gut-derived endotoxemia. The organs involved in these complications, including liver, kidneys, and gut, are important in the metabolism of taurine, which is implicated in bile acid conjugation and has antioxidative effects. Taurine organ metabolism and liver oxidative status were studied in bile duct-ligated rats (BDL) after laparotomy. Oral cholestyramine treatment inhibits gut-derived endotoxemia and was used to evaluate the role of endotoxin. In BDL rats, postoperative plasma taurine levels were higher compared with SHAM (p < .0001). Cholestyramine treatment reduced plasma taurine in BDL rats (p < .005), but levels remained higher compared with SHAM groups (p < .0001). In contrast to a liver uptake of taurine in SHAM rats, a release from livers of BDL rats was found (p < .005). Cholestyramine treatment in BDL rats resulted in a liver uptake of taurine (p < .05 vs BDL). A higher uptake of taurine by the kidneys was found in both BDL animals after surgery and SHAM controls (p < .005); however, cholestyramine had no effect. A release of taurine from the gut was found in the SHAM groups, which was reversed in both BDL groups (p < .01). Cholestyramine lowered the elevated levels of hepatic enzymes in BDL rats (ALT and AST: p < .05). Total liver glutathione levels were lower in BDL rats (p < .0001) compared with SHAM groups, and cholestyramine significantly attenuated this decrease (p < .01). Liver malondialdehyde levels were higher in BDL rats compared with SHAM (p < .01), whereas cholestyramine completely prevented this increase in lipid peroxidation (p < .0001). Hypertaurinemia in BDL rats after surgery is most likely explained by reduced bile acid conjugation and hepatocellular leakage. Cholestyramine treatment reduced hepatocellular damage by inhibiting gut-derived endotoxemia, and reversed the release of taurine from the jaundiced liver into an uptake and consequently lowered plasma taurine levels. This uptake may contribute to the improved antioxidant status in cholestyramine-treated BDL rats.

A complication of ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunting is overdrainage or overshunting of cerebrospinal fluid, which can cause formation of hygroma but in rare cases also cervical myelopathy at a later stage. In this article, we describe a very late complication of VP shunting. We present a 75-year-old man, previously given a VP shunt at the age of 46, who developed a progressive gait disturbance and ataxia of the limbs after 27 years. MRI showed a cervical stenosis and myelopathy as a result of venous engorgement due to chronic overshunting of the VP shunt. Revision of the VP shunt resulted in complete resolution of his neurological symptoms and the cervical myelopathy. Cervical myelopathy due to chronic overshunting is a rare and potentially very late complication of a VP shunt. Our case underlines the importance of awareness of this complication while proper treatment can reverse the associated symptoms fully.

Vasculopathies, including vasculitis of the central nervous system, can lead to stenosed, cicatrized vessels and the development of arterio-arteriolar collateral vessels. Bleeding due to these vascular changes, although rare, does occur. We describe six patients (all female, age range, 21–52 years; mean age, 42 years) with steno-occlusive lesions of intracranial vessels who presented with an acute intracranial haemorrhage. All had arterial steno-occlusive changes in conjunction with extensive leptomeningeal and arterio-arteriolar collaterals. Within the collaterals, focal dilatations could be identified, which were in close spatial relationship with the intracranial haemorrhage. Cause of bleeding was depicted on CT angiography in four out of six patients. One patient presented in childhood with acute stroke, one patient was diagnosed with Buerger's disease and one with sickle cell disease; the other three patients had no relevant history and the exact cause remained unclear. Outcome was favourable in all patients. Despite focal vascular weaknesses, no recurrent haemorrhage was seen during follow-up, supporting, at least in this small patient group, a conservative wait-and-see policy.