ObjectiveTo assess the long-term incidence of venous complications, including portal vein and hepatic vein stenoses, in both whole cadaveric and reduced-size cadaveric and living related liver transplants in a pediatric population, and to assess the therapeutic modalities in the treatment of these lesions. Summary Background DataA shortage in appropriate-sized liver grafts for pediatric patients led to the use of segmental liver grafts, which became the predominant graft used in 325 of 600 (54%) transplants at the authors' institution. To assess the long-term impact of this strategy, the authors examined the incidence of late (Ͼ90 days) venous complications and the efficacy of all therapeutic interventions. MethodsSix hundred pediatric liver transplants were performed in 325 patients, with reduced-size or split (RSS; n ϭ 207), living related (LRD; n ϭ 118), or full-size cadaveric grafts (FS; n ϭ 275) from 1988 to 2000. All transplants identified with late portal vein or vena caval stenoses or thromboses from a cohort of 524 grafts with survival greater than 90 days were reviewed for demographics, symptoms, therapeutic intervention, recurrence, morbidity, and mortality. ResultsFifty lesions were identified in 49 patients (38 portal vein and 12 hepatic vein-cava stenoses). Sex distribution was similar between portal vein and hepatic vein to cava, as was the mean patient age. Portal vein stenoses occurred in 32 LRD, 3 RSS, and 3 FS, while hepatic vein-cava stenoses occurred in 2 LRD, 8 RSS, and 2 FS. In the 38 portal vein stenoses, 9 had prior perioperative portal vein and/or 5 hepatic artery thrombectomies. Portal vein stenoses were identified after bleeding (17/38), ascites (6/38), increased liver function tests (6/38), splenomegaly (5/38), or screening ultrasound (4/38). Portal vein stenosis was associated most often with cryopreserved vein for portal conduits. Excluding conduits, the incidence of late portal vein complications was reduced to 1%. Lesions became symptomatic at a mean of 50.8 Ϯ 184.2 months posttransplant. All patients underwent venous angioplasty with a 66% (25/38) success rate, while 7 of 25 required further angioplasty and stenting. In the 13 unsuccessful angioplasties, 8 required surgical shunts for complete portal vein thrombosis. Recurrence occurred in 9 patients: all were amenable to stenting. Nine patients (24%) eventually died of sepsis (4) and surgical deaths at shunt or retransplant (5). Hepatic vein-cava stenoses occurred after a mean of 37.2 Ϯ 35.2 months, presenting with ascites (n ϭ 10), increased liver function tests (n ϭ 2), and splenomegaly (n ϭ 2). All patients were diagnosed by venogram and managed by balloon dilatation alone (n ϭ 6) or stented (n ϭ 4), with an 80% (10/12) success, with two late recurrences amenable to repeat angioplasty or stenting. Long-term survival was 80% at 1 year. ConclusionsThe use of segmental grafts without venous conduits is not associated with a significant rate of long-term venous complication. When late venous complications do occur, venous angiop...

Percutaneous treatment of portal venous stenoses is effective and long lasting in children with reduced-size hepatic transplants. In patients with elastic or recurrent lesions, portal venous stents have excellent long-term primary patency despite continued patient growth. Successful, percutaneous transhepatic venoplasty eliminates the need for surgical revision, portacaval shunting, or repeat transplantation.

Hypothesis: Multiple centers have reported on bile duct injuries after cholecystectomy, but few have reported on the impact of concomitant vascular injuries. Design: Twenty-seven life-threatening complex injuries (CIs) (Bismuth level III, IV, or V or combined arterialductal injuries) were retrospectively compared with 22 noncomplex injuries (NCs) (level I or II). Setting: Tertiary referral center. Main Outcome Measures: The incidence and level of biliary and arterial injuries and their resulting morbidity and mortality. Results: Bismuth classifications of all injuries were as follows: level I in 6 patients (12%), II in 19 (39%), III in 12 (24%), IV in 8 (16%), and V in 4 (8%). Diagnosis was based on peritonitis (n = 13 [27%]), endoscopic retrograde pancreatography (n = 19 [39%]), and percutane-ous transhepatic cholangiography (n = 7 [14%]). Delayed referral was more common in levels I through IV (100 days) than in level V (15 days) (PϽ.001). Repairs were attempted in level IV (75%), III (67%), V (25%), and II (11%). Thirteen arterial injuries (26%) occurred irrespective of ductal injury level: I (n=1), II (n=3), III (n=1), IV (n=5), and V (n=3). There was, however, a higher incidence of repairs before referral in the CI group (59% vs 5%; PϽ.01), with resulting higher rates of complication (70% vs 23%; PϽ.01). Five deaths occurred in the CI group vs 1 in the NC group (P =.14). In univariate analysis, the presence of arterial injury vs no arterial injury was a predictor of mortality (5 [38%] of 13 patients vs 1 [3%] of 36 patients; PϽ.001). Conclusion: Bile duct injuries after cholecystectomy can be morbid and lethal with the incidence of arterial injury grossly underestimated.

Background: Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is frequently used to diagnose arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy/dysplasia (ARVC/D). However, the reliability of various MR imaging features for diagnosing ARVC/D is unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine which morphologic MR imaging features have the greatest interobserver reliability for diagnosing ARVC/D. Methods: Forty-five sets of films of cardiac MR images were sent to 8 radiologists and 5 cardiologists with experience in this field. There were 7 cases of definite ARVC/D as defined by the Task Force criteria. Six cases were controls. The remaining 32 cases had MR imaging because of clinical suspicion of ARVC/D. Readers evaluated the images for the presence of (a) right ventricle (RV) enlargement, (b) RV abnormal morphology, (c) left ventricle enlargement, (d) presence of high T₁ signal (fat) in the myocardium, and (e) location of high T₁ signal (fat) on a Likert scale with formatted responses. Results: Readers indicated that the Task Force ARVC/D cases had significantly more (χ² = 119.93, d.f. = 10, p < 0.0001) RV chamber size enlargement (58%) than either the suspected ARVC/D (12%) or no ARVC/D (14%) cases. When readers reported the RV chamber size as enlarged they were significantly more likely to report the case as ARVC/D present (χ²⁼ 33.98, d.f. = 1, p < 0.0001). When readers reported the morphology as abnormal they were more likely to diagnose the case as ARVC/D present (χ² = 78.4, d.f. = 1, p < 0.0001), and the Task Force ARVC/D (47%) cases received significantly more abnormal reports than either suspected ARVC/D (20%) or non-ARVC/D (15%) cases. There was no significant difference between patient groups in the reported presence of high signal intensity (fat) in the RV (χ² = 0.9, d.f. = 2, p > 0.05). Conclusions: Reviewers found that the size and shape of abnormalities in the RV are key MR imaging discriminates of ARVD. Subsequent protocol development and multicenter trials need to address these parameters. Essential steps in improving accuracy and reducing variability include a standardized acquisition protocol and standardized analysis with dynamic cine review of regional RV function and quantification of RV and left ventricle volumes.

Therapeutic microcoil embolization for severe colonic hemorrhage is an effective and well-tolerated procedure.