The usefulness of the C tube in preventing post-hepatectomy bile leak could not be confirmed; however, both bile leak requiring clinical management and long hospitalization after a major hepatectomy could be reduced with C tube use.

Male gender and low prothrombin activity represent risk factors for increased blood loss during hepatectomy. Moreover, every effort should be made to reduce the transection and operating times using the latest hemostatic devices.

Purpose: Arterial enhancement of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) has been noted. To precisely identify the characteristics of tumor enhancement patterns, we examined the relationship between CT attenuation in the tumor and clinicopathological parameters or prognosis.Methods: Subjects were 42 ICC patients who had undergone hepatectomy. Microvessel density (MVD) determined by CD34 staining was compared with imaging. Attenuation was calculated in images from multi-detector CT of tumor and non-tumorous regions. Enhancement patterns were divided into two groups: arterial enhancement with higher attenuation (>16 HU; Hyper group, n=12); and arterial enhancement with lower attenuation (Hypo group, n=30).Results: Univariate analysis identified high tumor marker level, increased size, less-differentiation, incomplete resection, increased bleeding and lower MVD as significantly associated with poor survival (p<0.05). Increased attenuation throughout the whole ICC correlated significantly with radiological findings and MVD. Concomitant hepatitis, well-differentiation, and smaller tumor were more significantly frequent in the Hyper group than in the Hypo group (p<0.05). Postoperative early recurrence was significantly less frequent in the Hyper group, and overall survival was significantly better in the Hyper group (p<0.05). Conclusions:Increased CT attenuation correlated with ICC tumor vascularity. Increased tumor enhancement in the arterial phase was associated with chronic hepatitis, lower malignancy and better survival.Key words: intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma-tumor enhancement-multidetector computed tomography-prognosis-hepatectomy Nanashima et al., Page 3 Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is a well-characterized liver cancer for which various prognostic risk factors have been clarified [1][2][3]. ICC is composed of cells that mostly resemble those of the peripheral bile ducts, but recent reports have suggested that ICC may not always display uniform characteristics [4][5][6][7][8]. ICC can be classified into subgroups according to macroscopic findings, with clinical and pathological characteristics and prognosis differing significantly among subgroups [9,10].While diagnosis of the ICC subtype would be useful for predicting prognosis and determining the need for adjuvant treatments with hepatic resection, clearly distinguishing subgroups is often difficult, particularly in advanced tumors. Although a variety of prognostic parameters have been identified in recent research, the definitive factors associated with poor prognosis have not been well clarified [11,12]. Recent histological and molecular studies have revealed that tumor vascularity of ICC is closely associated with malignant behavior and patient prognosis [13,14]. Higher tumor vascularity might be related to the presence of chronic viral hepatitis, which is also related to carcinogenesis for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) [15]. We have previously examined histological parameters in ICC and clarified that higher tumor vascularity as dete...

Introduction The impact of obesity on short‐term outcomes after laparoscopic colorectal surgery (LAC) in Asian patients is unclear. The purpose of the present multicenter study was to evaluate the safety and feasibility of LAC in obese Japanese patients. Methods We retrospectively reviewed 1705 patients who underwent LAC between April 2016 and February 2019. Patients were classified according to body mass index (BMI): non‐obese (BMI < 25 kg/m2, n = 1335), obese I (BMI 25‐29.9 kg/m2, n = 313), and obese II (BMI ≥30 kg/m2, n = 57). Clinical characteristics and surgical outcomes were compared among the three groups. Results The proportion of patients with comorbidities (non‐obese, 58.1%; obese I, 69.6%; obese II, 75.4%; P < .001) and median operation time (non‐obese, 224 minutes; obese I, 235 minutes; obese II, 258 minutes; P = .004) increased significantly as BMI increased. The conversion rate was similar among the groups (P = .715). Infectious complications were significantly high in obese II patients (non‐obese, 10.4%; obese I, 8.3%; obese II, 28.1%; P < .001). Multivariate analysis revealed that in obese II patients, BMI was an independent predictive factor of infectious postoperative complications (odds ratio 2.648; 95% confidence interval, 1.421‐4.934; P = .002). Conclusion: LAC has an increased risk of postoperative infectious complications in obese II patients, despite improvements in surgical technique. Management of obese II colorectal cancer patients requires meticulous perioperative management.

An 81-year-old man was admitted to a primary care hospital due to bloody diarrhea. The findings of abdominal computed tomography indicated ischemic colitis, so conservative therapy was started. On the 4th hospital day, the patient was transferred to our hospital because of renal dysfunction. Physical examination showed clouding of consciousness and abdominal distention. Abdominal computed tomography revealed massive ascites and thickening of the whole colonic wall. With a diagnosis of acute abdomen, an emergent laparotomy was performed. Extended right hemicolectomy was performed because of severe ischemic change and necrosis of the right side of the colon. In the stool culture before the operation, Escherichia coli O157 and verotoxin were found, so this case was diagnosed as hemorrhagic colitis with hemolytic uremic syndrome and acute encephalopathy due to Escherichia coli O157 infection. Postoperatively, the hemolytic uremic syndrome and acute encephalopathy were prolonged. However, with intensive care, the patient recovered and was discharged on the 33rd postoperative day.