Background Although balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration (BRTO) is often selected to treat gastric varices caused by portal hypertension, data comparing BRTO and splenectomy with gastric devascularization (Sp ? Dev) are limited. Methods From January 2009 to February 2018, 100 patients with gastric varices caused by portal hypertension who underwent Sp ? Dev (n = 45) or BRTO (n = 55) were included. Overall survival (OS) and the rebleeding rate were calculated using the inverse probability of a treatment weighting-adjusted log-rank test. Independent risk factors were identified by Cox regression analysis. Changes in liver function and adverse events after the procedures were analyzed. Results Patients in the Sp ? Dev group tended to have lower platelet counts than those in the BRTO group, but liver function did not differ between these groups. The 5-year OS rates for the Sp ? Dev and BRTO groups were 73.4 and 50.0% (p = 0.005), respectively. There were no significant differences in rebleeding rates between the two groups. Multivariate analysis showed that serum albumin level B3.6 g/dL, prothrombin time% activity (PT%) B80%, and serum creatinine level C0.84 mg/dL were poor prognostic factors. Although the Sp ? Dev group had more short-term complications after procedures, Sp ? Dev tended to be more effective in improving liver function than BRTO. Conclusions Sp ? Dev showed better OS and improvement of liver function compared with BRTO for the treatment of gastric varices caused by portal hypertension.

Harvesting at least 12 lymph nodes (LNs) is recommended for adequate tumor staging in colon surgery. Although preoperative endoscopic tattooing has been used for primary localization of tumors, its impact on LN retrieval in colorectal surgery remains controversial. We aimed to investigate the relationship between preoperative tattooing and LN retrieval after laparoscopic rectal resection. Methods: We reviewed the records of 92 patients with rectal cancer who underwent laparoscopic resection from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2019. Patients were categorized into 2 groups according to whether preoperative endoscopic tattooing was performed. The rate of adequate LN retrieval ( ≥ 12) was compared. Results: The tattooed and non-tattooed groups comprised 49 and 43 patients, respectively. In the tattooed and non-tattooed groups, the rates of adequate LN retrieval were 75.5% and 55.8%, respectively (P = 0.046). Univariate analysis revealed that female sex, tattooing, LN metastasis status, pathological pathological stage (p-stage), and LN dissection were predictive factors for adequate LN retrieval. In the multivariate analysis, female sex (odds ratio [OR], 3.34; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.15-9.73; P = 0.027), tattooing (OR, 2.87; 95% CI, 1.03-7.94; P = 0.043), and p-stage (OR, 3.34; 95% CI, 1.04-10.75; P = 0.043) were independent predictive factors for adequate LN retrieval after surgery. Conclusion: This study revealed that preoperative endoscopic tattooing was statistically significantly associated with adequate LN retrieval in patients with rectal cancer who underwent laparoscopic rectal resection. Preoperative endoscopic tattooing should be considered to improve disease assessment and avoid stage migration.

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BackgroundAlthough secondary liver involvement of the lymphoma is common and occurs in 50% of patients with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, liver tumor rupture in malignant lymphoma is extremely rare. We report a case of a spontaneously ruptured secondary liver involvement of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma that was successfully treated with transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) to obtain hemostasis, and subsequent hepatectomy and systemic chemotherapy. To the best of our knowledge, this is only the second reported case of a ruptured hepatic lymphoma.Case presentationA 74-year-old man with sudden-onset right shoulder and upper quadrant pain was transferred to our hospital via an ambulance. His vital signs were stable. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography showed a large hypo-enhancing tumor (94 × 81 mm) in the posterior segment of the liver, with intratumoral extravasation and a 12 × 10 mm daughter tumor in segment 5 of the liver. Hemoperitoneum due to rupture of hepatocellular carcinoma with intratumoral hemorrhage was suspected, although the serum alpha-fetoprotein and protein induced by vitamin K absence-II levels were within normal range. TAE was used for hemostasis. Extended posterior segmentectomy including tumor resection in segment 5 was performed on day 23 after embolization. The postoperative course was uneventful. Pathological examination of the resected specimens revealed that the ruptured tumor was diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Postoperative fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography-computed tomography showed uptake in the left parotid gland, pancreas, and thoracic vertebra. Based on these findings, the final diagnosis was a ruptured secondary hepatic malignant lymphoma. Complete remission was achieved with chemotherapy. He remains alive 30 months after hepatectomy without evidence of relapse.ConclusionsWe report the first case describing a hepatic tumor rupture as the first presentation of a primary or secondary hepatic malignant lymphoma. The patient was successfully treated with TAE, hepatectomy, and subsequent systemic chemotherapy for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

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