Summary Persistance of a large spontaneous splenorenal shunt (SRS) may result in graft failure in adult living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) because it reduces the effective portal perfusion to the partial liver graft by diversion of hepatotrophic portal flow into this hepatofugal pathway. We performed a prospective study to evaluate the efficacy of ligation of left renal vein (LRV) to prevent portal flow steal and the safety of this procedure to the renal function in adult LDLT patients with SRS. Between October 2001 and January 2005, 44 cirrhotic patients with large SRS underwent LDLT with ligation of LRV. Each patient received pre‐ and postoperative computed tomography and Doppler USG to assess the changes of collaterals and portal flow, as well as serial renal and liver function tests. Portal flow after ligation of LRV was statistically and significantly increased when compared with pre‐operative value (P = 0.001). Whereas four patients (9.1%) demonstrated sustained, elevated serum creatinine levels after operation, the renal function tests returned to normal in 40 patients. All patients recovered with satisfactory regeneration of the partial liver graft and there was no procedure‐related permanent renal dysfunction. In conclusion, ligation of LRV to prevent a ‘portal steal phenomenon’ seems to be a safe and effective graft salvage procedure for large spontaneous SRS (>10‐mm diameter) in adult LDLT.

The aim of this study was to determine the clinical outcomes of long-term anticoagulation therapy in patients with symptomatic spontaneous isolated dissection of the superior mesenteric artery (SIDSMA) and to evaluate whether conservative treatment with anticoagulation therapy is a safe and effective treatment modality for these patients.In this single center, observational cohort study, data from a prospectively recruiting symptomatic SIDSMA registry, including demographics, risk factors of interest, clinical characteristics and outcomes, and initial and follow-up computed tomography angiography (CTA) findings, were analyzed retrospectively.During an 8-year period, a total of 52 consecutive patients who underwent conservative treatment with the use of long-term anticoagulation were included in this study. Clinical symptoms resolved within 11 days in all except 4 patients (7.7%); 3 received endovascular treatment for persistent symptoms and 1 received surgical repair. The mean duration of anticoagulation therapy was 9 (range: 3–60) months. A follow-up CTA showed complete remodeling in 20 (41.7%) patients, and the mean diameter and the incidence of false lumen thrombosis were also decreased significantly. There was no anticoagulation therapy-related mortality or morbidity except 2 (4.2%) minor bleeding complications, and no symptomatic recurrence or aggravation of the dissection occurred during the mean follow-up period of 47.5 (range: 10–97) months.The present study showed that long-term anticoagulation therapy could result in a high rate of complete remodeling during the natural course of symptomatic SIDSMA. Conservative treatment with long-term anticoagulation therapy could be an optimal treatment strategy for symptomatic SIDSMA.

BackgroundWe aimed to investigate the impact of diabetes duration and carotid artery stenosis (CAS) on the occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) without clinical cardiovascular disease.MethodsA total of 2006 patients with T2DM, without clinical cardiovascular disease, aged >50 years, and who underwent baseline carotid Doppler ultrasound screening with regular follow-ups at the outpatient clinic of our diabetes center, were stratified into four subgroups according to diabetes duration and CAS degree. The primary outcomes included the occurrence of MACE, defined as fatal or nonfatal stroke and myocardial infarction, and all-cause mortality.ResultsThe difference in the MACE incidence was significantly greater in patients with a longer diabetes duration (≥10 years) and significant CAS (50–69% luminal narrowing) (p < 0.001). Analysis of individual MACE components indicated a trend towards an increased incidence of stroke (p < 0.001), parallel to a longer diabetes duration and significant CAS. In contrast, the risk of myocardial infarction was significantly higher in patients with a diabetes duration <10 years and significant CAS (p = 0.039). Multivariate regression analysis showed that patients with both a longer diabetes duration and significant CAS demonstrated additive and very high risks of MACE (hazard ratio [HR], 2.07; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.17–3.66; p = 0.012) and stroke (HR, 3.38; 95% CI 1.54–7.44; p = 0.002).ConclusionsThe risk of MACE is significantly greater in patients with T2DM, without clinical cardiovascular disease, who have both a longer diabetes duration and significant CAS, compared with those who have a shorter duration and/or nonsignificant CAS.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12933-017-0556-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.