Biomedical subjects

H F Lui

Publications and source records attributed to H F Lui.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2005

Clinical mimicry of hepatocellular carcinoma: imaging-pathological correlation.

This pictorial essay aims to show the clinical mimicry of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and its diagnostic difficulty, and to create awareness among clinicians and radiologists of potential diagnostic pitfalls. A selected consecutive series of hepatectomies with proven HCC over a three-year period, identifying clinical presentation, blood results and imaging of patients with difficult preoperative diagnosis, was reviewed. The imaging of the focal liver lesions is presented pictorially with pathological correlation. Six patients out of 34 cases of resected HCC were diagnosed to have benign (three liver abscesses) and neoplastic (one Klatskin tumour, one colorectal liver metastasis, one gallbladder cancer) conditions. Compared to the rest in the series, all six patients had normal serum alpha fetoprotein levels. On computed tomography, the mosaic appearance of HCC mimicked locules of liver abscess while HCC with pseudocapsule (rim enhancement) was misdiagnosed as unilocular abscess or metastatic lesion. Arterial enhancement on contrast-enhanced triphasic computed tomography was useful in diagnosis of HCC. In summary, HCC can mimic benign and neoplastic clinical syndromes. The diagnosis of liver abscess can delay subsequent diagnosis of HCC and potentially complicate the treatment plan. Contrast-enhanced triphasic computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging is useful to resolve difficult diagnosis, especially when the serum alpha fetoprotein level is not raised.

Aged↗

PubMed2004

Randomised controlled trial of long term portographic follow up versus variceal band ligation following transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic stent shunt for preventing oesophageal variceal rebleeding.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic stent shunt (TIPSS) is effective in the prevention of variceal rebleeding but requires invasive portographic follow up. This randomised controlled trial aims to test the hypothesis that combining variceal band ligation (VBL) with TIPSS can obviate the need for long term TIPSS surveillance without compromising clinical efficacy, and can reduce the incidence of hepatic encephalopathy. PATIENTS/METHODS: Patients who required TIPSS for the prevention of oesophageal variceal rebleeding were randomised to either TIPSS alone (n = 39, group 1) or TIPSS plus VBL (n = 40, group 2). In group 1, patients underwent long term TIPSS angiographic surveillance. In group 2, patients entered a banding programme with TIPSS surveillance only continued for up to one year. RESULTS: There was a tendency to higher variceal rebleeding in group 2 although this did not reach statistical significance (8% v 15%; relative hazard 0.58; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.15-2.33; p = 0.440). Mortality (47% v 40%; relative hazard 1.31; 95% CI 0.66-2.61; p = 0.434) was similar in the two groups. Hepatic encephalopathy was significantly less in group 2 (20% v 39%; relative hazard 2.63; 95% CI 1.11-6.25; p = 0.023). Hepatic encephalopathy was not statistically different after correcting for sex and portal pressure gradient (p = 0.136). CONCLUSIONS: TIPSS plus VBL without long term surveillance is effective in preventing oesophageal variceal rebleeding, and has the potential for low rates of encephalopathy. Therefore, VBL with short term TIPSS surveillance is a suitable alternative to long term TIPSS surveillance in the prevention of oesophageal variceal rebleeding.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

MARS therapy in critically ill patients with advanced malignancy: a clinical and technical report.

BACKGROUND/METHODS: Molecular Adsorbent Recirculating System (MARS) was used in three consecutive critically ill patients at the Singapore General Hospital with advanced malignancy and acute liver failure (ALF). Case 1 was a male patient with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) for which initial right hepatectomy was followed by left hepatectomy 5 months later for recurrent HCC. The postoperative course following second surgery was complicated by severe methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) sepsis, mild azotaemia and subacute cholestatic liver failure. MARS was used thrice in this patient. Case 2 was a female patient with advanced acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) with post bone marrow transplantation (BMT) acute haemolytic-uraemic syndrome (HUS) secondary to cyclosporin A (Cy A), cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection, severe nosocomial pneumonia, acute renal failure (ARF) treated with continuous haemofiltration and acute veno-occlusive disease resulting in Budd-Chiari syndrome. The latter precipitated ALF. MARS was instituted twice. Case 3 was a male patient with advanced, refractory Hodgkin's disease previously treated with multiple courses of chemotherapy. ALF developed secondary to acute viral hepatitis B flare. He was given a trial of MARS once in the ICU. All the three patients eventually died. RESULTS: Mean MARS intradialytic systemic pressures were as follows: systolic pressure range was 95 +/- 17 to 128 +/- 17 mmHg and diastolic pressure range was 51 +/- 5 to 67 +/- 7 mmHg. Pressure at albumin dialysate exit point from dialyser 1 (Ae) ranged from 253 +/- 11 to 339 +/- 15 mmHg and that at albumin dialysate entry point into dialyser 1 (Aa) ranged from 142 +/- 11 to 210 +/- 6 mmHg. Ultrafiltration (UF) was 633 +/- 622 mL over mean treatment duration of 6.3 +/- 0.9 h with a total heparin dose of 1583 +/- 817 IU. Coagulation status pre- and 6-h post-MARS was similar: aPTT (P=0.116) and platelet count (P=0.753). There were no bleeding complications or circuit thromboses. MARS had a significant de-uraemization effect (pre- and post-MARS serum creatinine and urea: P=0.046 and 0.028, respectively) but did not significantly attenuate blood lactate, ammonia or total bilirubin levels. Albumin dialysate (Ae - Aa) urea and creatinine concentrations appeared to be sharply attenuated after 6 h of MARS. In contrast, the removal of total bilirubin by albumin dialysate from the blood compartment appeared to plateau after 4 h of continuous MARS operation. CONCLUSIONS: MARS was well-tolerated in critically ill patients with advanced and complicated cancer. Low-dose heparin was safe and did not compromise MARS circuit integrity. Although MARS had a significant de-uraemization effect, this appeared to be limited by the duration of MARS operation. Our data suggested that such a limit was reached earlier for total bilirubin. More data are needed to confirm the present findings and further delineate the saturation limit of MARS for different toxins that accumulate in ALF. This would affect the optimal duration of MARS therapy.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2002

Haemodynamic effects of acute and chronic administration of low-dose carvedilol, a vasodilating beta-blocker, in patients with cirrhosis and portal hypertension.

BACKGROUND: Carvedilol is a non-selective vasodilating beta-blocker with weak alpha1 receptor antagonism. Recent studies have demonstrated its potential as a portal hypotensive agent. AIM: To assess the haemodynamic effects and patient tolerability of the acute and chronic administration of low-dose carvedilol. METHODS: Haemodynamic measurements were performed in ten cirrhotic patients before and 1 h after the administration of 12.5 mg oral carvedilol. The study was repeated 4 weeks after daily administration of 12.5 mg carvedilol. RESULTS: After acute administration of carvedilol, there was a 23% reduction in the hepatic venous pressure gradient from 16.37 +/- 2.14 to 12.56 +/- 3.91 mmHg (P < 0.05), with significant falls in the heart rate, mean arterial pressure and cardiac output. Chronic administration resulted in a further fall in the hepatic venous pressure gradient from a baseline of 16.37 +/- 0.71 to 9.27 +/- 1.40 mmHg (P < 0.001) with the mean arterial pressure being unaffected. The drug was well tolerated with only one patient experiencing asymptomatic hypotension. CONCLUSIONS: The results show that low-dose carvedilol is an extremely potent portal hypotensive pharmacological agent, and is worthy of further investigation in large randomized trials to assess its effect in preventing variceal haemorrhage.

Carbazoles↗

PubMed2001

Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic stent-shunt insufficiency and the role of diabetes mellitus.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Maintenance of long-term patency of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic stent-shunts (TIPSS) has proved problematic. Various prognostic variables have been assessed as predictors, but the role of diabetes mellitus, which induces vascular endothelial cell dysfunction, has not been assessed. METHODS: We analysed the records of 248 patients who underwent TIPSS between July 1991 and July 1997, followed-up through to August 1998. Patients with at least one shunt assessment by portography and available blood glucose levels were eligible (177 patients; median follow-up, 15.0 months). Fourteen patients had a pre-procedural diagnosis of diabetes (one insulin dependent, seven oral hypoglycaemic treated and six diet controlled). In another 14 patients, diabetes was diagnosed at TIPSS insertion, giving a 28/177 (15.8%) prevalence of diabetes in our patients. Fifty-nine patients were excluded from the final analysis (including five diabetics), as they either died or had early shunt insufficiency (within 1 month of stent placement), leaving 118 patients (including 23 diabetics) to be included in the final analysis. RESULTS: Mean age, sex distribution, median follow-up (months) and pre-shunt portal pressure gradient were comparable in the two groups (diabetics versus non-diabetics). Child-Pugh classes A and B were more common in the diabetic group (P < 0.01), and the mean inserted stent diameter was larger in the diabetic group (P < 0.05). The presence of diabetes was associated with a higher incidence of delayed shunt insufficiency (P = 0.02), but there was no evidence of an association between presence of diabetes and variceal haemorrhage post TIPSS. Kaplan-Meier analyses revealed earlier insufficiency in diabetic patients compared with those without diabetes (P = 0.04). Age, gender and presence of diabetes are included in the final logistic regression model. Individuals who have diabetes are more likely to experience shunt insufficiency independent of age and gender. CONCLUSIONS: Diabetes mellitus is common in patients undergoing TIPSS and is associated independently with increased incidence of primary delayed shunt insufficiency.

Diabetes Complications↗

PubMed2000

TIPSS 10 years on.

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Esophageal and Gastric Varices↗