[Studies of long-term cryopreservation of hepatocytes and their transplantation treating acute hepatic failure in Wistar rats]

The experiment aimed at studying long-term cryopreservation of hepatocytes and therapeutic effect of their transplantation for acute hepatic failure. Hepatocytes of wistar rats were cryopreserved in liquid nitrogen for 30, 60, 90, and 180 days. Their viabilities were respectively 71.2%, 75.7%, 69.7%, and 73.5% of fresh cells', however, there were no significant differences among all cryopreserved groups. Differences of viably intra-hepatocellular enzyme contents among all groups, such as glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase and so on, were not significant. Morphologically intact hepatocytes were observed under light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Survival rate of Sprague-Dawley rats with acute hepatic failure were increased from 1/8 to 5/7 because of the transplantation of syngeneic frozen hepatocytes (P = 0.035). The results showed that after 30 days of cryopreservation in liquid nitrogen, the viability of hepatocytes decreased significantly, but no longer decreased in subsequent freeze up to 180 days. The viable intact cells and their normal enzyme contents were kept. The acute hepatic failure could be treated by them.

A retrospective study on diagnosis and treatment of severe acute pancreatitis

Severe acute pancreatitis is highly controversial on its diagnostic criteria, the optimum time for surgery, the selection of surgical procedures, and the prevention and treatment of complications. We treated 40 patients with severe acute pancreatitis from July 1983 to July 1988. The comparison of clinical and laboratory data of severe acute pancreatitis and mild acute pancreatitis showed that in some patients neither Ranson's nor Bank's criteria are reliable in classifying or predicting the severity of the disease. The coexistence of acute peritonitis and bloody ascites with elevated amylase level is very helpful to identify the local conditions of pancreatic necrosis and hemorrhage. We suggest early operation (within 48 hours) be applied in severe acute pancreatitis. In our series, five types of surgical procedures were used. We consider that proper treatment of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is most important in the management of severe pancreatitis.

Magnetic resonance imaging of the liver by frontal (coronal) sections

In general, frontal sections of the liver in magnetic resonance imaging are used less than sections passing through other planes of space. Frontal sections of the trunk in magnetic resonance imaging involving the liver, performed in over 80 patients for various reasons, were compared with frontal sections of the trunk made in 10 cadavers. A general schema was established of the anatomy of the liver studied in the frontal plane. Frontal sections in magnetic resonance imaging make it possible to form a very good estimate of the structure and size of the liver, and to recognize individual variations. They clearly show certain inferior relations of the liver. In particular, frontal sections in magnetic resonance imaging make it possible to identify most of the main veins of the liver, the main lobar veins and branches of the portal vein, and to properly study the entire retrohepatic portion of the inferior vena cava. Some of the vascular images were found almost constantly in the sections of the various subjects. The right lobe of the liver is more accessible to such study than the left by reason of its structure and its venous arrangements. Frontal sections of the liver in magnetic resonance imaging constitute a preferential method for studying the anatomy of the liver. Together with transverse sections, they make it possible to specify the site and venous relations of a pathologic process within the liver, with a view to hepatectomy.