Medicine
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This repository contains the published and unpublished research of the Faculty of Medicine by the staff members of the faculty
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Item Internal biliary diversion to avoid liver transplantation in an adult with intractable pruritus due to idiopathic intrahepatic cholestasis(Springer Nature, 2020) Siriwardana, R.C.; Jayatunge, D.S.P.; Ekanayake, C.S.; Tilakaratne, S.; Niriella, M.A.; Gunetilleke, B.; Dassanayake, A.S.BACKGROUND: Cholestasis is due to the obstruction at any level of the excretory pathway of bile. One particularly troublesome symptom of cholestasis is pruritus which leads to a profound effect on a patient’s quality of life. In children with progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis (PFIC), medical treatment often fails. An alternative surgical procedure using biliary diversion offers significant relief for intractable pruritus in non-responders. CASE PRESENTATION: A 43-year-old male presented with a history of persistent jaundice and intractable pruritus for a 2-month duration. His liver enzymes were markedly elevated. However, his liver synthetic function was preserved. After extensive evaluation, a cause for cholestasis was not identified. A multi-disciplinary decision was to consider liver transplantation, but as his liver synthetic functions were remarkably preserved and the intractable pruritus was the sole indication for a transplantation, it was finally decided that internal biliary diversion should be done for symptomatic relief. His pruritus dramatically improved at 6 weeks post-operative. His liver enzymes and bilirubin levels also decreased compared to his pre-operative status. Currently, his liver functions are being closely monitored. CONCLUSION: Though it is not used in adults, the experience of biliary diversion in children with PFIC shows that there is a considerable improvement of symptoms and postpone the need for a transplant. In our patient, liver function and bilirubin as expected did not show a major improvement. But the dramatic improvement of the symptoms gave us the time to postpone the liver transplantation. A biliary diversion is a reasonable option that needs to be considered even in adults with refectory pruritus due to cholestasis.Item Liver transplantation - initial experience at Colombo North Liver Transplantation Service(Sri Lanka Medical Assosiation, 2012) Bogamuwa, M.M.M.P.; Siriwardana, R.C.; Niriella, M.A.; Dassanayake, A.S.; Wijesuriya, S.R.E.; Liyanage, C.A.H.; Gunetilleke, M.B.; de Silva, H.J.INTRODUCTION: Liver transplantation (LT) is the treatment of choice for end stage liver diseases. LT is still in its infancy in Sri Lanka. AIMS: To describe the initial experience of the Colombo North Liver Transplantation Service (CNLTS) METHODS: The study population included all patients referred for LT to CNLTS. All cases were evaluated for the indication and medical, social and psychological suitability for LT. Decision to list patients for LT was reached by a multidisciplinary team consisting of surgeons, physicians and anaesthetists. All data were collected prospectively. RESULTS: 52 patients were referred for LT over a period of 7 months. 48/52[92.3%) were males. The median age at referral was 52(range 13-66) years. The median Child-Turcotte-Pugh(CTP) score at referral was 9/15(range 5-13/15). Median Model for End Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score at referral was 17(range 9-26). 3/52(5.8%) had hepatocellular carcinoma and 9/52(17.3%) had a low MELD score (<14) but with life threatening complications of cirrhosis as indication. 4/9(44.4%) of those being upper gastrointestinal bleeds from varices. 28/52(53.8%) of the referrals had cryptogenic cirrhosis (CC), 18/52(34.6%) had alcoholic cirrhosis, 2/52(3.8%) each had metabolic, congenital and other causes for cirrhosis. 7/52(13.5%) transplants were performed [3 Live Donor LTs(LDLT) and 4 Deceased Donor LTs(DDLT)]. 5/7(71.4%)[2 - LDLT, 3 -DDLT] had a successful LT outcome. 11/45(24.4%) patients died while on the LT waiting list. CONCLUSIONS: High MELD CC was the commonest reason for referral for LT in our group. There was a high waiting list mortality highlighting the need for an efficient DDLT service.