Juntendo University, Tokyo, established in 1838.

Our department offers patients with Hepatobiliary-pancreatic disease the seamless integration of medical, surgical and radiologic expertise. We have a legacy of close collaboration among clinical specialists, including hepatologists, gastroenterologists, hepatobiliary surgeons, diagnostic and pathology experts, advanced-care nurses, social workers, and patient support staff affiliated with the program.

Since Hepatobiliary Pancreatic department has been founded in October, 2002, our department has performed 626 hepatectomies, 162 pancreatoduodenectomy, and 41 liver transplants (all of which have been living donor transplants using left lobe graft) until February, 2009, and has cared for thousands of patients with Hepatobiliary pancreatic disease. In hospital death after hepatectomy included only two cases (postoperative mortality rate was 0.3%). Five-year post-transplant survival for the same period was 94% for adults, compared to 70.5% nationally, and 91% for pediatric transplants, compared to 83.2 nationally.

Assistant Professor :

Hiroshi Imamura
Specialities; Hepatobiliary pancreatic surgery, Hepatocellular carcinoma

Clinical and research Interests:

Liver surgery
Ischemic reperfusion injury
Regeneration of remnant liver
Preoperative portal embolization
Metastatic liver cancer
Hepatocellular carcinoma

Pancreatic-biliary surgery
Benign and malignant diseases of the pancreas and biliary tract
Intraductal papillary mucinous tumor
Physiological alterations after proximal Whipple) and distal pancreatectomy
Gallbladder cancer
Lymph nodes micrometastasis

Liver transplantation
Small for size graft syndrome
Hepatic hemodynamics
Liver regeneration
Treatment of Hepatitis C after liver transplantation

The goal of the graduate course

The students of the post graduate course are instructed by the Professor, the Associate Professors, the Assistant Professors according to the research themes. At the research conferences held every week, research results are presented and discussions are held. Theses are all published in international leading journals and are approved as world class researches. Also, not only the basic researches, clinical researches are done to contribute to evidence based medicine. Studying abroad is encouraged during the period of the post graduate course and actually there are many students who had their theses qualified abroad. The goal is not only to obtain theses but to create a gastrointestinal surgeon with a research mind so throughout the course, the students are able to be engaged in research without being separated from clinics.

　(since 2006)

1. Chai CY, Ishizaki Y, Fukumura Y, Kawasaki S. Pyogenic liver abscess complicating early bile duct carcinoma in the middle bile duct: a rare presentation. Intern Med. 2009;48(5):325-7.
2. Ishizaki Y, Yoshimoto J, Sugo H, Miwa K, Kawasaki S. Hepatectomy using traditional Pean clamp-crushing technique under intermittent Pringle maneuver. Am J Surg. 2008 Sep;196(3):353-7.
3. Tsukada A, Ishizaki Y, Nobukawa B, Kawasaki S. Paraganglioma of the pancreas: a case report and review of the literature. Pancreas. 2008 Mar;36(2):214-6. Review.
4. Ishizaki Y, Kawasaki S. The evolution of liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma (past, present, and future). J Gastroenterol. 2008;43(1):18-26. Review.
5. Takemura N, Kokudo N, Imamura H, Takazawa Y, Sano K, Sugawara Y, Nakagawa K, Ohtomo K, Makuuchi M. Eleven-year survivor of unresectable intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma treated using long-term UFT therapy. Hepatogastroenterology. 2008 Nov-Dec;55(88):1997-9.
6. Ishizawa T, Hasegawa K, Kokudo N, Sano K, Imamura H, Beck Y, Sugawara Y, Makuuchi M. Risk factors and management of ascites after liver resection to treat hepatocellular carcinoma. Arch Surg. 2009 Jan;144(1):46-51.
7. Inoue Y, Hasegawa K, Ishizawa T, Aoki T, Sano K, Beck Y, Imamura H, Sugawara Y, Kokudo N, Makuuchi M. Is there any difference in survival according to the portal tumor thrombectomy method in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma? Surgery. 2009 Jan;145(1):9-19.
8. Hashimoto T, Minagawa M, Aoki T, Hasegawa K, Sano K, Imamura H, Sugawara Y, Makuuchi M, Kokudo N. Caval invasion by liver tumor is limited. J Am Coll Surg. 2008 Sep;207(3):383-92.
9. Ishizawa T, Hasegawa K, Aoki T, Takahashi M, Inoue Y, Sano K, Imamura H, Sugawara Y, Kokudo N, Makuuchi M. Neither multiple tumors nor portal hypertension are surgical contraindications for hepatocellular carcinoma. Gastroenterology. 2008 Jun;134(7):1908-16.
10. Hashimoto T, Miki K, Imamura H, Sano K, Satou S, Sugawara Y, Kokudo N, Makuuchi M. Sinusoidal perfusion in the veno-occlusive region of living liver donors evaluated by indocyanine green and near-infrared spectroscopy. Liver Transpl. 2008 Jun;14(6):872-80.
11. Hasegawa K, Kokudo N, Sano K, Seyama Y, Aoki T, Ikeda M, Hashimoto T, Beck Y, Imamura H, Sugawara Y, Makuuchi M. Two-stage pancreatojejunostomy in pancreaticoduodenectomy: a retrospective analysis of short-term results. Am J Surg. 2008 Jul;196(1):3-10.
12. Sugo H, Yoshimoto J, Miwa K, Ishizaki Y, Kawasaki S. Anomalous intrahepatic portal system in a patient with hilar bile duct cancer. J Hepatobiliary Pancreat Surg. 2007;14(6):604-7.
13. Nomura R, Ishizaki Y, Suzuki K, Kawasaki S. Development of hepatic steatosis after pancreatoduodenectomy. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2007 Dec;189(6):1484-8.
14. Konishi N, Ishizaki Y, Sugo H, Yoshimoto J, Miwa K, Kawasaki S. Impact of a left-lobe graft without modulation of portal flow in adult-to-adult living donor liver transplantation. Am J Transplant. 2008 Jan;8(1):170-4.
15. Omori S, Ishizaki Y, Kawasaki S. Image of the month. Epidermoid cyst of the spleen. Arch Surg. 2007 Oct;142(10):1009-10. No abstract available.
16. Kobayashi H, Tamatani T, Tamura T, Kusafuka J, Yamataka A, Lane GJ, Kawasaki S, Ishizaki Y, Mizuta K, Kawarasaki H, Gittes GK. Maternal microchimerism in biliary atresia. J Pediatr Surg. 2007 Jun;42(6):987-91; discussion 991.
17. Sato G, Ishizaki Y, Sugo H, Yoshimoto J, Miwa K, Kawasaki S. Intraperitoneal giant pedunculated benign lipoma arising from the abdominal wall. Surgery. 2007 Apr;141(4):540-1.
18. Mizuno T, Ishizaki Y, Komuro Y, Yoshimoto J, Sugo H, Miwa K, Kawasaki S. Surgical treatment of abdominal wall tumor seeding after percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage. Am J Surg. 2007 Apr;193(4):511-3.
19. Yuan P, Tang W, Kokudo N, Hasegawa K, Xiang C, Li QM, Luo H, Wen J, Liang BH, Aoki T, Zhang KM, Sugawara Y, Imamura H, Sano K, Makuuchi M. Demographic and clinical characteristics of resectable hepatocellular carcinoma in China and Japan. Hepatogastroenterology. 2007 Dec;54(80):2343-7.
20. Hasegawa K, Imamura H, Ijichi M, Matsuyama Y, Sano K, Sugawara Y, Kokudo N, Makuuchi M. Inclusion of tumor markers improves the correlation of the Milan criteria with vascular invasion and tumor cell differentiation in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma undergoing liver resection (#JGSU-D-07-00462). J Gastrointest Surg. 2008 May;12(5):858-66.
21. Zhang K, Kokudo N, Hasegawa K, Arita J, Tang W, Aoki T, Imamura H, Sano K, Sugawara Y, Makuuchi M. Detection of new tumors by intraoperative ultrasonography during repeated hepatic resections for hepatocellular carcinoma. Arch Surg. 2007 Dec;142(12):1170-5; discussion 1176.
22. Shindoh J, Kokudo N, Miura Y, Satoh S, Matsukura A, Imamura H, Makuuchi M. In situ hepatic vein graft: a simple new technique for hepatic venous reconstruction. Hepatogastroenterology. 2007 Sep;54(78):1748-51.
23. Ishizawa T, Hasegawa K, Ikeda M, Aoki T, Sano K, Imamura H, Kokudo N, Makuuchi M. Transhepatic approach for a small paracaval tumor in repeat resection. Dig Surg. 2007;24(6):409-12.
24. Hashimoto T, Kokudo N, Hasegawa K, Sano K, Imamura H, Sugawara Y, Makuuchi M. Reappraisal of duct-to-duct biliary reconstruction in hepatic resection for liver tumors. Am J Surg. 2007 Sep;194(3):283-7.
25. Hashimoto T, Kokudo N, Orii R, Seyama Y, Sano K, Imamura H, Sugawara Y, Hasegawa K, Makuuchi M. Intraoperative blood salvage during liver resection: a randomized controlled trial. Ann Surg. 2007 May;245(5):686-91.
26. Arita J, Kokudo N, Hasegawa K, Sano K, Imamura H, Sugawara Y, Makuuchi M. Hepatic venous thrombus formation during liver transection exposing major hepatic vein. Surgery. 2007 Feb;141(2):283-4.
27. Ishizawa T, Hasegawa K, Sano K, Imamura H, Kokudo N, Makuuchi M. Selective versus total biliary drainage for obstructive jaundice caused by a hepatobiliary malignancy. Am J Surg. 2007 Feb;193(2):149-54.
28. Ishizaki Y, Yoshimoto J, Sugo H, Miwa K, Kawasaki S. Effect of jejunal and biliary decompression on postoperative complications and pancreatic leakage arising from pancreatojejunostomy after pancreatoduodenectomy. World J Surg. 2006 Nov;30(11):1985-9; discussion 1990-1.
29. Ishizaki Y, Yoshimoto J, Miwa K, Sugo H, Kawasaki S. Safety of prolonged intermittent pringle maneuver during hepatic resection. Arch Surg. 2006 Jul;141(7):649-53; discussion 654.
30. Ishizaki Y, Miwa K, Yoshimoto J, Sugo H, Kawasaki S. Conversion of elective laparoscopic to open cholecystectomy between 1993 and 2004. Br J Surg. 2006 Aug;93(8):987-91.
31. Mizuno T, Ishizaki Y, Ogura K, Yoshimoto J, Kawasaki S. Clinical significance of immunohistochemically detectable lymph node metastasis in adenocarcinoma of the ampulla of Vater. Br J Surg. 2006 Feb;93(2):221-5.
32. Seyama Y, Sano K, Tang W, Kokudo N, Sakamoto Y, Imamura H, Makuuchi M. Simultaneous resection of liver cell adenomas and an intrahepatic portosystemic venous shunt with elevation of serum PIVKA-II level. J Gastroenterol. 2006 Sep;41(9):909-12.
33. Hasegawa K, Takayama T, Ijichi M, Matsuyama Y, Imamura H, Sano K, Sugawara Y, Kokudo N, Makuuchi M.
34. Uracil-tegafur as an adjuvant for hepatocellular carcinoma: a randomized trial. Hepatology. 2006 Oct;44(4):891-5.
35. Kaneko J, Sugawara Y, Maruo Y, Sato H, Tamura S, Imamura H, Kokudo N, Makuuchi M. Liver transplantation using donors with Gilbert syndrome. Transplantation. 2006 Jul 27;82(2):282-5.
36. Kusaka K, Imamura H, Tomiya T, Takayama T, Makuuchi M. Expression of transforming growth factor-alpha and -beta in hepatic lobes after hemihepatic portal vein embolization. Dig Dis Sci. 2006 Aug;51(8):1404-12.
37. Akamatsu N, Sugawara Y, Tamura S, Matsui Y, Hasegawa K, Imamura H, Kokudo N, Makuuchi M. Hemophagocytic syndrome after adult-to-adult living donor liver transplantation. Transplant Proc. 2006 Jun;38(5):1425-8.
38. Satou S, Sugawara Y, Matsui Y, Kaneko J, Kishi Y, Imamura H, Kokudo N, Makuuchi M. Preoperative estimation of right lateral sector graft by three-dimensional computed tomography. Transplant Proc. 2006 Jun;38(5):1400-3.
39. Akamatsu N, Sugawara Y, Tamura S, Imamura H, Kokudo N, Makuuchi M. Regeneration and function of hemiliver graft: right versus left. Surgery. 2006 Jun;139(6):765-72.
40. Kobayashi T, Imamura H, Aoki T, Sugawara Y, Kokudo N, Makuuchi M. Morphological regeneration and hepatic functional mass after right hemihepatectomy. Dig Surg. 2006;23(1-2):44-50.
41. Sugawara Y, Makuuchi M, Tamura S, Matsui Y, Kaneko J, Hasegawa K, Imamura H, Kokudo N, Motomura N, Takamoto S. Portal vein reconstruction in adult living donor liver transplantation using cryopreserved vein grafts. Liver Transpl. 2006 Aug;12(8):1233-6.
42. Ikeda M, Hasegawa K, Akamatsu N, Minagawa M, Imamura H, Sugawara Y, Kokudo N, Makuuchi M. Pancreaticoduodenectomy after esophageal and gastric surgery preserving right gastroepiploic vessels. Arch Surg. 2006 Feb;141(2):205-8.

Hiroshi Imamura
Department of Hepato-biliary Pancreatic Surgery
2-1-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan

Required application materials:

1. 500-word personal statements
2. Dean's letter
3. Curriculum vitae
4. Three (3) names of supporting references are required in the application form (communication with them requesting letters of recommendation is the responsibility of the applicant)