2012 Liver resections in the 21st century: we are far from zero mortality

An update on topical haemostatic agents in liver surgery: systematic review and meta analysis

Mortality and morbidity in hepatic surgery are affected by blood loss and transfusion. Topical haemostatic agents (THA) are composed by a matrix and/or fibrin sealants, and their association known as "carrier-bound fibrin sealant" (CBFS): despite widely used for secondary haemostasis, the level of evidence remains low. To realize a meta-analysis on the results of CBFS on haemostasis and postoperative complications. Searches in PubMed, PubMed Central, Cochrane and Google Scholar using keywords: "topical_haemostasis" OR "haemostatic_agents" OR "sealant_patch" OR "fibrin_sealant" OR "collagen_sealant" AND "liver_surgery" OR "hepatic_surgery" OR "liver_transplantation". Randomized clinical trials, large retrospective cohort studies, case control studies evaluating THA on open/laparoscopic liver surgery and transplantation. From 1993 to 2016 were found 22 studies for qualitative synthesis and 13 for quantitative meta-analysis. The time to haemostasis was lower in the CBFS group (mean difference -2.33 min; P = 0.00001). The risk of receiving blood transfusion, developing collections and bile leak was not influenced by the use of CBFS (OR 0.75; P = 0.25), (OR 0.72; P = 0.52), (OR 0.74; P = 0.30) respectively. The use of CBFS in liver surgery significantly reduce the time to haemostasis, but does not decrease transfusion, postoperative collection and bile leak.

Laparoscopy Decreases Pulmonary Complications in Patients Undergoing Major Liver Resection: A Propensity Score Analysis

OBJECTIVE

To compare both incidence and types of postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) between laparoscopic major hepatectomy (LMH) and open major hepatectomy (OMH).

BACKGROUND

LMHs are increasingly performed. Yet, the benefits of laparoscopy over laparotomy regarding PPCs remain unknown.

METHODS

In this multi-institutional study, all patients undergoing OMH or LMH between 1998 and 2013 were retrospectively reviewed. Risk factors for PPCs were analyzed on multivariate analysis. Comparison of both overall rate and types of PPCs between OMH and LMH patients was performed after propensity score adjustment on factors influencing the choice of the approach.

RESULTS

LMH was performed in 226 (18.6%) of the 1214 included patients. PPCs occurred in 480 (39.5%) patients including symptomatic pleural effusion in 366 (30.1%) patients, respiratory insufficiency in 141 (11.6%), acute respiratory distress syndrome in 84 (6.9%), pulmonary infection in 80 (6.5%), and pulmonary embolism in 47 (3.8%) patients. On multivariate analysis, preoperative hypoprotidemia [hazard ratio (HR): 1.341, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.001-1.795; P = 0.049], open approach (HR: 2.481, 95% CI: 1.141-6.024; P = 0.024), right-sided hepatectomy (HR: 2.143, 95% CI: 1.544-2.975; P < 0.001), concomitant extrahepatic procedures (HR: 1.742, 95% CI: 1.103-2.750; P = 0.017), transfusion (HR: 2.851, 95% CI: 2.067-3.935; P < 0.001), and operative time more than 6 hours (HR: 1.510, 95% CI: 1.127-2.022; P = 0.006) were independently associated with PPCs. After propensity score matching, the overall incidence of PPCs (13.2% vs 40.5%, P < 0.001), symptomatic pleural effusion (11.6% vs 26.4%, P = 0.003), pleural effusion requiring drainage (1.7% vs 9.9%, P = 0.006), and acute respiratory distress syndrome (1.7% vs 9.9%, P = 0.006) were significantly lower in the laparoscopy group than in the open group.

CONCLUSIONS

Pure laparoscopy allows reducing PPCs in patients requiring major liver resection.

[Liver transection: modern procedure: Technique, results and costs]

Liver resection has developed into the current standard procedure due to modern resection techniques, profound knowledge of the liver anatomy and optimized surgical and anesthesiological strategies to allow extended resections with both low morbidity and mortality. Initially major blood loss was the biggest concern with liver resection and a Pringle's manoeuvre was necessary. Nowadays, biliary leakage is the major problem after liver surgery. Besides the classical conventional clamp crushing technique for parenchymal transection, various devices including ultrasound, microwaves and staplers have been introduced. Minimally invasive techniques have become increasingly important for liver resection but are still applied in selected patients only. The selection of the resection technique and device mainly depends on the extent of the resection and also on the liver parenchyma, the liver disease, costs, personal experiences and preferences. This article presents a selection of techniques used in modern parenchymal transection during liver resection with special focus on transection time, blood loss, bile leakage and costs.

Ninety-day Postoperative Mortality Is a Legitimate Measure of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgical Quality

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the legitimacy of 90-day mortality as a measure of hepatopancreatobiliary quality.

BACKGROUND

The 90-day mortality rate has been increasingly but not universally reported after hepatopancreatobiliary surgery. The legitimacy of this definition as a measure of surgical quality has not been evaluated.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed the causes of all deaths that occurred within 365 postoperative days in patients undergoing hepatectomy (n = 2811) and/or pancreatectomy (n = 1092) from January 1997 to December 2012. The rates of surgery-related, disease-related, and overall mortality within 30 days, within 30 days or during the index hospitalization, within 90 days, and within 180 days after surgery were calculated.

RESULTS

Seventy-nine (3%) surgery-related deaths and 92 (3%) disease-related deaths occurred within 365 days after hepatectomy. Twenty (2%) surgery-related deaths and 112 (10%) disease-related deaths occurred within 365 days after pancreatectomy. The overall mortality rates at 99 and 118 days optimally reflected surgery-related mortality after hepatobiliary and pancreatic operations, respectively. The 90-day overall mortality rate was a less sensitive but equivalently specific measure of surgery-related death.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

The 99- and 118-day definitions of postoperative mortality optimally reflected surgery-related mortality after hepatobiliary and pancreatic operations, respectively. However, among commonly reported metrics, the 90-day overall mortality rate represents a legitimate measure of surgical quality.

Laparoscopic liver resection for posterosuperior and anterolateral lesions-a comparison experience in an Asian centre

BACKGROUND

Minimally invasive surgery has been one of the recent developments in liver surgery, laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) was initially performed for benign lesions at easily accessible locations. As the surgical techniques, technology and experience improved over the past decades, LLR surgery had evolved to tackle malignant lesions, major resections and even in difficult locations without compromising safety and principles of oncology. It was also shown to be beneficial in cirrhotic patients. We describe our initial experience with LLR in a population with significant proportion having cirrhosis, emphasising our approach for lesions in the posterosuperior (PS) segments of the liver (segments 1, 4a, 7, and 8).

METHODS

A review of patients undergoing LLR in single institution from 2006 to 2015 was performed from a prospective surgical database. Clinicopathological, operative and perioperative parameters were analyzed to compare outcomes in patients who underwent LLR for PS vs. anterolateral lesions (AL).

RESULTS

LLR was performed in consecutive 197 patients, with a mean age of 60 years. The indications for resection were hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) (n=105; 53%), colorectal cancer liver metastasis (n=31; 16%), other malignancies (n=19; 10%) and benign lesions (n=42; 21%). A significant proportion had liver cirrhosis (25.9%). More females underwent surgery in the AL group and indications for surgery were similar between both groups. Major liver resection was performed more frequently for the PS group than for the AL group (P<0.001) and significantly more PS resections was performed in our latter experience (P=0.02). The mean operative time and the conversion rate were significantly greater in the PS group than in the AL group (P≤0.001 and 0.03, respectively). However, the estimated blood loss (EBL), rate of blood transfusion and mean postoperative stay were similar in the two groups (P=0.04, 0.88 and 0.92, respectively). The overall 90-day morbidity and mortality rate was 21.3% and 0.5% respectively, with no differences between the two groups. Surrogates of difficulty such as operative time, blood loss, conversion and outcomes e.g., morbidity and mortality, were similar in patients who underwent PS resections with or without cirrhosis.

CONCLUSIONS

LLR in selected patients is technically feasible and safe including cirrhotic patients with lesions in the PS segments.

Pancreaticoduodenectomy with Reconstruction of the Mesentericoportal Vein by the Parietal Peritoneum: 'Safi Dokmak Vascular Graft'

BACKGROUND

Venous resections are frequent during hepatopancreatobiliary (HPB) surgery and a rapidly available graft may be needed, especially if it had not been planned preoperatively.1 (-) 3 Our group recently reported results on the use of the parietal peritoneum (PP) as an autologous substitute graft (ASG) for reconstruction of the mesentericoportal vein (MPV) in 30 patients for the first time.4 METHODS: Between December 2010 and January 2015, a total of 52 patients underwent HPB surgery with venous resection/reconstruction with the PP. The PP was harvested rapidly through the same surgical incision in the same surgical field, and reconstruction was generally performed after the specimen was removed. The ASG was harvested from the PP of the diaphragm (n = 22), the hypochondrium (n = 19), the falciform ligament (n = 6) and the prerenal area (n = 5), and used as a lateral (n = 49) or tubular (n = 3) graft. The presence of peritoneal carcinomatosis was a contraindication. Postoperative anticoagulation was standard and venous patency was assessed by routine computed tomography (CT) scan in all patients. All data were collected prospectively and complications were recorded according to the Clavien-Dindo classification.5 Our experience is illustrated in a patient who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy with reconstruction of the MPV, using the PP, for recurrent pancreatic adenocarcinoma on an intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasia, and who was treated 5 years ago by distal pancreatectomy.

RESULTS

Overall, 32 men and 20 women, mean age 60 years (range 31-83), underwent resection of the pancreas (n = 29), the liver (n = 22), or both (n = 1). Mean size of the ASG was 23 mm (range 10-80), and it was used for reconstruction of the MPV (n = 42), the hepatic veins (n = 5), or the vena cava (n = 5) for malignant disease (98 %). Emergency reconstruction was necessary in six patients due to prolonged vascular occlusion. One non-related mortality was observed (2 %) as a result of septic complications after right hepatectomy. Eight (15 %) complications were greater than grade III of the Clavien-Dindo classification, but there were no PP-related or hemorrhagic complications. Mean hospital stay was 16 days (range 6-48). After a mean follow-up of 11 months (range 1-46), the overall patency rate was 96, 100 % for the lateral graft, and 33 % for the tubular graft.

CONCLUSIONS

The Safi Dokmak vascular graft using the PP for lateral reconstruction of the MPV may be harvested rapidly with no limitation in size, can be temporarily used, and is inexpensive and safe. Finally, therapeutic anticoagulation is not needed and the theoretical risk of infection is very low.

Parietal Peritoneum as an Autologous Substitute for Venous Reconstruction in Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the parietal peritoneum (PP) as an autologous substitute for venous reconstruction during hepatopancreatobiliary (HPB) surgery.

BACKGROUND

Venous resection during liver or pancreatic resection may require a rapidly available substitute especially when the need for venous resection is unforeseen.

METHODS

The PP was used as an autologous substitute during complex liver and pancreatic resections. Postoperative anticoagulation was standard and venous patency was assessed by routine computed tomographic scans.

RESULTS

Thirty patients underwent vascular resection during pancreatic (n = 18) or liver (n = 12) resection, mainly for malignant tumors (n = 29). Venous resection was an emergency procedure in 4 patients due to prolonged vascular occlusion. The PP, with a mean length of 22 mm (15-70), was quickly harvested and used as a lateral (n = 28) or a tubular (n = 2) substitute for reconstruction of the mesentericoportal vein (n = 24), vena cava (n = 3), or hepatic vein (n = 3). Severe morbidity included Clavien grade-III complications in 4 (13%) patients but there was no PP-related or hemorrhagic complications. Histological vascular invasion was present in 18 (62%) patients, and all had an R0 resection (100%). After a mean follow-up of 14 (7-33) months, all venous reconstructions were patent except for 1 tubular graft (97%).

CONCLUSIONS

A PP can be safely used as a lateral patch for venous reconstruction during HPB surgery; this could help reduce reluctance to perform vascular resection when oncologically required. Clinical trials identification: NCT02121886.

Safety validation of decision trees for hepatocellular carcinoma

AIM: To evaluate a different decision tree for safe liver resection and verify its efficiency.

METHODS: A total of 2457 patients underwent hepatic resection between January 2004 and December 2010 at the Chinese PLA General Hospital, and 634 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients were eligible for the final analyses. Post-hepatectomy liver failure (PHLF) was identified by the association of prothrombin time < 50% and serum bilirubin > 50 μmol/L (the “50-50” criteria), which were assessed at day 5 postoperatively or later. The Swiss-Clavien decision tree, Tokyo University-Makuuchi decision tree, and Chinese consensus decision tree were adopted to divide patients into two groups based on those decision trees in sequence, and the PHLF rates were recorded.

RESULTS: The overall mortality and PHLF rate were 0.16% and 3.0%. A total of 19 patients experienced PHLF. The numbers of patients to whom the Swiss-Clavien, Tokyo University-Makuuchi, and Chinese consensus decision trees were applied were 581, 573, and 622, and the PHLF rates were 2.75%, 2.62%, and 2.73%, respectively. Significantly more cases satisfied the Chinese consensus decision tree than the Swiss-Clavien decision tree and Tokyo University-Makuuchi decision tree (P < 0.01，P < 0.01); nevertheless, the latter two shared no difference (P = 0.147). The PHLF rate exhibited no significant difference with respect to the three decision trees.

CONCLUSION: The Chinese consensus decision tree expands the indications for hepatic resection for HCC patients and does not increase the PHLF rate compared to the Swiss-Clavien and Tokyo University-Makuuchi decision trees. It would be a safe and effective algorithm for hepatectomy in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

Morbidity and mortality of hepatectomy for benign liver tumors

BACKGROUND

This study compared the morbidity and mortality following hepatectomy for benign liver tumors and hepatic metastases.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort study compared patients who underwent hepatectomy for benign liver tumors and metastases reported to National Surgical Quality Improvement Program between 2005 and 2011.

RESULTS

A total of 5,542 patients underwent hepatectomy: 1,164 (21%) for benign and 4,378 (79%) for metastatic diseases. Patients with benign tumors were younger, predominantly female, and were less likely to have preoperative comorbidities (all P < .037). Rates of major complications including infections, embolism, renal failure, stroke, coma, cardiac arrest, reoperation, and ventilator dependence were similar between the 2 groups (all P ≥ .05). Thirty-day mortality was .9% among patients with benign tumors and 1.4% among patients with metastases (P = .128). After adjusting for significant effects of age and major complications (both P ≤ .007), benign vs malignant diagnosis and extent of hepatectomy was not associated with 30-day survival (both P ≥ .083).

CONCLUSIONS

Despite patients with benign disease being younger and healthier, risks of major complications are similar after hepatectomy for benign and metastatic disease. Hepatectomy should be offered selectively for patients with benign liver tumors.

Major hepatectomies for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma: Predictors for clinically relevant postoperative complications using the International Study Group of Liver Surgery definitions

BACKGROUND/AIM

Major hepatectomies are widely used in curative-intent surgery for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma, but morbidity rates are high. The aim of the study is to explore potential predictors for clinically relevant complications after major hepatectomies for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma.

METHODS

Seventy patients were included. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed for risk factors of morbidities using the International Study Group of Liver Surgery definitions.

RESULTS

Severe morbidity rate was 36.5%. Clinically relevant posthepatectomy liver failure, bile leak, and hemorrhage rates were 24%, 22%, and 8.5%, respectively. A neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio > 3.3 is an independent prognostic factor for severe complications (hazard ratio = 1.258; 95% confidence interval 1.008-1.570; p = 0.042) while the number of blood units > 3 is an independent prognostic factor for clinically relevant liver failure (hazard ratio = 1.254; 95% confidence interval 1.082-1.452; p = 0.003). Biliary drainage and portal vein resection were not statistically correlated with any postoperative complication (p ≥ 0.101). Significantly higher bilirubinemia levels were observed in patients with postoperative hemorrhage (p = 0.023).

CONCLUSION

Clinically relevant morbidity rates after major hepatectomies for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma are high. Liver failure represents the main complication and is correlated with the number of transfused blood units. A patient with increased bilirubinemia appears to have a high risk for postoperative hemorrhage. Biliary drainage and portal vein resection does not appear to have a detrimental effect on morbidities. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio is a novel independent predictor for severe morbidity after major hepatectomies for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma and may contribute to better and informed decision-making.

Open versus laparoscopic liver resection for colorectal liver metastases (the Oslo-CoMet Study): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Laparoscopic liver resection is used in specialized centers all over the world. However, laparoscopic liver resection has never been compared with open liver resection in a prospective, randomized trial.

METHODS/DESIGN

The Oslo-CoMet Study is a randomized trial into laparoscopic versus open liver resection for the surgical management of hepatic colorectal metastases. The primary outcome is 30-day perioperative morbidity. Secondary outcomes include 5-year survival (overall, disease-free and recurrence-free), resection margins, recurrence pattern, postoperative pain, health-related quality of life, and evaluation of the inflammatory response. A cost-utility analysis of replacing open surgery with laparoscopic surgery will also be performed. The study includes all resections for colorectal liver metastases, except formal hemihepatectomies, resections where reconstruction of vessels/bile ducts is necessary and resections that need to be combined with ablation. All patients will participate in an enhanced recovery after surgery program. A biobank of liver and tumor tissue will be established and molecular analysis will be performed.

DISCUSSION

After 35 months of recruitment, 200 patients have been included in the trial. Molecular and immunology data are being analyzed. Results for primary and secondary outcome measures will be presented following the conclusion of the study (late 2015). The Oslo-CoMet Study will provide the first level 1 evidence on the benefits of laparoscopic liver resection for colorectal liver metastases.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

The trial was registered in ClinicalTrals.gov (NCT01516710) on 19 January 2012.

Improving the quality of liver resection: a systematic review and critical analysis of the available prognostic models

BACKGROUND

Liver resection is considered to offer the only hope of cure for patients with liver malignancy. However, there are concerns about its safety, particularly in view of the increasing efficacy of less invasive strategies. No systematic review of prognostic research in liver resections has yet been performed.

METHODS

A systematic search identified articles published between 1999 and 2012 that performed a risk prediction analysis in patients undergoing liver resection. Studies were included if an outcome occurring within 90 days of surgery was identified, multivariable analysis performed and regression coefficients provided. The main endpoints were the outcomes and predictors chosen by the investigators, their definition, the performance and validity of the models, and the quality of the study as assessed using the QUIPS (quality in prognosis studies) tool.

RESULTS

A total of 91 studies were included. Eleven were prospective, but only two of these were registered. Twenty-eight endpoints were identified. These focused on postoperative morbidity or mortality, but many were redundant or ill defined and other relevant patient-reported outcomes were lacking. Predictors were not standardized, were poorly defined and overlapped. Only nine studies assessed the performance of their models and seven made an internal or temporal validation, but none reported an external validation or impact analysis. The median QUIPS score was 34 out of 50, indicating a high risk for bias.

CONCLUSION

Prognostic research in liver resection is still at the developmental stage.

The ALPPS procedure: a surgical option for hepatocellular carcinoma with major vascular invasion

BACKGROUND

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tends to have a particular invasiveness toward the portal vein (PV) branches and hepatic veins. This situation can hamper major surgical resection with a risk of postoperative liver failure due to the small future liver remnant (FLR) in cirrhotic livers. These patients are then usually directed to palliative treatments with poor results. The associating liver partition and PV ligation (PVL) in staged hepatectomy (ALPPS) strategy is one of the main surgical innovations in recent years in the field of liver surgical oncology. The ALPPS approach could allow surgical resection in patients with HCC and associated major vascular invasion.

METHODS

Among 1,143 liver resection performed in our center, the ALPPS approach was employed in order to induce rapid hypertrophy of the left FLR in patients with HCC and associated major vascular invasion. This strategy consists of combining the in situ splitting of the liver along the main portal scissura or on the right side of the falciform ligament and PVL in a strategy of staged hepatectomy.

RESULTS

In our experience the ALPPS approach allowed us to achieve a sufficient FLR in two cases of HCC with major vascular invasion, in which the classic two-stage strategy could not be applied. In both cases the patients could undergo major hepatectomies without mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

This novel strategy could expand the number of patients undergoing major liver resections that were previously considered non-resectable because of the risk of liver decompensation for an insufficient FLR.

Hepatic parenchymal preservation surgery: decreasing morbidity and mortality rates in 4,152 resections for malignancy

Background

Liver resection is used to treat primary and secondary malignancies. Historically, these procedures were associated with significant complications, which may affect cancer-specific outcome. This study analyzes the changes in morbidity and mortality after hepatic resection over time.

Study Design

Records of all patients undergoing liver resection for a malignant diagnosis from 1993 to 2012 at Memorial Sloan Kettering were analyzed. Patients were divided into early (1993-1999), middle (2000-2006), and recent (2007-2012) eras. Major hepatectomy was defined as resection of 3 or more segments. Univariate and multivariate analyses were made with t-tests or Mann-Whitney tests.

Results

3,875 patients underwent 4,152 resections for malignancy. The most common diagnosis was metastatic colorectal cancer (n=2,476, 64% of patients). Over the study period, 90-day mortality rate decreased from 5% to 1.6% (p<0.001). Perioperative morbidity decreased from 53% to 20% (p<0.001). The percentage of major hepatectomies decreased from 66% to 36% (p<0.001). The rate of perioperative transfusion decreased from 51% to 21% (p<0.001). The spectrum of perioperative morbidity changed markedly over time, with abdominal infections (43% of complications) overtaking cardiopulmonary complications (22% of complications). Peak postoperative bilirubin (OR 1.1, p<0.001), blood loss (OR 1.5, p=0.001), major hepatectomy (OR 1.3, p=0.031), and concurrent partial colectomy (OR 2.4, p<0.001) were independent predictors of perioperative morbidity. The mortality associated with trisectionectomy (6%) and right hepatectomy (3%) remained unchanged over time.

Conclusions

Morbidity and mortality rates after partial hepatectomy for cancer have decreased substantially as the major hepatectomy rate dropped. Encouraging parenchymal preservation and preventing abdominal infections are vital for continued improvement of liver resection outcomes.

Texture analysis of preoperative CT images for prediction of postoperative hepatic insufficiency: a preliminary study

BACKGROUND

Texture analysis is a promising method of analyzing imaging data to potentially enhance diagnostic capability. This approach involves automated measurement of pixel intensity variation that may offer further insight into disease progression than do standard imaging techniques alone. We postulated that postoperative liver insufficiency, a major source of morbidity and mortality, correlates with preoperative heterogeneous parenchymal enhancement that can be quantified with texture analysis of cross-sectional imaging.

STUDY DESIGN

A retrospective case-matched study (waiver of informed consent and HIPAA authorization, approved by the Institutional Review Board) was performed comparing patients who underwent major hepatic resection and developed liver insufficiency (n = 12) with a matched group of patients with no postoperative liver insufficiency (n = 24) by procedure, remnant volume, and year of procedure. Texture analysis (with gray-level co-occurrence matrices) was used to quantify the heterogeneity of liver parenchyma on preoperative CT scans. Statistical significance was evaluated using Wilcoxon's signed rank and Pearson's chi-square tests.

RESULTS

No statistically significant differences were found between study groups for preoperative patient demographics and clinical characteristics, with the exception of sex (p < 0.05). Two texture features differed significantly between the groups: correlation (linear dependency of gray levels on neighboring pixels) and entropy (randomness of brightness variation) (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

In this preliminary study, the texture of liver parenchyma on preoperative CT was significantly more varied, less symmetric, and less homogeneous in patients with postoperative liver insufficiency. Therefore, texture analysis has the potential to provide an additional means of preoperative risk stratification.

Modern technical approaches in resectional hepatic surgery

Techniques in liver surgery have improved considerably during the last decades, allowing for liver resections with low morbidity and mortality. Preoperative patient selection, perioperative management, and intraoperative blood-sparing techniques are the cornerstones of modern liver surgery. Multimodal treatment of colorectal liver metastases has expanded the group of patients who are potential candidates for liver resection. Adjunctive techniques, including preoperative portal vein embolization and staged hepatectomy, have facilitated the safe performance of extensive liver resection. This article provides an overview of indications for liver resection and a systematic description of the technical approach to the most commonly performed resections.

Perceived complexity of various liver resections: results of a survey of experts with development of a complexity score and classification

BACKGROUND

Liver resections have classically been distinguished as "minor" or "major" based on the number of segments removed. However, it is clear that the number of segments alone does not convey the complexity of a resection. To date, no study has formally assessed the complexity of various anatomic liver resections.

STUDY DESIGN

A 4-question survey was administered to 135 expert liver surgeons in 14 countries. The first 3 questions related to the country in which the surgeon was practicing and the surgeon's experience. In the fourth question, the experts were asked to rate the difficulty of various open, anatomic liver resections on a scale of 1 to 10.

RESULTS

Sixty-six of 135 (48.9%) surgeons responded to the survey. Twelve procedures were rated. The lowest mean score of 1.37-indicating least difficulty-was given to peripheral wedge resection. Left trisectionectomy with caudate resection was deemed most difficult, with a score of 8.28. The mean scores for the 2 procedures perceived as least difficult-peripheral wedge resection and left lateral sectionectomy-were lower than the mean scores of all the rest of the procedures at a highly statistically significant level (p < 0.0001). The 4 procedures with the highest scores shared the common attribute that they involved the right intersectional plane.

CONCLUSIONS

These data represent the first quantitative assessment of the perceived difficulty of a variety of liver resections. The complexity scores generated allow for separation of liver resections into 3 categories of complexity (low complexity, medium complexity, and high complexity) on a quantitative basis.

Liver resection for HCC: patient's selection and controversial scenarios

Liver resection is a valuable curative option for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Yet, the balance between the operative risk following hepatectomy for HCC occurring on chronic liver disease and the oncologic prognosis of advanced lesions have led treatment recommendations to limiting the place of liver resection to selected patients with preserved liver function harbouring early-stage tumours. However, better understanding of the natural history of both tumour and underlying liver disease, sophisticated assessment of the liver function, improvements in the preoperative management of the patients with the use of liver volume modulation, refinements in surgical technique including anatomic resection and laparoscopic approach along with tailored management of recurrences have led expert centres to better define and extend the indications for liver resection. In this setting, the reported favourable operative results and long-term outcomes following resection of HCC in a number of controversial scenarios support that current guidelines could be refined.

The ALPPS procedure for hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

The main limiting factor to major hepatic resections is the amount of the future liver remnant (FLR). Associating Liver Partition with Portal Vein Ligation for Staged Hepatectomy (ALPPS) is a procedure which induces a rapid hypertrophy of the FLR in patients with non-resectable liver tumours.

METHODS

ALPPS is a surgical technique of in-situ splitting of the liver along the main portal scissura or the right side of the falciform ligament, in association with portal vein ligation in order to induce a rapid hypertrophy of the left FLR.

RESULTS

The median FLR volume increase was 18.7% within one week after the first step and 38.6% after the second step. At the first step the median operating time was 300 min, blood transfusions were not required in any case, median blood loss was 150 cc. At the second step median operating time was 180 min, median blood loss was 50 cc, none of the patients required intra-operative blood. All patients are alive at a median follow up of 9 months.

CONCLUSIONS

This novel strategy seems to be feasible even in the context of a cirrhotic liver, and demonstrates the capacity to reach a sufficient FLR within a shorter interval of time.