A left hepatectomy and caudate lobectomy combined resection of the ventral segment of the right anterior sector for hilar cholangiocarcinoma — the efficacy of PVE (portal vein embolization) in identifying the hepatic subsegment: Report of a case

Study on the segmentation of the right anterior sector of the liver

BACKGROUND

The segmentation of the right anterior sector of the liver still is debatable due to the lack of an anatomic landmark of the boundary between Couinaud segments V and VIII (cranio-caudal segmentation). Some authors have proposed the concept of a ventro-dorsal segmentation. The aim of this study was to evaluate which concept of segmentation better reflects the anatomy.

METHODS

Using 3-dimensional computed tomography software, the ramification pattern of the right anterior portal vein was examined in 100 patients. A thick, hepatic, venous branch that passes through Couinaud segment VIII was termed V8, and its course was investigated using a virtual hepatectomy.

RESULTS

Regarding the anatomy of the portal vein in the right anterior sector, the cranio-caudal type was found in 53 patients, the ventro-dorsal type in 23 patients, and the trifurcation type in 13 patients. The remaining 11 patients had miscellaneous patterns of ramification. In the cranio-caudal type, the volume of the cranial segment was greater (P < .001) than that of the caudal segment. In the ventro-dorsal type, the volume of the ventral segment was greater (P = .007) than that of the dorsal segment. The V8 was identified in 81 of the 89 (91%) patients analyzed. The proportion of cases in which the V8 functioned as a landmark of the border between the ventral and dorsal segments was 63% (56/89 patients).

CONCLUSION

Regarding the segmentation of the right anterior sector of the liver, the cranio-caudal segmentation introduced by Couinaud is dominant (53%), while ventro-dorsal segmentation is less common (23%). Therefore, universalization of the concept of the ventro-dorsal segmentation is unrealistic.

Ventral segment-preserving right hepatectomy in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Transection along the anterior fissure was proposed as a mechanism by which to open the third door of the liver. In this study, we investigated surgical outcomes of a ventral segment-preserving right hepatectomy (VSPRH) compared with those of conventional right hepatectomy in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODS

Between January 2007 and December 2010, 595 primary HCC patients underwent liver resection at the authors' institution. Among them, the 123 HCC patients who underwent a right hepatectomy were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were classified into two groups according to the type of resection: those who underwent a VSPRH (Group A; 27 cases) and those who underwent a conventional right hepatectomy (Group B; 96 cases).

RESULTS

In Group A, expected remnant liver volume after a right hepatectomy was calculated to be 32.1 ± 7.2% of functional total liver volume (FTLV); remnant liver volume increased up to 54.7 ± 7.2% of FTLV after a VSPRH. Clinicopathologic characteristics and intraoperative data did not differ between the two groups. The liver-related complication rate was higher in Group B (P = 0.02). Overall survival and disease-free survival rates were similar (3-year disease-free survival (Group A: 67.8%; Group B: 71.7%; P = 0.65); 3-year overall survival (Group A: 91.7%; Group B: 87.4%; P = 0.26). In regard to long-term synthetic function, the 1-year postoperative serum albumin level was higher in Group A.

CONCLUSIONS

A VSPRH yielded fewer liver-related complications and similar long-term oncologic outcomes, compared with conventional right hepatectomy in cirrhotic patients with a small left lobe volume. Therefore, VSPRH can be considered to be an alternative procedure for a right hepatectomy.

Surgical technique of hepatectomy combined with simultaneous resection of hepatic artery and portal vein for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (with video)

Perihilar cholangiocarcinomas often involve the bifurcation of the portal vein and the hepatic artery at initial presentation. Previously, vascular invasion was a major obstacle for R0 resection; therefore, such tumors were regarded as locally advanced, unresectable disease. Recently, in leading centers, these tumors have been resected using a specific technique, vascular resection and reconstruction. Vascular resection is classified into three types: portal vein resection alone, hepatic artery resection alone, and simultaneous resection of both the portal vein and hepatic artery. Of these, portal vein resection is widely performed, whereas hepatic artery resection remains controversial. Therefore, hepatectomy combined with simultaneous resection of the portal vein and hepatic artery represents one of the most complicated and challenging procedures in hepatobiliary surgery. The survival benefit of this extended procedure remains unproven, and there is only a single study reporting an unexpectedly favorable outcome in 50 patients. Considering the dismal survival in patients with unresectable disease, hepatic artery resection and/or portal vein resection may be a promising option of choice. However, the technique is highly demanding and has not been standardized. Therefore, this extended surgery may be allowed only in selected hepatobiliary centers.

Evolution of surgical treatment for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma: a single-center 34-year review of 574 consecutive resections

OBJECTIVE

To review our 34-year experience with 574 consecutive resections for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma and to evaluate the progress made in surgical treatment of this disease.

BACKGROUND

Few studies have reported improved surgical outcomes for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma; therefore, it is still unclear whether surgical treatment of this intractable disease has progressed.

METHODS

Between April 1977 and December 2010, a total of 754 consecutive patients with perihilar cholangiocarcinoma were treated, of whom 574 (76.1%) underwent resection. The medical records of these resected patients were retrospectively reviewed.

RESULTS

The incidence of major hepatectomies has increased, and limited resections, including central hepatectomies and bile duct resections, were rarely performed. Combined vascular resection was being used more often. Operative time has become shorter, and intraoperative blood loss has also decreased significantly. Because of refinements in surgical techniques and perioperative management, morbidity decreased significantly but was still high, with a rate of 43.1% in the last 5 years. Mortality rate has also decreased significantly (P < 0.001) from 11.1% (8/72) before 1990 to 1.4% (3/218) in the last 5 years. The ratio of advanced disease defined as pStage IVA and IVB has increased significantly from 49.4% before 2000 to 61.4% after 2001. The disease-specific survival for the 574 study patients (including all deaths) was 44.3% at year 3, 32.5% at year 5, and 19.9% at year 10. The survival was significantly better in the later period of 2001 to 2010 than in the earlier period of 1977 to 2000 (38.1% vs 23.1% at year 5, P < 0.001). For pM0, R0, and pN0 patients (n = 243), the survival in the later period was good with 67.1% at year 5, which was significantly better than that of the earlier period (P < 0.001). For pM0, R0, and pN1 patients (n = 142), however, the survival in the later period was similar to that of the earlier period (22.1% vs 14.6% at year 5, P = 0.647). Multivariate analysis revealed that lymph node metastasis was the strongest prognostic indicator.

CONCLUSIONS

Surgical treatment of perihilar cholangiocarcinoma has been evolving steadily, with expanded surgical indication, decreased mortality, and increased survival. Survival for R0 and pN0 patients was satisfactory, whereas survival for pN1 patients was still poor, suggesting that establishment of effective adjuvant chemotherapy is needed.

Clinical significance of left trisectionectomy for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma: an appraisal and comparison with left hepatectomy

OBJECTIVE

To review our experiences with left-sided hepatectomy for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma, to compare left hepatectomy with left trisectionectomy, and to evaluate the clinical significance of left trisectionectomy from the viewpoint of surgical oncology.

BACKGROUND

Only 4 large case series have been reported on left trisectionectomy, with only a few patients diagnosed with perihilar cholangiocarcinoma. Therefore, the oncologic advantage of left trisectionectomy compared with left hepatectomy for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma is still unclear.

METHODS

This study involved 201 patients who underwent left-sided hepatectomy for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (86 trisectionectomies and 115 hepatectomies). Surgical outcome and survival were compared between the 2 types of hepatectomy. The length of the resected right posterior bile duct was also measured.

RESULTS

Patients who underwent trisectionectomy had more advanced tumors, thus requiring combined vascular and/or other organ resection. Operative time and blood loss were significantly greater in trisectionectomy than in hepatectomy; therefore, overall morbidity was significantly higher in the former (59.3% vs 33.0%, P < 0.001). Mortality was similar (1.2% vs 0.9%) in both techniques. The length of the resected supraportal right posterior bile duct was significantly longer in trisectionectomy than in hepatectomy (20.7 ± 6.4 vs 13.6 ± 5.2 mm, P < 0.001). However, there was no difference in length of the infraportal type right posterior bile duct. The percentage of negative radial and distal common bile duct margins was similar, but the percentage of negative right posterior bile duct margins was significantly higher in trisectionectomy than in hepatectomy (97.7% vs 89.6%, P = 0.027). Overall, R0 resection was achieved in 84.9% of patients with trisectionectomy and in 70.4% of patients with hepatectomy (P = 0.019). Survival rates were similar between patients with trisectionectomy and those with hepatectomy (36.8% vs 34.0% at 5-year), despite the fact that the former had more advanced disease.

CONCLUSIONS

Left trisectionectomy for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma, although technically demanding, can be performed with similar mortality rates as left hepatectomy. From an oncologic viewpoint, this operation can increase the number of negative proximal ductal margins, leading to a high proportion of R0 resection, and, in turn, to improved survival rates of patients with advanced left-sided perihilar cholangiocarcinoma.

Hepatolithiasis in the hepatic hilum mimicking hilar cholangiocarcinoma: report of a case

We report a rare case of hepatolithiasis, which was diagnosed as hilar cholangiocarcinoma and treated with hepatectomy and extrahepatic bile duct resection. A 59-year-old woman presented to a local hospital with liver dysfunction. Diagnostic imaging revealed a biliary stricture at the hepatic hilum and middle bile duct. Hilar cholangiocarcinoma was diagnosed, and she was referred to our hospital for definitive surgical treatment. She underwent left hepatic trisectionectomy, total caudate lobectomy, and extrahepatic bile duct resection. Gross examination of the resected specimen revealed intrahepatic stones firmly adherent to the bile duct wall. Pathological examination revealed no malignant lesions. The epithelium of the bile duct was absent underneath the stone, and the boundary between the stone and bile duct wall was ill defined. To our knowledge, this is the first case report of hepatolithiasis with a biliary stricture caused by peculiar stone formation, mimicking hilar cholangiocarcinoma.

Small intestinal metastasis from intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: report of a case

Metastasis of the small intestine that derives from a primary hepatic neoplasm is rare. We encountered a case of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) with jejunal metastasis after resection of a primary lesion. A 61-year-old male patient was referred to us with a diagnosis of liver tumors. Partial hepatectomy was performed, and the pathological diagnosis was ICC. Seventeen months after surgery, the patient was found to have a mass in the jejunum and lymph node swelling by positron emission tomography-computed tomography. The jejunal tumor was preoperatively diagnosed as a metastasis of ICC from a biopsy specimen obtained by double balloon endoscopy, and the tumor was resected. The patient received systemic chemotherapy but succumbed with ICC recurrence 46 months after the primary surgery. To the best of our knowledge, this case is the first report of jejunal recurrence of ICC. In addition, this report suggests the usefulness of double balloon endoscopy to make the correct diagnosis of the jejunal tumor.

Sinusoidal obstruction syndrome compromises liver regeneration in patients undergoing two-stage hepatectomy with portal vein embolization

PURPOSE

Several factors have been reported to affect liver regeneration after portal vein embolization (PVE); however, the effect of sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (SOS) has not been evaluated. Therefore, we assessed the effect of SOS on liver regeneration after PVE in patients with multiple bilobar colorectal liver metastases scheduled to undergo two-stage hepatectomy (TSH) combined with PVE.

METHODS

The subjects of this study were 78 patients prospectively scheduled to undergo TSH between December 1996 and August 2009. Archived formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded nontumoral tissue samples were collected from the 1st- and 2nd-stage hepatectomies in 42 and 45 patients, respectively, and SOS and steatohepatitis were diagnosed pathologically. We analyzed the clinicopathological variables affecting liver regeneration after PVE.

RESULTS

Sinusoidal obstruction syndrome was diagnosed in 11 (26.2%) and 20 patients (44.4%) at the time of the 1st- and 2nd-stage hepatectomy, respectively. Patients with SOS at the 1st-stage hepatectomy had a significantly lower hypertrophy ratio of the future remnant liver (FRL) after PVE than patients without SOS (16.8 ± 24.0 vs 55.6 ± 32.5; P < 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that SOS was an independent factor predicting lower FRL hypertrophy after PVE (Δ% FRL <20: hazard ratio 31.7, 95% confidence interval 2.84-355.12; P = 0.005). The incidence of postoperative transient liver failure after the 2nd-stage hepatectomy in patients presenting with SOS was higher than that in those without SOS, but the difference did not reach significance (25.0% vs 4.0%; P = 0.052). Steatohepatitis was confirmed at the 1st- and 2nd-stage hepatectomy in 6 (14.3%) and 3 (6.7%) patients, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Sinusoidal obstruction syndrome inhibits FRL hypertrophy after PVE and induces postoperative liver failure. Therefore, an alternative strategy is needed to perform TSH safely in the presence of SOS.