Anesthesia for hepatobiliary surgery

Safe implementation of a minimally invasive hepatopancreatobiliary program, a narrative review and institutional experience

Laparoscopic and robotic-assisted approaches to hepatopancreatobiliary (HPB) operations have expanded worldwide. As surgeons and medical centers contemplate initiating and expanding minimally invasive surgical (MIS) programs for complex HPB surgical operations, there are many factors to consider. This review highlights the key components of developing an MIS HPB program and shares our recent institutional experience with the adoption and expansion of an MIS approach to pancreaticoduodenectomy.

Neuraxial anesthesia in hepato-pancreatic-bilio surgery: a first western pilot study of 46 patients

The most common anesthetic approach in hepato-pancreatic-biliary (HPB) surgery is general anesthesia (GA), but it may result in increased morbidity and mortality and peri-operative risks especially in frail patients. The aim of this study was to assess the safety and effectiveness of neuraxial anesthesia (NA) in HPB in a pilot clinical series. This analysis was conducted on 46 consecutive patients undergoing HPB surgery in an Italian Tertial referral center. Data were prospectively collected and retrospectively analyzed. continuous spinal anesthesia (CSA), combined spino-epidural anesthesia (CSEA) and peridural anesthesia (PA) were used in major and minor hepatectomies and bilio-pancreatic surgery instead of GA. NA was evaluated by analyzing the surgical and anesthesiological short-term outcomes. 46 patients were considered eligible for the study between February 2018 and May 2020. The average age was 69.07 (±  9.95) years. 22 were males and 24 were females. According to the ASA score, 19 (41.30%) patients had ASA II, 22 (47.83%) had ASA III and 5 (10.87%) had ASA IV. 22 (47.83%) patients underwent CSA, 20 (43.48%) CSEA and 4 (8.69%) PA. We performed 8 major and 19 minor hepatectomies, 7 bilio-digestive derivations, 5 Whipple procedures, 4 iatrogenic biliary duct injuries, 2 splenopancreatectomies and 1 hepatic cyst fenestration. Clavien-Dindo ≥ 3 was observed in 3 patients. The conversion rate to endotracheal intubation occurring in 3 of 46 (6.52%) patients. After surgery, no local or pulmonary complications and delirium were reported in our series. The present study demonstrates that NA is a safe and feasible option in selected patients, if performed in referral centers by well-trained anaesthesiologists and surgeons.

The Comparison of the Effect of Mannitol and N Acetyl Cysteine on Liver Function in Partial Hepatectomy

The alterations in liver function in patients after major liver resection are complex. Partial hepatectomy surgery is considered as a selective therapeutic approach in many benign and malignant liver tumors, secondary metastases, and liver trauma. According to surgical techniques most often based on vascular control and hepatic venous closure (Pringle maneuver), related complications such as ischemia and decreased venous return during and after surgery can be seen. In this study, the effects of Mannitol and N-acetylcysteine, on liver function, after hepatectomy surgery, were compared. This study was shown that infusion N-acetylcysteine next to mannitol, in partial hepatectomy surgeries, was not the significant difference to improve liver function, hemodynamic status, and laboratory tests.

Evolution in the surgical management of colorectal liver metastases: Propensity score matching analysis (PSM) on the impact of specialized multidisciplinary care across two institutional eras

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Liver metastases are indicators of advanced disease in patients with colorectal cancer. Liver resection offers the best possibility of long-term survival. Surgical strategies have evolved in complexity in order to offer resection to a greater number of patients, requiring specialized multidisciplinary care. The current paper focused on analyzing outcomes of patients treated after the development of a dedicated cancer center in our institution.

METHODS

Patients operated on for CLM from our databank were paired through propensity score matching (PSM), and the initial experience of surgery for CLM was compared with the treatment performed after specialized multidisciplinary management. The demographic, oncological, and surgical features were analyzed between groups.

RESULTS

Overall, 355 hepatectomies were performed in 336 patients. Patients operated on during the second era of had greater use of preoperative chemotherapy (P < 0.001) as well as exposure to more effective oxaliplatin-based regimens (P < 0.001). Surgical management also changed, with minor (P = 0.002) and non-anatomic (P = 0.006) resections preferred over major operations. We also noted an increased number of minimally invasive resections (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Treatment in a multidisciplinary cancer center led to changes in oncological and surgical management. Perioperative chemotherapy was frequently employed, and surgeons adopted a conservative approach to liver parenchyma.