Laparoscopic hepatectomy produces better outcomes for hepatolithiasis than open hepatectomy: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis

Evolving surgical techniques for hepatolithiasis: A retrospective analysis of 164 liver resections at a Western center

OBJECTIVE

To assess the outcomes of liver resection for primary intrahepatic lithiasis in a Western population, emphasizing the evolution of surgical techniques, including minimally invasive surgery, and their impact on patient outcomes.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective analysis of 164 patients who underwent liver resection for primary intrahepatic lithiasis at the Hepatobiliary Surgery Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy. Data included demographics, surgical techniques, complications, and long-term outcomes. Minimally invasive surgery was introduced and progressively adopted, and its outcomes were compared with open surgery using propensity score matching. This represents the largest Western dataset on liver resection for primary intrahepatic lithiasis published to date.

RESULTS

Liver resections were predominantly unilateral (96%) and commonly targeted the left liver (65%). Minimally invasive surgery use increased to 60% in the most recent period, showing reduced morbidity and shorter hospital stays compared with open surgery. Postoperative complications included bile fistula (16%) and septic events (30%). Independent risk factors for bile fistula were previous cholangitis (odds ratio, 4.7; P = .006) and major hepatectomy (odds ratio, 7.8; P = .002). Septic complications were associated with previous cholangitis (odds ratio, 2.3; P = .026), bilateral lithiasis (odds ratio, 4.0; P = .010), and major hepatectomy (odds ratio, 3.5; P = .003), with minimally invasive surgery providing a protective effect (odds ratio, 0.34; P = .028). Long-term follow-up revealed a 20% recurrence rate, linked to incomplete intraoperative stone clearance (hazard ratio, 2.645; P = .019) and biliary fistula (hazard ratio, 2.799; P = .016). Cholangiocarcinoma occurred in 6.6%, underscoring the need for surveillance.

CONCLUSION

Liver resection is an effective, curative treatment for primary intrahepatic lithiasis in Western populations. Minimally invasive surgery advancements significantly improve short-term outcomes, bridging the East-West gap in primary intrahepatic lithiasis management and highlighting the importance of individualized surgical approaches.

Laparoscopic versus open secondary hepatectomy treating postoperative regional recurrent hepatolithiasis: a multicenter real-world study

BACKGROUND

Hepatectomy is the primary treatment for regional hepatolithiasis, but recurrence rates range from 10 to 20%, often necessitating repeat surgery. Although laparoscopic hepatectomy has been widely adopted for recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma, its use in recurrent hepatolithiasis remains limited due to technical challenges, including severe adhesions, anatomical distortions, and increased risks of complications. No large-scale study has compared laparoscopic and open repeat hepatectomy for recurrent regional hepatolithiasis.

METHODS

This multicenter retrospective study included 913 patients from nine high-volume centers in southeastern China between May 2014 and 2023. Patients were divided into laparoscopic (n = 338) and open surgery (n = 575) groups. Propensity score matching was used to balance baseline characteristics. Primary outcomes included stone clearance rates and textbook outcomes (TO), a composite measure assessing final stone clearance, hospital stay, bile leakage, major complications, and 30-day readmissions. Secondary outcomes included perioperative metrics, complication rates, and recurrence-free survival.

RESULTS

After PSM, laparoscopic surgery demonstrated comparable immediate stone clearance rates (81.07% vs. 78.40%, p = 0.386) but significantly better TO rates (61.54% vs. 46.09%, p < 0.001) to the open surgery group. The laparoscopic group had reduced blood loss (p = 0.016), shorter hospital stays (p < 0.001), faster recovery of bowel function (p < 0.001), and fewer major complications (13.91% vs. 23.08%, p = 0.003). Recurrence rates were similar between groups during a median follow-up of 36 months. Hepatic lobe atrophy and biliary strictures were identified as independent risk factors for reduced stone clearance.

CONCLUSION

Laparoscopic repeat hepatectomy offers comparable stone clearance rates to open surgery while providing significant advantages in perioperative outcomes, including reduced complications and faster recovery. These findings suggest laparoscopic surgery is a feasible and effective option for recurrent regional hepatolithiasis.

Preoperative SII Can Predict Postoperative Recurrence and Serious Complications in Patients with Hepatolithiasis

Purpose

The occurrence and progression of hepatolithiasis are related to inflammatory reactions and immune proteins. This study aims to evaluate the relationship between systemic immune index (SII) in recurrence-free survival (RFS), as well as the incidence of severe postoperative complications in hepatolithiasis patients.

Patients and Methods

We retrospectively analyzed 177 patients with hepatolithiasis. The optimal cut-off values of SII, systemic inflammatory response index (SIRI), neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), monocyte/lymphocyte ratio (MLR), platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and prognostic nutritional index (PNI) were evaluated by the analysis of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. The relationship between SII, SIRI, NLR and clinical results was tested with χ²-test. Logical regression analysis is used to evaluate the risk factors of postoperative serious complications. The Kaplan-Meier survival curve and Cox regression analyses are used to evaluate the impact of SII, SIRI, NLR on RFS.

Results

The analysis of the ROC curve determines the optimal cut-off value and the area under the curve (AUC) of SII, SIRI, NLR, MLR, PLR and PNI, and then grouped. In the multivariate analysis, surgical method (HR=3.331, 95% CI: 1.360-8.158, p=0.008) and SII (HR=2.883, 95% CI: 1.084-7.668, p=0.034) were identified as independent risk factors for serious postoperative complications; the multivariate cox regression analysis demonstrated that a history of gallstones (HR=1.965, 95% CI: 1.206-3.201, p=0.007), SII (HR=2.818, 95% CI: 1.340-5.926, p=0.006), and MLR (HR=3.240, 95% CI: 1.158-9.067, p=0.025) were independent risk factors for RFS; survival analysis results show that patients with low levels of SII (p<0.001), SIRI (p=0.005), and NLR (p<0.001) had significantly higher RFS compared to those in the high-level group.

Conclusion

Preoperative high levels of SII, SIRI, and NLR are associated with postoperative recurrence in patients with hepatolithiasis, with SII identified as an independent risk factor for both postoperative RFS and serious complications.

Thulium laser-assisted laparoscopic management of intrahepatic stones in recurrent pyogenic cholangitis: A case report and review of minimally invasive approaches

INTRODUCTION

Recurrent pyogenic cholangitis (RPC) presents significant management challenges, particularly when complicated by large intrahepatic stones. While thulium laser technology has demonstrated excellent results in urological stone treatment, its application in biliary stones remains relatively unexplored. We present a novel approach utilizing laparoscopic choledochoscopy with thulium laser lithotripsy for managing intrahepatic stones in RPC.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 65-year-old female presented with a two-year history of recurrent right upper quadrant pain, fever, and jaundice. Diagnostic imaging revealed multiple large intrahepatic stones without any liver atrophy or mass lesions. After initial ERCP for acute cholangitis management, the patient underwent laparoscopic choledochoscopy with thulium laser lithotripsy. The procedure included stone fragmentation, extraction, and choledochoduodenostomy for long-term biliary drainage. The procedure was successfully completed with minimal blood loss and no intraoperative complications. At 6-month follow-up, the patient remained asymptomatic with normal liver function, despite small retained stones.

DISCUSSION

This approach combines the benefits of minimally invasive surgery with advanced laser technology. Thulium laser offers potential advantages over conventional lithotripsy methods, including enhanced precision and reduced risk of bile duct injury. The successful outcome in this case suggests that this technique may be a viable option for complex hepatolithiasis in RPC.

CONCLUSION

Laparoscopic choledochoscopy with thulium laser lithotripsy represents a promising minimally invasive option for managing intrahepatic stones in RPC. While our case demonstrates technical feasibility, long-term follow-up and larger studies are needed to fully evaluate its efficacy.

The effectiveness of two-step percutaneous transhepatic choledochoscopic lithotripsy for hepatolithiasis: a retrospective study

The study was designed to compare the effectiveness of two-step percutaneous transhepatic choledochoscopic lithotripsy (T-PTCSL) with laparoscopic anatomical hepatectomy combined with choledocholithotomy (LAHC) for patients with hepatolithiasis. From January 2020 to September 2023, 98 patients who underwent LAHC (n = 40) or T-PTCSL (n = 58) for hepatolithiasis in our hospital were included in this study. Their perioperative and long-term outcomes were analyzed. There was no statistical difference between the two groups in stone clearance rates (90.0% vs. 84.5%, P = 0.429) and postoperative complication rates (35.0% vs. 22.4%, P = 0.170). The T-PTCSL group had significantly shorter operative time, postoperative hospitalization, and intake time (all P < 0.001). Postoperative biochemical indices showed lower ALB, ALT, AST, and WBC in the T-PTCSL group compared to the LAHC group (all P < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression indicated age as an independent risk factor for stone clearance (OR = 0.94, 95% CI = 0.89-0.99, P = 0.049). Subgroup analysis showed no significant impact of gender and type of stone distribution on stone clearance (all P > 0.05). The KM curve analysis revealed no significant difference in stone recurrence between the groups (log-rank P = 0.925). Hemoglobin concentration was significantly associated with time-to-stone recurrence (TR = 1.02, 95% CI = 1.01-1.04, P < 0.05) in the multivariate Accelerated Failure Time Model. T-PTCSL may be an alternative option to LAHC. Compared with LAHC, T-PTCSL offers favorable postoperative recovery and less surgical injury for patients with hepatolithiasis, as well as equivalent effectiveness of stone clearance and recurrence.

Evolution of surgical treatment for hepatolithiasis

Hepatolithiasis is a common disease where stones are located in the intrahepatic bile duct. Hepatolithiasis is a disease with regional characteristics. The complication and postoperative recurrence rates of the disease are high. The intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and the incidence of liver cirrhosisare the main causes of death in patients with hepatolithiasis. Thus, it is difficult to treat. The majority of biliary stones are readily removed endoscopically, however complex intrahepatic or large refractory extrahepatic stones often require surgical or percutaneous interventions when standard endoscopic methods fail. At present, the main clinical treatment for hepatolithiasis is surgery, of which there are different methods depending on the patient's condition. With the continuous updates and development of medical technology, the treatment of hepatolithiasis has improved. In this paper, several mainstream surgical methods including partial hepatectomy, choledochojejunostomy, biliary tract exploration and lithotomy, percutaneous transhepatic chledochoscopic lithotripsy and liver transplantation used in the clinic are reviewed for clinicians' reference. Depending on the characteristics of each case, a suitable surgical method is chosen to obtain the best treatment effect.

Assessing outcomes and complications of secondary hepatolithiasis after choledochoenterostomy: A nationwide survey in Japan

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to evaluate the outcomes and complications of secondary hepatolithiasis following choledochoenterostomy to guide suitable management.

METHODS

The study analyzed 127 patients from a 2017 national survey conducted by the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare. The 2023 cohort study assessed residual stones, recurrences, cholangitis, cholangiocarcinoma, and prognosis.

RESULTS

The median follow-up duration was 48 months. Balloon endoscopy-assisted endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (BE-ERC) was the most common treatment, achieving complete stone clearance in 84.4% of patients. Anatomical hepatectomy was the most common surgery. Predictors of residual stones were stone number ≥10 (odds ratio [OR], 7.480; p = .028) and stone diameter ≥10 mm (OR, 5.280; p = .020). Predictors of stone recurrence during follow-up were biliary strictures (hazard ratio [HR], 3.580; p = .005) and cholangitis (HR, 2.700; p = .037). Predictors of cholangitis during follow-up were biliary stricture (HR, 5.016; p = .006) and dilatation (HR, 3.560; p = .029). Any treatment for hepatolithiasis reduced cholangitis occurrence (HR, 0.168; p = .042). Balloon dilation combined with stenting for ≥3 months improved biliary strictures in 57.1% of patients.

CONCLUSION

This study recommends BE-ERC as the first-choice treatment for secondary hepatolithiasis. Stone removal and relief of biliary strictures and dilatation are crucial to prevent stone recurrence and cholangitis after treatment.

Laparoscopic left hemihepatectomy using augmented reality navigation plus ICG fluorescence imaging for hepatolithiasis: a retrospective single-arm cohort study (with video)

BACKGROUND

Laparoscopic left hemihepatectomy (LLH) has been shown to be an effective and safe method for treating hepatolithiasis primarily affecting the left hemiliver. However, this procedure still presents challenges. Due to pathological changes in intrahepatic duct stones, safely dissecting the hilar vessels and determining precise resection boundaries remains difficult, even with fluorescent imaging. Our team proposed a new method of augmented reality navigation (ARN) combined with Indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence imaging for LLH in hepatolithiasis cases. This study aimed to investigate the feasibility of this combined approach in the procedure.

METHODS

Between May 2021 and September 2023, 16 patients with hepatolithiasis who underwent LLH were included. All patients underwent preoperative 3D evaluation and were then guided using ARN and ICG fluorescence imaging during the procedure. Perioperative and short-term postoperative outcomes were assessed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the method.

RESULTS

All 16 patients successfully underwent LLH. The mean operation time was 380.31 ± 92.17 min, with a mean estimated blood loss of 116.25 ± 64.49 ml. ARN successfully aided in guiding hilar vessel dissection in all patients. ICG fluorescence imaging successfully identified liver resection boundaries in 11 patients (68.8%). In the remaining 5 patients (31.3%) where fluorescence imaging failed, virtual liver segment projection (VLSP) successfully identified their resection boundaries. No major complications occurred in any patients. Immediate stone residual rate, stone recurrence rate, and stone extraction rate through the T-tube sinus tract were 12.5%, 6.3%, and 6.3%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The combination of ARN and ICG fluorescence imaging enhances the safety and precision of LLH for hepatolithiasis. Moreover, ARN may serve as a safe and effective tool for identifying precise resection boundaries in cases where ICG fluorescence imaging fails.

Noteworthy impacts of COVID-19 pandemic on cancer screening: A systematic review

The sudden onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in January 2020 has affected essential global health services. Cancer-screening services that can reduce cancer mortality are strongly affected. However, the specific role of COVID-19 in cancer screening is not fully understood. This study aimed to assess the efficiency of global cancer screening programs before and during the COVID-19 pandemic and to promote potential cancer-screening strategies for the next pandemic. Electronic searches in PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science, and manual searches were performed between January 1, 2020 and March 1, 2023. Cohort studies that reported the number of participants who underwent cancer screening before and during the COVID-19 pandemic were included. The methodological quality of the included studies was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Differences in cancer-screening rates were estimated using the incidence rate ratio (IRR). Fifty-five cohort studies were included in this meta-analysis. The screening rates of colorectal cancer using invasive screening methods (Pooled IRR = 0.52, 95% CI: 0.42 to 0.65, p < 0.01), cervical cancer (Pooled IRR = 0.56, 95% CI: 0.47 to 0.67, p < 0.01), breast cancer (Pooled IRR = 0.57, 95% CI: 0.49 to 0.66, p < 0.01) and prostate cancer (Pooled IRR = 0.71, 95% CI: 0.56 to 0.90, p < 0.01) during the COVID-19 pandemic were significantly lower than those before the COVID-19 pandemic. The screening rates of lung cancer (Pooled IRR = 0.77, 95% CI: 0.58 to 1.03, p = 0.08) and colorectal cancer using noninvasive screening methods (Pooled IRR = 0.74, 95% CI: 0.50 to 1.09, p = 0.13) were reduced with no statistical differences. The subgroup analyses revealed that the reduction in cancer-screening rates varied across economies. Our results suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a noteworthy impact on colorectal, cervical, breast, and prostate cancer screening. Developing innovative cancer-screening technologies is important to promote the efficiency of cancer-screening services in the post-COVID-19 era and prepare for the next pandemic.

Hepatolithiasis: Epidemiology, presentation, classification and management of a complex disease

The term hepatolithiasis describes the presence of biliary stones within the intrahepatic bile ducts, above the hilar confluence of the hepatic ducts. The disease is more prevalent in Asia, mainly owing to socioeconomic and dietary factors, as well as the prevalence of biliary parasites. In the last century, owing to migration, its global incidence has increased. The main pathophysiological mechanisms involve cholangitis, bile infection and biliary strictures, creating a self-sustaining cycle that perpetuates the disease, frequently characterised by recurrent episodes of bacterial infection referred to as syndrome of "recurrent pyogenic cholangitis". Furthermore, long-standing hepatolithiasis is a known risk factor for development of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Various classifications have aimed at providing useful insight of clinically relevant aspects and guidance for treatment. The management of symptomatic patients and those with complications can be complex, and relies upon a multidisciplinary team of hepatologists, endoscopists, interventional radiologists and hepatobiliary surgeons, with the main goal being to offer relief from the clinical presentations and prevent the development of more serious complications. This comprehensive review provides insight on various aspects of hepatolithiasis, with a focus on epidemiology, new evidence on pathophysiology, most important clinical aspects, different classification systems and contemporary management.

Risk factors analyses associated with postoperative infection in choledochoscopy for intrahepatic bile duct stones (IHDs): a single-center retrospective study in real-world setting

BACKGROUND

Choledochoscopy is a highly effective approach for managing intrahepatic bile duct stones (IHDs). However, postoperative infection is a common complication that significantly impacts treatment outcomes. Despite its clinical relevance, the risk factors associated with this procedure remain largely unexplored.

METHODS

This study focused on a consecutive cohort of patients who underwent choledochoscopy for IHDs at our institution between January 2016 and December 2022. The primary objective was to analyze the relationship between various clinical factors and postoperative infection, and to compare the postoperative infection of different choledochoscopic procedures.

RESULTS

The study cohort consisted of 126 patients, with 60 individuals (47.6%) experiencing postoperative infection. Notably, preoperative biliary obstruction (odds ratio [OR] 1.861; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.314-8.699; p = 0.010) and operation time (OR 4.414; 95% CI 1.635-12.376; p = 0.004) were identified as risk factors for postoperative infection. Additionally, biliary tract infections (60.00%) were primarily responsible for postoperative infection, with Escherichia coli (47.22%) being the predominant bacterial strain identified in bile cultures. Furthermore, biliary tract obstruction (OR 4.563; 95% CI 1.554-13.401; p = 0.006) and body mass index (BMI) (OR 1.186; 95% CI 1.015-1.386; p = 0.031) were determined to be independent risk factors for postoperative biliary tract infection.

CONCLUSIONS

The occurrence of postoperative infection in patients undergoing choledochoscopy was primarily associated with the duration of the operation and the presence of preoperative biliary obstruction.

Nomogram predicting surgical risk of laparoscopic left-sided hepatectomy for hepatolithiasis

OBJECTIVE

To explore the surgical risk factors of laparoscopic left-sided hepatectomy for hepatolithiasis and establish and validate a nomogram to estimate the corresponding surgical risks.

METHODS

Patients with hepatolithiasis who underwent laparoscopic left-sided hepatectomy were retrospectively enrolled. Demographic data, clinicopathological parameters, and surgical factors were collected. Three hundred fifty-three patients were enrolled and randomly divided into training set (n=267) and validation set (n=86) by 3:1. Conversion to laparotomy was used as a surrogate index to evaluate the surgical risk. Univariate analysis was used to screen potential surgical risk factors, and multivariate analysis using logistic regression model was used to screen independent surgical risk factors. Nomogram predicting the surgical risks was established based on the independent risk factors. Discrimination, calibration, decision curve, and clinical impact analyses were used to evaluate the performance of the nomogram on the statistical and clinical aspects both in the training and validation sets.

RESULTS

Five independent surgical risk factors were identified in the training set, including recurrent abdominal pain, bile duct stricture, ASA classification ≥2, extent of liver resection, and biliary tract T tube drainage. No collinearity was found among these five factors, and a nomogram was established. Performance analyses of the nomogram showed good discrimination (AUC=0.850 and 0.817) and calibration (Hosmer-Lemeshow test, p=0.530 and 0.930) capabilities both in the training and validation sets. Decision curve and clinical impact analyses also showed that the prediction performance was clinically valuable.

CONCLUSIONS

A nomogram was established and validated to be effective in evaluating and predicting the surgical risk of patients undergoing laparoscopic left-sided hepatectomies for hepatolithiasis.

Classification of left-side hepatolithiasis for laparoscopic middle hepatic vein-guided anatomical hemihepatectomy combined with transhepatic duct lithotomy

BACKGROUND

Laparoscopic middle hepatic vein-guided anatomical hemihepatectomy combined with transhepatic duct lithotomy (MATL) is an approach that can substantially improve stone clearance rates while reducing the rate of postoperative biliary fistula formation, residual stone rates, and rates of recurrence. In this study, we classified left-side hepatolithiasis cases into four subtypes based upon the diseased stone-containing bile duct, the middle hepatic vein, and the right hepatic duct. We then investigated the risk associated with different subtypes and evaluated the safety and efficacy of the MATL procedure.

METHODS

In total, 372 patients who underwent left hemihepatectomy for left intrahepatic bile duct stones were enrolled. Based on the distribution of the stones, the cases could be divided into four types. The risk of surgical treatment was compared for the four types and the safety, short-term efficacy, and long-term efficacy of the MATL procedure in the four types of left intrahepatic bile duct stones were studied.

RESULTS

Type II was found to be the most likely to cause intraoperative bleeding while type III was likely to cause biliary tract damage and type IV was associated with the highest stone recurrence rate. The MATL procedure did not increase the risk of surgery and was found to reduce the rate of bile leakage, residual stones, and stone recurrence.

CONCLUSION

Left-side hepatolithiasis-associated risk classification is feasible and may represent a viable means of improving the safety and feasibility of the MATL procedure.

Development of sarcopenia-based nomograms predicting postoperative complications of benign liver diseases undergoing hepatectomy: A multicenter cohort study

Background

Sarcopenia has a remarkable negative impact on patients with liver diseases. We aimed to evaluate the impact of preoperative sarcopenia on the short-term outcomes after hepatectomy in patients with benign liver diseases.

Methods

A total of 558 patients with benign liver diseases undergoing hepatectomy were prospectively reviewed. Both the muscle mass and strength were measured to define sarcopenia. Postoperative outcomes including complications, major complications and comprehensive complication index (CCI) were compared among four subgroups classified by muscle mass and strength. Predictors of complications, major complications and high CCI were identified by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. Nomograms based on predictors were constructed and calibration cures were performed to verify the performance.

Results

120 patients were involved for analysis after exclusion. 33 patients were men (27.5%) and the median age was 54.0 years. The median grip strength was 26.5 kg and the median skeletal muscle index (SMI) was 44.4 cm²/m². Forty-six patients (38.3%) had complications, 19 patients (15.8%) had major complications and 27 patients (22.5%) had a CCI ≥ 26.2. Age (p = 0.005), SMI (p = 0.005), grip strength (p = 0.018), surgical approach (p = 0.036), and operation time (p = 0.049) were predictors of overall complications. Child-Pugh score (p = 0.037), grip strength (p = 0.004) and surgical approach (p = 0.006) were predictors of major complications. SMI (p = 0.047), grip strength (p < 0.001) and surgical approach (p = 0.014) were predictors of high CCI. Among the four subgroups, patients with reduced muscle mass and strength showed the worst short-term outcomes. The nomograms for complications and major complications were validated by calibration curves and showed satisfactory performance.

Conclusion

Sarcopenia has an adverse impact on the short-term outcomes after hepatectomy in patients with benign liver diseases and valuable sarcopenia-based nomograms were constructed to predict postoperative complications and major complications.

Short- and Long-Term Outcomes in Laparoscopic Versus Open Hepatectomy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Elderly Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: Laparoscopic hepatectomy (LH) is considered a safe and feasible treatment for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in recent studies. However, in elderly patients, application of LH still remains controversial, and the outcomes of LH versus open hepatectomy (OH) have not been fully evaluated. Our objective is to compare the short- and long-term outcomes of LH with OH in elderly patients with HCC. Materials and Methods: All studies comparing LH and OH in elderly patients with HCC were systematically searched in the databases of PubMed, EmBase, and Web of Science. Statistical analysis was conducted using Review Manager 5.3 (Cochrane Collaboration, 2014). The last search was performed on March 20, 2022. Short-term outcomes include blood loss, operation time, blood transfusion, overall and major postoperative complications, mortality, hospital stay, tumor size, and surgical margin. Long-term outcomes include 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival (OS); 1-, 3-, and 5-year disease-free survival (DFS); and 1-, 3-, and 5-year recurrence-free survival (RFS). Results: Fourteen studies involving 1596 patients were included in this meta-analysis. The short-term outcomes of LH were a shorter postoperative hospital stay and fewer overall and major postoperative complications (all P < .00001). However, there were no significant differences in operation time, blood loss, blood transfusion rate, surgical margin, tumor size, and mortality. For the long-term outcomes, LH is comparable with OH in terms of 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS; 1-, 3-, and 5-year DFS; and 1-, 3-, and 5-year RFS. Conclusions: Compared with OH, LH is a safe and feasible treatment for elderly patients with HCC.

The safety and efficacy of different endovascular treatments for in-stent restenosis of the femoropopliteal artery: A network meta-analysis

Purpose: Femoropopliteal artery in-stent restenosis (ISR) remains a challenging treatment. We performed a network meta-analysis (NWM) for femoropopliteal artery ISR to explore the safety and efficacy of endovascular therapeutic strategies. Methods: The MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases were used as data sources. The network meta-analysis (NWM) approach used random-effects models based on the frequentist framework. We compared technical success rate, primary patency, target lesion revascularization (TLR), and major amputation at the 12-month follow-up for femoropopliteal artery ISR. Results: In total, 14 eligible studies (10 prospective and four retrospective; 1348 patients; and eight treatment modalities - standard balloon angioplasty (SBA), drug-coated balloon (DCB), peripheral cutting balloon angioplasty (PCBA), Viabahn endoprosthesis (VBE), directional atherectomy (DA), excimer laser atherectomy (ELA), and combinations - were included. The primary patency rates (at 6 months) were significantly higher for DCB and ELA+DCB than for SBA and ELA+SBA. ELA+DCB had higher primary patency rates (at 12 months) than ELA+SBA and SBA. The technical success rates were significantly lower for DCB and SBA than for VBE. The major amputation rates were significantly lower for ELA+DCB than for DCB. Based on the surface values under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA), ELA+DCB was considered the best treatment in terms of primary patency at 6 months (SUCRA = 91.1), primary patency at 12 months (SUCRA = 82.3), and TLR (SUCRA = 83.4). Conclusion: ELA+DCB showed positive encouraging results in primary patency (6, 12 months), TLR, and major amputation in femoropopliteal ISR. The efficacy and safety of ELA+DCB are worthy of further investigation. (PROSPERO Registration No.: CRD42021246674).

Comparison of robotic and laparoscopic liver resection in ordinary cases of left lateral sectionectomy

BACKGROUND

Laparoscopy was considered the standard method of left lateral sectionectomy. The robotic approach showed advantages in complex cases of left lateral sectionectomy. However, the impact of the robotic system on ordinary cases is still unknown.

METHODS

Retrospective review of consecutive robotic left lateral sectionectomy (R-LLS) and laparoscopic left lateral sectionectomy (L-LLS) from January 2015 to December 2019. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression was used to determine the effects of surgical method and surgical complexity on postoperative length of stay, surgical and overall cost.

RESULTS

258 consecutive patients who underwent minimally invasive left lateral sectionectomy were analyzed. L-LLS had comparable outcomes and decreased surgery (USD 2416.3 vs 4624.5; p < 0.001) and overall costs (USD 8004.5 vs 11897.1; p < 0.001) compared with R-LLS in the ordinary-case group, whereas R-LLS was associated with shorter postoperative LOS (5.0 vs 3.5 days; p = 0.004) in the complex-case group. On multivariable analysis, R-LLS was predictive of shorter postoperative LOS [odds ratio (OR) 0.388, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.198-0.760, p = 0.006], whereas R-LLS was predictive of higher surgery (OR 65.640, 95% CI 17.406-247.535, p < 0.001) and overall costs (OR 102.233, 95% CI 22.241-469.931, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Results of this study showed no clinical benefit to the R-LLS compared with L-LLS in ordinary cases. R-LLS had potential advantages in selected complex cases.

Minimally invasive versus open living donors right hepatectomy: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Although minimally invasive technology has been widely used in hepatectomy, it remains controversial with regards to liver transplantation, especially in donors right hepatectomy. Herein, we compared the short-term safety and efficacy of minimally invasive donors right hepatectomy (MIDRH) with open donors right hepatectomy (ODRH).

METHODS

A systematic literature search was carried out using PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library database in order to identify comparison studies of MIDRH and ODRH. Next, we obtained the relevant data, and carried out the meta-analysis.

RESULTS

This meta-analysis included 12 studies, which included 1755 cases that underwent donors right hepatectomy. Compared to ODRH, patients that underwent MIDRH had less bleeding (SWD = -0.52, p<0.001), shorter hospital stays (SWD = -0.58, p < 0.001) and lower overall postoperative complications of donors (RR = 0.74, p = 0.008). However, MIDRH was found to be associated with prolonged operative times (SWD = 0.74, p < 0.001), as well as a higher rate of biliary complications in donors (RR = 2.26, p = 0.007) and recipients (RR = 1.69, p < 0.001). There were no statistically significant differences between MIDRH and ODRH in postoperative liver function, rate of major complications and vascular complications of both donors and recipients and overall postoperative complications.

DISCUSSION

MIDRH is superior to ODRH with regards to intraoperative bleeding, postoperative hospital stay and overall donor complications. Although biliary-related complications are higher, it is feasible to develop MIDRH in experienced liver transplant centers. However, higher-quality research is still needed for corroboration.

New clinical pathological classification and treatment system for hepatolithiasis

Hepatolithiasis is a complex disease with extensive lesions. There are currently many clinical classifications available. However, these classifications cannot accurately reflect the pathological changes and degree of hepatolithiasis, and are not conducive to communication. Various methods are used for treatment of hepatolithiasis, but they are often misused. We tried to establish a new HLDO classification based on the clinicopathological characteristics of hepatolithiasis and a treatment system based on this classification, so as to comprehensively and accurately describe the pathological changes and degree, scientifically and reasonably treat it, and reduce its residual stone rate and recurrence rate.

Value of multidisciplinary team (MDT) in minimally invasive treatment of complex intrahepatic bile duct stones

This study aimed to investigate the value of multidisciplinary team (MDT) management in minimally invasive treatment of complex intrahepatic bile duct stones (IHDs) by laparoscopy, choledochoscopy and percutaneous choledochoscopy. The characteristics, perioperative index, complication rate and minimally invasive rate of patients in MDT group (n = 75) and non-MDT group (n = 70) were compared. The members of MDT include doctors in ultrasound, imaging, hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery, anaesthesia and intensive care medicine. The results showed that minimally invasive surgery reduced the incidence of postoperative residual stones, OR (95% CI) = 0.365 (0.141-0.940) (p = 0.037). MDT reduced the operation time, OR (95% CI) = 0.406 (0.207-0.796) (p = 0.009). Minimally invasive surgery significantly reduced intraoperative bleeding, OR (95% CI) = 0.267 (0.133-0.534) (p < 0.001). Minimally invasive surgery also reduced hospitalization time, OR (95% CI) = 0.295 (0.142-0.611) (p = 0.001). The stone clearance rates of MDT group and non-MDT group were 81.33% and 81.43% respectively. In the MDT group, the operative time was less than that in the non-MDT group (p = 0.010); the intraoperative bleeding volume was significantly less than that in the non-MDT group (p < 0.001); the hospitalization time was less than that in the non-MDT group (p = 0.001). Minimally invasive operation rate:48 cases (64.00%) in MDT group were significantly higher than 17 cases (24.29%) in non-MDT group (p < 0.001). In conclusion, minimally invasive procedures can be selected more through MDT. MDT can shorten the operation time, and minimally invasive surgery can reduce the incidence of residual stones, reduce intraoperative bleeding, and may shorten hospital stay. Therefore, MDT management model can provide personalized and minimally invasive surgical protocol for patients with complex IHD, which has high application value.

Laparoscopic middle-hepatic-vein-guided anatomical hemihepatectomy in the treatment of hepatolithiasis: a 10-year case study

BACKGROUND

This retrospective 10-year case study evaluated the perioperative results and long-term efficacy of laparoscopic middle-hepatic-vein-guided hemihepatectomy (L-MHV-H) and traditional anatomical hemihepatectomy (TAH) in the treatment of hepatolithiasis (HL).

METHODS

From January 2010 to December 2019, 99 patients with regional HL underwent laparoscopic anatomical hemihepatectomy (LAH) at our centre, including 43 patients in the L-MHV-H group and 56 patients in the TAH group.

RESULTS

All patients in both groups were Child-Pugh grade A before operation. No significant between-group differences in general information, stone distribution, comorbidities, history of previous abdominal surgery or co-occurrence of gallstones and common bile duct stones were observed. The L-MHV-H group exhibited a higher intraoperative stone clearance rate (95.3% vs. 75.0%, p = 0.014) and a lower postoperative complication rate (10.1% vs. 48.2%, p = 0.005) compared with the TAH group. In the median follow-up time of 60 months (range 6-125 months), the L-MHV-H group had lower stone recurrence (2.3% vs. 19.6%, p = 0.013) and cholangitis recurrence (2.3% vs. 17.9%, p = 0.034) rates. No significant between-group differences in the other results were observed.

CONCLUSIONS

L-MHV-H is safe and feasible for HL with certain advantages over TAH in improving the intraoperative stone clearance rate, reducing postoperative complication incidence and reducing stone and cholangitis recurrence rates.

Long-term efficacy and advantages of minimally invasive hepatectomy for hepatolithiasis: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Hepatolithiasis commonly occurs in the bile duct proximal to the confluence of the right and left hepatic ducts, regardless of the coexistence of gallstones in gallbladder or the common bile duct. Clinical research proves that minimally invasive surgery is effective in the treatment of hepatolithiasis. Although previous meta-analysis also shows that it could reduce intraoperative bleeding and blood transfusion, and shorten hospital stay time, there are few meta-analyses on its long-term efficacy. We conducted the meta-analysis and systematic review to systematically evaluate the long-term efficacy and advantages of minimally invasive hepatectomy in the treatment of hepatolithiasis.

METHODS

Articles of randomized controlled trials will be searched in the PubMed, Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chongqing VIP Chinese Science and Technology Periodical Database, Chinese Biological and Medical database, and Wanfang database until September, 2020. Literature extraction and risk of bias assessment will be completed by 2 reviewers independently. Statistical analysis will be conducted in RevMan 5.3.

RESULTS

This study will summarize the present evidence by exploring the long-term efficacy and advantages of minimally invasive hepatectomy in the treatment of hepatolithiasis CONCLUSIONS:: The findings of the study will help to determine potential long-term efficacy and advantages of minimally invasive hepatectomy in the treatment of hepatolithiasis.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

The private information from individuals will not be published. This systematic review also will not involve endangering participant rights. Ethical approval is not required. The results may be published in a peer-reviewed journal or disseminated in relevant conferences.

OSF REGISTRATION NUMBER

DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/H6WRV.

Application of Laparoscopic Technique in the Treatment of Hepatolithiasis

Hepatolithiasis is commonly encountered in Southeastern and East Asian countries, and its incidence is increasing in Western countries. For symptomatic hepatolithiasis or asymptomatic hepatolithiasis with signs of liver atrophy or malignancy, surgical intervention is needed, especially when peroral cholangioscopy and percutaneous transhepatic cholangioscopic lithotomy are not suitable or fail to be performed. Currently, laparoscopic surgery is gradually replacing traditional open surgery and becoming a better option. Various types of laparoscopic surgeries, including laparoscopic hepatectomy, laparoscopic biliary exploration through the common bile duct or the hepatic duct stump, and robotic-assisted laparoscopic surgery, have been developed for the treatment of simple hepatolithiasis, hepatolithiasis concomitant with choledocholithiasis, recurrent hepatolithiasis, and complicated hepatolithiasis. The related clinical experience is gradually accumulating. In this review, the laparoscopic applications and their advantages will be summarized. In most cases, the laparoscopic technique could provide the advantages of less trauma, reduced blood loss, and faster postoperative recovery.

Radiofrequency ablation versus laparoscopic hepatectomy for treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Several randomized controlled trials (RCTs) compared the effects of laparoscopic hepatectomy (LH) and radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but the results have remained inconsistent. Hence, a meta-analysis and a systematic review of these treatment modalities are necessary to evaluate their efficacy and safety for HCC treatment.

Methods

From the inception of this meta-analysis and review until August 31, 2019, we searched Medline, PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Database, and China Biomedical Literature Database for RCTs involving LH and RFA treatments of patients with HCC. The studies were screened and the data from these articles were extracted independently by two authors. Summary odd ratios (OR) or mean differences (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated for each outcome with a fixed- or random-effect model. The outcomes for effectiveness evaluations included duration of surgery, estimated bleeding volume, incidence of blood transfusion during surgery, duration of hospital stay, and the outcome for safety included the incidence of cancer recurrence.

Results

Seven RCTs with a total of 615 patients were identified, 312 and 303 of which underwent RFA and LH treatments, respectively. The duration of surgery (MD = −99.04; 95% CI: −131.26–−66.82), estimated bleeding volume (MD = −241.97; 95% CI: −386.93–−97.02), incidence of blood transfusion during surgery (OR = 0.08; 95% CI: 0.02–0.37), and duration of hospital stay (MD = −3.4; 95% CI: −5.22–−1.57) in RFA treatment were significantly lower than those of LH treatment. However, the incidence of cancer recurrence was significantly higher for RFA treatment compared with LH treatment (OR = 2.68; 95% CI: 1.72–4.18).

Conclusions

LH treatment is preferred over RFA treatment with a better radical effect, but RFA treatment is more beneficial with smaller trauma, development of less complications, and shorter operating time when compared with HCC treatment.

Safety and feasibility of laparoscopy technology in right hemihepatectomy

Laparoscopic hepatectomy (LH) has been accepted widely owing to its advantages as a minimally invasive surgery; however, laparoscopic right hemihepatectomy (LRH) has rarely been reported. We aimed to compare the benefits and drawbacks of LRH and open approaches. Between January 2014 and October 2017, 85 patients with tumor and hepatolithiasis who underwent LRH (n = 30) and open right hemihepatectomy (ORH) (n = 55) were enrolled in this study. For tumors, LRH showed significantly better results with respect to blood loss (P = 0.024) and duration of hospital stay (P = 0.008) than ORH, while hospital expenses (P = 0.031) and bile leakage rate (P = 0.012) were higher with LRH. However, the operative time and rate of other complications were not significantly different between the two groups. However, for hepatolithiasis, there was less blood loss (P = 0.015) and longer operative time (P = 0.036) with LRH than with ORH. There were no significant difference between LRH and ORH in terms of hospital stay, hospital expenses, and complication rate (P > 0.05). Moreover, the postoperative white blood cell count, alanine aminotransferase level, aspartate aminotransferase level, and total bilirubin were not significantly different in both types of patients (P > 0.05). Our results suggest the safety and feasibility of laparoscopy technology for right hemihepatectomy in both tumor and hepatolithiasis patients.

Advantages of laparoscopic left hemihepatectomy: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Laparoscopic left hemihepatectomy (LLH) has been widely accepted as a minimally invasive alternative to open liver surgery. We assessed the benefits and drawbacks of LLH compared with open left hemihepatectomy (OLH) using meta-analysis.

METHODS

Relevant literature was retrieved using PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, and Ovid Medline databases. Multiple parameters of efficacy and safety were compared between the treatment groups. Results are expressed as odds ratio (OD) or mean difference (MD) with 95% confidence interval (95% CI) for fixed- and random-effects models.

RESULTS

The meta-analysis included 13 trials involving 1163 patients. Compared with OLH, LLH significantly reduced intraoperative blood loss (MD, -91.01; 95% CI, -139.12 to -42.89; P = .0002), transfusion requirement (OR, 0.24; 95% CI, 0.11-0.54; P = .0004), time to oral intake (MD, -0.80; 95% CI, -1.27 to -0.33; P = .0008), and hospital stay (MD, -3.94; 95% CI, -4.85 to -3.03; P < .0001). However, operative time; complications rate; and postoperative alanine transferase, albumin, and total bilirubin levels did not differ significantly between the 2 surgical groups (P > .05). For hepatolithiasis treatment, there were no significant differences in operative time, residual stones, stone recurrence, and complications rate between the groups (P > .05), but LLH resulted in lower incisional infection rate (OR, 0.44; 95% CI, 0.22-0.89; P = .02) than OLH. The LLH group demonstrated higher bile leakage rate (OR, 1.79; 95% CI, 1.14-2.81; P = .01) and incurred greater hospital costs (MD, 618.56; 95% CI, 154.47-1082.64; P = .009).

CONCLUSIONS

LLH has multiple advantages over OLH and should thus be considered as the first choice for left hemihepatectomy.