Modified ALPPS Procedures Avoiding Division of Portal Pedicles. Ann Surg. 2017;265:e14-e20. [PMID: 27611614 DOI: 10.1097/sla.0000000000001967]

Modification of ALPPS to avoid ischemia and congestion after stage 1: a case report

Background

Associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy (ALPPS) has been advocated for treating advanced liver tumors, but the devascularized ischemic area resulting from liver parenchymal division can become a nidus for sepsis. We present a patient who underwent ALPPS modified to avoid ischemia and congestion after liver partitioning during stage 1.

Case presentation

ALPPS was carried out for a patient with multiple bilobar liver metastases from rectosigmoid colon cancer. The 2-stage treatment included 3 partial resections within the left lateral section and parenchymal division at the umbilical fissure with right portal vein ligation as stage 1, followed by right trisectionectomy as stage 2. During parenchymal division at the umbilical fissure, Segment 4 portal pedicles and the middle hepatic vein had to be resected at their roots. To safely accomplish this, combined resection of Segment 4 and the drainage area of the middle hepatic vein was performed after parenchymal partition, aiming to avoid ischemia and congestion within the remnant liver. Successful stage 2 hepatectomy followed later. No ischemia or congestion occurred during stage 1 or 2.

Conclusions

During ALPPS, ischemia and congestion after stage 1 must be avoided to reduce morbidity and mortality. The modification described here should reduce likelihood of severe postoperative complications.

Increased future liver function after modified associating liver partition and portal vein ligation/embolization for staged hepatectomy

Background

The increasing ratio of functional future liver remnant (functional %FLR) after modified associating liver partition and portal vein ligation/embolization for staged hepatectomy (modified-ALPPS) compared with portal vein embolization (PVE) has not been comprehensively evaluated.

Purpose

To compare the increasing ratio of functional %FLR between modified-ALPPS and PVE via technetium-99 m-galactosyl human serum albumin single-photon emission computed tomography (^99mTc-GSA SPECT/CT) fusion imaging.

Material and Methods

Seven and six patients underwent modified-ALPPS (modified-ALPPS group) and PVE (PVE group) from 2015 to 2019. The functional %FLR on 99 mTc-GSA SPECT/CT fusion imaging was assessed before and 1 week (modified-ALPPS group) and 3 weeks (PVE group) after each procedure. The increasing ratio of functional %FLR (functional %FLR ratio) was calculated and compared between the two groups. Moreover, the hypertrophy ratio of future liver remnant volume (FLRV ratio) and atrophy ratio of embolized liver volume (.ELV ratio) were evaluated.

Results

The mean functional %FLR ratios of the modified-ALPPS group (1.47 ± 0.15) and the PVE group (1.49 ± 0.20) were comparable (p > .05). The median FLRV ratio of modified-ALPPS group (1.48) was higher than that of the PVE group (1.16), the median ELV ratio of the PVE group (0.81) was lower than that of the modified-ALPPS group (0.94), and the results significantly differed between the two groups (p < .05).

Conclusion

The increasing ratio of functional %FLR was comparable between modified-ALPPS and PVE. Compared with PVE, ALPPS was associated with a higher hypertrophy rate of the remnant liver but a lower atrophy rate of the embolized liver.

Parenchyma-Sparing Liver Resection or Regenerative Liver Surgery: Which Way to Go?

Liver resection for malignant tumors should respect oncological margins while ensuring safety and improving the quality of life, therefore tumor staging, underlying liver disease and performance status should all be attentively assessed in the decision process. The concept of parenchyma-sparing liver surgery is nowadays used as an alternative to major hepatectomies to address deeply located lesions with intricate topography by means of complex multiplanar parenchyma-sparing liver resections, preferably under the guidance of intraoperative ultrasound. Regenerative liver surgery evolved as a liver growth induction method to increase resectability by stimulating the hypertrophy of the parenchyma intended to remain after resection (referred to as future liver remnant), achievable by portal vein embolization and liver venous deprivation as interventional approaches, and portal vein ligation and associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy as surgical techniques. Interestingly, although both strategies have the same conceptual origin, they eventually became caught in the never-ending parenchyma-sparing liver surgery vs. regenerative liver surgery debate. However, these strategies are both valid and must both be mastered and used to increase resectability. In our opinion, we consider parenchyma-sparing liver surgery along with techniques of complex liver resection and intraoperative ultrasound guidance the preferred strategy to treat liver tumors. In addition, liver volume-manipulating regenerative surgery should be employed when resectability needs to be extended beyond the possibilities of parenchyma-sparing liver surgery.

Clinical evaluation of modified ALPPS procedures based on risk-reduced strategy for staged hepatectomy

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES

Radical resection remains the only curative treatment for liver tumors. Although associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy (ALPPS) can increase the resection rate, huge controversy exists for high reported mortality and morbidity. This study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of modified ALPPS procedure.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients who were performed ALPPS in single-center in recent 5 years were retrospectively reviewed. The modified strategy included strict patient selection, precise future liver remnant (FLR) assessment and operation planning, and usage of minimally invasive methods. Data including clinical records, functional FLR increase, complications, and overall survival (OS) were analyzed.

RESULTS

Sixty patients underwent modified ALPPS procedure and recovered well. No severe complications happened after the 1-stage operation, and the increasing FLR was 179.3 cm³(±72.4 cm³), with similar functional FLR increase. The OS was 20.0 months (±4.5month).

CONCLUSIONS

ALPPS could be a feasible treatment for complex liver tumors by risk-reduced modification. It could be expected to provide long-term survival for patients without enough FLR.

Optimization of the future remnant liver: review of the current strategies in Europe

Liver resection still represent the treatment of choice for liver malignancies, but in some cases inadequate future remnant liver (FRL) can lead to post hepatectomy liver failure (PHLF) that still represents the most common cause of death after hepatectomy. Several strategies in recent era have been developed in order to generate a compensatory hypertrophy of the FRL, reducing the risk of post hepatectomy liver failure. Portal vein embolization, portal vein ligation, and ALLPS are the most popular techniques historically adopted up to now. The liver venous deprivation and the radio-embolization are the most recent promising techniques. Despite even more precise tools to calculate the relationship among volume and function, such as scintigraphy with ^99mTc-mebrofenin (HBS), no consensus is still available to define which of the above mentioned augmentation strategy is more adequate in terms of kind of surgery, complexity of the pathology and quality of liver parenchyma. The aim of this article is to analyse these different strategies to achieve sufficient FRL.

Efficacy of the association liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy for the treatment of solitary huge hepatocellular carcinoma: a retrospective single-center study

BACKGROUND

The feasibility of association liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy (ALPPS) for solitary huge hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC, maximal diameter ≥ 10 cm) remains uncertain. This study aims to evaluate the safety and the efficacy of ALPPS for patients with solitary huge HCC.

METHODS

Twenty patients with solitary huge HCC who received ALPPS during January 2017 and December 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. The oncological characteristics of contemporaneous patients who underwent one-stage resection and transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) were compared using propensity score matching (PSM).

RESULTS

All patients underwent complete two-staged ALPPS. The median future liver remnant from the ALPPS-I stage to the ALPPS-II stage increased by 64.5% (range = 22.3-221.9%) with a median interval of 18 days (range = 10-54 days). The 90-day mortality rate after the ALPPS-II stage was 5%. The 1- and 3-year overall survival (OS) rates were 70.0% and 57.4%, respectively, whereas the 1- and 3-year progression-free survival (PFS) rates were 60.0% and 43.0%, respectively. In the one-to-one PSM analysis, the long-term survival of patients who received ALPPS was significantly better than those who received TACE (OS, P = 0.007; PFS, P = 0.011) but comparable with those who underwent one-stage resection (OS, P = 0.463; PFS, P = 0.786).

CONCLUSION

The surgical outcomes of ALPPS were superior to those of TACE and similar to those of one-stage resection. ALPPS is a safe and effective treatment strategy for patients with unresectable solitary huge HCC.

Body composition as reflected by intramuscular adipose tissue content may influence short- and long-term outcome following 2-stage liver resection for colorectal liver metastases

INTRODUCTION

For many kinds of cancer, body composition and immunonutritional status have been reported to influence postoperative outcome. We assessed their impact on short- and long-term outcome in patients with colorectal liver metastases who underwent 2-stage liver resections.

METHODS

Short- and long-term outcomes for 47 patients with 2-stage hepatectomies were assessed retrospectively in terms of data obtained before preoperative chemotherapy, before the first hepatectomy, and before the second hepatectomy.

RESULTS

Although immunonutritional status and body composition did not affect short-term outcome, high intramuscular fat content before the second hepatectomy was a poor prognostic factor for overall survival (HR, 5.829; 95% CI, 1.611-21.090; p = 0.007) and for recurrence-free survival (HR, 2.787; 95% CI, 1.301-5.973; p = 0.008). Patients with high intramuscular fat before the second hepatectomy also showed shorter intervals from recurrence to treatment failure.

CONCLUSION

Intramuscular fat before the second hepatectomy is an important negative prognosticator in 2-stage liver resection for colorectal liver metastases.

Liver regeneration after performing associating liver partition and portal vein occlusion for staged hepatectomy (ALPPS) is histologically similar to that occurring after liver transplantation using a small-for-size graft

PURPOSE

Associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy (ALPPS) can achieve marked future liver remnant (FLR) hypertrophy but this procedure is associated with a risk of mortality due to liver failure because of an insufficient FLR functional increase, a situation comparable to small-for-size syndrome (SFSS) after living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT).

METHODS

The clinical data, morphologic volume changes, and histopathologic and immunohistochemical findings in hepatocytes and bile ductules were compared between ALPPS (n = 10) and LDLT with a risk for SFSS (n = 12).

RESULTS

Although the patient characteristics and short-term outcome differed between the groups, the mean hypertrophy ratios with respect to liver volume for the FLR after performing the first-stage ALPPS procedures resembled those in small-for-size grafts after similar time intervals: 1.702 ± 0.407 in ALPPS vs. 1.948 ± 0.252 in LDLT (P = 0.205). The histologic grades for sinusoidal dilation (P = 0.896), congestion (P = 0.922), vacuolar change (P = 0.964), hepatocanalicular cholestasis (P = 0.969), and ductular reaction (P = 0.728) within the FLR at the second-stage operation during ALPPS or implanted graft were all similar between the groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The hepatic regenerative process may be similar in ALPPS and LDLT using a small-for-size graft. Reducing the hepatic vascular inflow that may be excessive for the FLR volume during the first stage of ALPPS might enhance the functional recovery since measures with a similar effect appear to lessen the likelihood of SFSS.

How to increase the resectability of initially unresectable colorectal liver metastases: A surgical perspective

Although surgical resection is the only treatment of choice that can offer prolonged survival and a chance of cure in patients with colorectal liver metastases (CRLM), nearly 80% of patients are deemed to be unresectable at the time of diagnosis. Considerable efforts have been made to overcome this initial unresectability, including expanding the indication of surgery, the advent of conversion chemotherapy, and development and modification of specific surgical techniques, regulated under multidisciplinary approaches. In terms of specific surgical techniques, portal vein ligation/embolization can increase the volume of future liver remnant and thereby reduce the risk of hepatic insufficiency and death after major hepatectomy. For multiple bilobar CRLM that were traditionally considered unresectable even with preoperative chemotherapy and portal vein embolization, two-stage hepatectomy was introduced and has been adopted worldwide with acceptable short- and long-term outcomes. Recently, ALPPS (associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy) was reported as a novel variant of two-stage hepatectomy. Although issues regarding safety remain unresolved, rapid future liver remnant hypertrophy and subsequent shorter intervals between the two stages lead to a higher feasibility rate, reaching 98%. In addition, adding radiofrequency ablation and vascular resection and reconstruction techniques can allow expansion of the pool of patients with CRLM who are candidates for liver resection and thus a cure. In this review, we discuss specific techniques that may expand the criteria for resectability in patients with initially unresectable CRLM.

Associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy in Qatar: Initial experience with two case series and review of the literature

INTRODUCTION

Associating Liver Partition and Portal Vein Ligation for Staged -hepatectomy (ALPPS) is an evolving procedure that allows rapid hypertrophy of the future liver remnant (FLR). We describe the first two cases performed in Qatar.

CASE PRESENTATIONS

Case 1: A 53 -year old male with sarcoma metastases to the liver 8 years after resection of an abdominal wall tumor, requiring an extended right hepatectomy but with in an inadequate FLR. ALPPS was done and he achieved 147% increase in the volume of the FLR within 6 days (from 15.9%-34.2%). The second stage was completed successfully on day 7. Case 2: A 59-year old male patient had colorectal liver metastases that required an extended right liver resection and had inadequate FLR of 19.8%. Seven days after the first stage, the FLR hypertrophied to 37.7% (90.2% increase in volume) and the second stage was completed successfully on day 8. Both patients had uneventful recovery and no recurrence or complications on follow up.

DISCUSSION

ALPPS allows large liver resections while circumventing the long delay in the conventional two staged hepatectomy and portal vein ligation/embolization. The reported morbidity and mortality in earlier series was high, but recent selection criteria and technique refinements reduce this morbidity. Many variations are still being reported.

CONCLUSION

ALPPS is an evolving technique that adds to the armamentarium of the liver surgeon to allow larger liver resections in a timely manner. It is feasible and safe to be performed with careful selection.

Current topics in liver surgery

Liver resection is one of the main treatment strategies for liver malignancies. Mortality and morbidity of liver surgery has improved significantly with progress in selection criteria, development of operative procedures and improvements in perioperative management. Safe liver resection has thus become more available worldwide. We have identified four current topics related to liver resection (anatomical liver resection, laparoscopic liver resection, staged liver resection and chemotherapy-induced liver injury). The balance between treatment effect and patient safety needs to be considered when planning liver resection. Progress in this area has been rapid thanks to the efforts of many surgeons, and outcomes have improved significantly as a result. These topics remain to be solved and more robust evidence is needed. Precise selection of the optimal procedure and risk evaluation should be standardized with further development of each topic. The present article reviews these four current topics with a focus on safety and efficacy in recent series.

Remnant Liver Tumor Growth Activity During Treatment Associating Liver Partition and Portal Vein Occlusion for Staged Hepatectomy (ALPPS)

BACKGROUND

We compared tumor growth activity during treatment associating liver partition and portal vein occlusion for staged hepatectomy (ALPPS) with that in classical 2-stage hepatectomy.

METHODS

Short-term outcomes, serial changes in volume of the future liver remnant (FLR), and tumor growth activity during the treatment period were compared between 12 patients treated with ALPPS and 20 patients treated with 2-stage hepatectomy for colorectal liver metastases. This study was registered in UMIN Clinical Trials Registry (registration number, UMIN000018622).

RESULTS

The FLR hypertrophy ratio at 1 week after the first operation was greater in the ALPPS group (1.43 ± 0.24) than the 2-stage group (1.21 ± 0.28, P = 0.043). The mean kinetic growth rate (mKGR) of tumors in the ALPPS group (0.548 ± 7.29 mL/day) did not differ significantly from that in the 2-stage group (-3.53 ± 7.02 mL/day) in the first week after the initial procedure (P = 0.210). However, mKGR between 1 and 3 weeks after the first procedure (1.29 ± 2.34 mL/day) was significantly greater than that in first week after the procedure in the 2-stage group (P = 0.034).

CONCLUSIONS

ALPPS induces a rapid FLR volume increase while avoiding remnant tumor progression.

Remnant Liver Ischemia as a Prognostic Factor for Cancer-Specific Survival After Resection of Colorectal Liver Metastases

IMPORTANCE

Ischemia-reperfusion injury during hepatic resection has been shown to accelerate progression of liver cancer. However, the prognostic relevance of remnant liver ischemia (RLI) after resection of colorectal liver metastases (CLMs) is unknown to date.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the prognostic influence of RLI after resection of CLMs and to identify correlates of greater extent of RLI.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This study was a retrospective analysis at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center based on prospectively collected data. The study identified 202 patients who underwent curative resection of CLMs between January 1, 2008, and December 31, 2014, and had enhanced computed tomographic images obtained within 30 days after surgery.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Remnant liver ischemia was defined as reduced or absent contrast enhancement during the portal phase. Postoperative RLI was classified as grade 0 (none), 1 (marginal), 2 (partial), 3 (segmental), or 4 (necrotic) as previously defined. Experienced members of the surgical team retrospectively performed imaging assessments. Team members were masked to the postoperative outcomes. Survival after resection was stratified by RLI grade. Predictors of RLI grade 2 or higher and survival were identified.

RESULTS

Among 202 patients (median [range] age, 56 [27-87] years; 84 female), the RLI grades were as follows: grade 0 (105 patients), grade 1 (47 patients), grade 2 (45 patients), grade 3 (5 patients), and grade 4 (0 patients). Recurrence-free survival (RFS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) rates after hepatic resection were worse in patients with RLI grade 2 or higher vs grade 1 or lower (RFS at 3 years, 6.4% [3 of 50] vs 39.2% [60 of 152]; P < .001 and CSS at 5 years, 20.7% [10 of 50] vs 63.7% [97 of 152]; P < .001). A largest metastasis at least 3 cm (OR, 2.74; 95% CI, 1.35-5.70; P = .005), multiple CLMs (OR, 2.51; 95% CI, 1.25-5.24; P = .009), and nonanatomic resection (odds ratio [OR], 3.29; 95% CI, 1.52-7.63; P = .002) were associated with RLI grade 2 or higher. A largest metastasis at least 3 cm (hazard ratio [HR], 1.70; 95% CI, 1.01-2.88; P = .045), mutant RAS (HR, 2.15; 95% CI, 1.27-3.64; P = .005), and RLI grade 2 or higher (HR, 2.90; 95% CI, 1.69-4.84; P < .001) were associated with worse CSS.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

In this study, remnant liver ischemia grade 2 or higher was associated with worse CSS after resection of CLMs. High-quality anatomic surgery to minimize RLI after resection is essential.

Evolution of associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy: Simpler, safer and equally effective methods

Associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy (ALPPS) has been recently demonstrated as a method to induce rapid and extensive hypertrophy within a short time and has been employed for a variety of primary and metastatic liver tumors. However, controversies remain due to its high morbidity and mortality. To enable safer surgery, liver surgeons have searched for better technical modifications, such as partial ALPPS, mini-ALPPS, minimally invasive ALPPS, and Terminal branches portal vein Embolization Liver Partition for Planned hepatectomy (TELPP). It seems that TELPP is very promising, because it has the main advantage of ALPPS - the rapid increase of future liver remnant volume, but the morbidity and mortality are much lower because only one surgical operation is required.

Modified ALPPS procedures: more safety through less invasive surgery

PURPOSE

Although associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy (ALPPS) has been advocated for treating advanced liver tumors, increased morbidity and mortality remain serious problems. Many modified procedures have been devised to improve patient safety, but some confusion persists as to benefits and risks.

METHODS

Modifications to ALPPS as originally reported were reviewed to clarify their contributions to safety and their clinical relevance.

RESULTS

A variety of modifications are explained and considered. Modifications mainly aim to reduce adhesions, prevent tumor spread, avoid devascularization during liver splitting, and reduce surgical severity. Such changes aiming to increase safety and reduce invasiveness are needed to avoid high morbidity and mortality rates with this innovative procedure. However, these modified procedures still require more meaningful statistical comparisons of outcome.

CONCLUSIONS

Prospective controlled studies are needed to confirm which modified procedures should be adopted in a standardized manner as an alternative to the original ALPPS. Further, we need to further explore mechanisms of liver regeneration, functional recovery, histopathologic changes of hepatocytes, and blood distribution during ALPPS simultaneously to developing and evaluating modifications of the procedure.