Intraoperative indocyanine green fluorescence navigation facilitates complete removal of lymph node metastases from hepatocellular carcinoma

Treatment strategy for lymph node metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma using an ICG navigation system: a case report

BACKGROUND

Since indocyanine green (ICG) accumulates selectively in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells, it can be used to detect metastatic lesions. Lymph node metastasis of HCC is rarely observed, both simultaneously and metachronously. Therefore, it is sometimes difficult to identify metachronous lymph nodes during salvage surgery because of prior surgery. Herein, we report a case in which lymph node metastasis of HCC was successfully resected using an ICG navigation system.

CASE PRESENTATION

The patient was a 62-year-old man who had undergone radical liver resection for HCC 8 years ago. During surveillance, contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) revealed a mass in the hepatic hilum. Various diagnostic modalities suggested that the patient had a solitary metastatic lymph node of HCC, and extirpation of the tumor was planned. Intraoperative ICG fluorescence imaging allowed surgeons to clearly identify the target lesion. Histopathologically, the tumor was confirmed to be a lymph node metastasis of HCC. The patient's postoperative course was uneventful, and he remains alive without recurrence 2 years after the second surgery.

CONCLUSION

Intraoperative navigation surgery by ICG fluorescence imaging was useful for the safe resection of extrahepatic metastasis of HCC in a complicated situation.

Indocyanine Green Fluorescence Imaging in the Surgical Management of Skin Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Introduction

Indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence imaging has been used in the resection surgery and sentinel lymph node biopsy of many tumors. The aim of the present study is to verify the feasibility and effectiveness of ICG fluorescence imaging used for guiding the biopsy and resection of skin squamous cell carcinoma (SSCC).

Methods

Sixty patients were enrolled, including 18 patients of suspected SSCC and 42 patients of diagnosed SSCC on admission. The ICG fluorescence imaging-guided skin biopsy was performed preoperatively in the 18 cases of suspected SSCC. Fifty-three patients underwent ICG fluorescence imaging-guided radical excision.

Results

The results showed that 138 skin tissue samples in 60 patients with preoperative or intraoperative ICG fluorescence imaging-guide biopsy were collected. For a total number of 138 biopsies, 122 specimens were squamous cell carcinoma, and the accuracy rate was 88.4%, which was significantly higher than that of the group without preoperative ICG fluorescence imaging (41/62, 66.1%, P < 0.05). Fifty-three patients underwent surgery guided with ICG fluorescence imaging. Residual fluorescent signals in 24 patients were intraoperatively found and the excision was then expanded until the signals disappeared. Follow-up to November 2022, 12 patients died, of which 5 cases died from the tumor recurrence, and the others died due to advanced ages or other reasons. The recurrence rate was 9.4%, which was not significantly different from that of the group received routine radical resection (4/35, 11.4%, P > 0.05). Moreover, sentinel lymph nodes were successfully detected under ICG fluorescence imaging in the 4 patients with suspected lymph node metastases, and the location of lymph nodes can be precisely identified.

Conclusion

ICG fluorescence imaging technique can guide the pathology biopsy to improve the accuracy of pathological examination, and help to identify the boundaries of tumor tissues and sentinel lymph nodes to resect tumor radically during operation.

Usefulness of indocyanine green fluorescence-guided small intestinal bleeding site identification in small bowel resection: a report of two cases and literature review

Small bowel bleeding that does not respond to conservative therapy requires surgical resection. However, identifying the bleeding sites intraoperatively is challenging. Indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence imaging improves diagnosis of small bowel bleeding and surgical decision-making by visualizing blood flow. Herein, we reported two cases of small bowel bleeding that were successfully treated by using ICG to identify the bleeding sites and determine the extent of small bowel resection. The patients were a 46-year-old and a 75-year-old woman, both of whom presented with melena. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography and arteriography confirmed small bowel bleeding, and rebleeding occurred in both patients after transcatheter arterial embolization. Emergent surgeries were performed, and intraoperative selective angiography with ICG injections was conducted to identify obscure bleeding sites. ICG fluorescence identified all bleeding sites in both cases, and small bowel resections were successfully performed. The postoperative courses were uneventful, and both patients had a favorable postoperative course without recurrence of bleeding. ICG fluorescence imaging can safely identify the sites of intestinal bleeding and determine the appropriate extent of bowel resection.

Added value of indocyanine green fluorescence imaging in liver surgery

Recently, indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence imaging has been widely used as a substitute for cholangiography in hepatobiliary surgery, to detect hepatic tumors, for accurate anatomical hepatectomy, and to increase the safety and accuracy of minimally invasive (laparoscopic and robotic) hepatectomy. The clinical relevance of this method has been increasing gradually, as new procedures develop in this field. Various important roles and the latest added value of ICG fluorescence imaging in liver surgery are discussed in this report.