Search

Background: This study aimed to determine the risk factors for severe postoperative complications in patients undergoing pure laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) for tumors in the right posterosuperior (PS) segments. Methods: The study included 289 patients who underwent parenchyma‐sparing pure LLR for tumors in the right PS segments at eight treatment centers between January 2009 and December 2019. Results: Multivariate analysis revealed tumor size ≥3 cm (P =.016), segmentectomy (P =.044), and liver cirrhosis (P =.029) as independent risk factors for severe postoperative complications. The severe complication rates (2.7% vs 12.1%, P =.0025), median intraoperative blood loss (100 mL vs 150 mL, P =.001), and median operation time (248 minutes vs 299.5 minutes, P =.0013) were lower in the patients without all these three risk factors than those with at least one risk factor. The median length of postoperative hospital stay was shorter in patients with no risk factors than those with at least one risk factor (9 days vs. 10 days, P =.001). Conclusions: Tumor size ≥3 cm, segmentectomy, and liver cirrhosis were the risk factors for severe postoperative complications after parenchyma‐sparing pure LLR for tumors in the right PS segments. Patients without these three risk factors would be appropriate candidates for safely performing parenchyma‐sparing pure LLR in the right PS segments at the outset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Adjuvant chemotherapy for resectable colorectal liver metastasis (CRLM) is widely used, but its efficacy lacks clear evidence. This retrospective cohort study investigated the effectiveness of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) compared to upfront surgery for CRLM.Methods: Data from patients with resectable CRLM were analyzed. Short-term outcomes and long-term prognosis were analyzed using propensity score matching. CRLM was stratified according to the H-classification (H1 and H2), and the effectiveness of adjuvant chemotherapy was analyzed in each group.Results: We analyzed 599 cases that were matched into an NAC group (n = 136) and an upfront surgery group (n = 136). The proportion of synchronous metastases, H2-classification, and postoperative chemotherapy rate did not differ between the groups. Overall survival (OS) after initial treatment was significantly worse in the NAC group than in the upfront surgery group (P = 0.029). The 5-, 7-, and 10-year OS rates for H1 patients were significantly better in the upfront surgery group than in the NAC group (64%, 51%, and 44% vs. 50%, 31%, and 18%, respectively) (P = 0.004).Conclusion: Patients with resectable CRLM should undergo upfront surgery, because NAC did not improve OS after initial treatment in these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The efficacy of pre or postoperative chemotherapy for resectable colorectal cancer liver metastases (CRLM) is disputed. This study aimed to examine the risk factors for time to surgical failure (TSF) and analyze the efficacy of pre or postoperative chemotherapy prior to liver resection for CRLM. Methods: The clinicopathological factors of 567 patients who underwent initial hepatectomy for CRLM at 7 university hospitals between April 2007 and March 2013 were retrospectively analyzed. The prognostic factors were identified and then stratified into two groups according to the number of preoperative prognostic factors: the high-score group (H-group, score 2–4) and the low-score group (L-group, score 0 or 1). Results: Patients who experienced unresectable recurrence within 12 months after initial treatment had a significantly shorter prognosis than other patients (p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis identified age ≥ 70 (p = 0.001), pT4 (p = 0.015), pN1 (p < 0.001), carbohydrate antigen 19–9 ≥ 37 U/ml (p = 0.002), Clavien-Dindo grade ≥ IIIa (p = 0.013), and postoperative chemotherapy (p = 0.006) as independent prognostic factors. In the H-group, patients who received chemotherapy had a better prognosis than those who did not (p = 0.001). Conclusion: Postoperative chemotherapy is beneficial in colorectal cancer patients with more than two of the following factors: age ≥ 70, carbohydrate antigen 19–9–positivity, pT4, and lymph node metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Surgical resection for patients with hepatic and extrahepatic colorectal metastases remains controversial. This study aimed to determine the efficacy of curative resection of distant extrahepatic metastatic lesions in patients with colorectal liver metastases (CRLM). Methods: From 2007 to 2019, 377 patients with CRLM were treated; of these, 323 patients underwent hepatectomy, and 54 patients with extrahepatic metastases (EHM) had received only chemotherapy. Survival and recurrence were compared between patients with and without EHM. Variables potentially associated with survival were analyzed in univariate and multivariate analyses. Results: Among patients who underwent hepatectomy, the median, 3-, and 5-year overall survival rates for patients with EHM (n = 60) were 32 months, 47%, and 28%, respectively, while those for patients without EHM (n = 263) were 115 months, 79%, and 66%, respectively (p < 0.001). Furthermore, outcomes were similar in R2 patients with EHM and those with unresectable tumors. However, outcomes were significantly better in the R0/1 group than in the R2 and unresectable groups (p < 0.001). Among patients with EHM, multivariate analysis revealed that higher clinical risk score, incomplete resection of all EHM, extrahepatic disease detected intraoperatively, and previous treatment with neoadjuvant chemotherapy were independently associated with worse survival. Conclusions: In patients with CRLM with EHM (liver + one organ), gross curative resection is necessary when surgical treatment is contemplated, and resection of liver metastases should be performed in patients with CRLM with smaller and fewer tumors (e.g., H1). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The frequency of liver resection in elderly patients has been increasing. However, data are limited regarding the safety of laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) compared with that of open liver resection (OLR) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in elderly patients. The present study aimed to compare short-term outcomes between LLR and OLR in elderly patients with HCC using propensity score matching.Methods: The study included 630 patients (age, ≥ 75 years) who underwent liver resection for HCC at nine liver centres between April 2010 and December 2017. Patients were divided into LLR and OLR groups, and perioperative outcomes were compared between the groups. In addition, subgroup analysis was performed according to age (75-79 and ≥ 80 years).Results: Of the 630 patients, 221 and 409 were included in the LLR and OLR groups, respectively. After propensity score matching, 155 patients were included in each group. Intraoperative blood loss and the transfusion, post-operative overall complication and major complication rates were lower in the matched LLR than the matched OLR group (P < 0.001, P = 0.004, P < 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively). Moreover, post-operative pulmonary and cardiovascular complications were less frequent in the matched LLR group (P = 0.008 and P = 0.014, respectively). In subgroup analysis, among octogenarians, the post-operative major complication rate was lower and hospital stay was shorter in the matched LLR than the matched OLR group (P < 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively).Conclusion: LLR for HCC is associated with good short-term outcomes in patients aged ≥ 75 years compared with OLR. LLR is safe and feasible in selected octogenarians with HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) for resectable liver metastasis from colorectal cancer (CRLM) is used widely, but its efficacy lacks clear evidence. This study aimed to clarify its worth and develop appropriate treatment strategies for CRLM.Methods: We analyzed, retrospectively, the clinicopathological factors and outcomes of 137 patients treated for resectable CRLM between 2006 and 2015, with upfront surgery (NAC− group; n = 117) or initial NAC treatment (NAC+ group; n = 20).Results: The time to surgical failure (TSF) and overall survival (OS) after initial treatment were significantly worse in the NAC+ group than in the NAC− group (P = 0.002 and P = 0.032, respectively). At hepatectomy, the NAC+ group had a lower median prognostic nutrition index (PNI), higher rates of a positive Glasgow Prognostic Score (P = 0.002) and more perioperative blood transfusions (P = 0.027) than the NAC− group. Moreover, the serum albumin (P = 0.006), PNI (P ≤ 0.001) and lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (P ≤ 0.001) were significantly decreased and the GPS positive rate was increased from 15 to 35% in the NAC+ group. The OS rates did not differ significantly according to the NAC response (5-year OS rates—CR/PR 67%, SD 60%, PD 38%).Conclusions: Patients with resectable CRLM should undergo upfront hepatectomy because NAC did not improve OS after initial treatment in these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Laparoscopic resection of posterosuperior (PS) tumors of the liver is more difficult than that of anterolateral (AL) tumors, owing to the narrow surgical field in the PS location. In this retrospective cohort study, our aim was to determine if port insertion through the intercostal space would lead to improved outcomes for laparoscopic resection of tumors in PS liver segments 7 and 8. Method: Between January 2006 and December 2015, 153 patients underwent laparoscopic resection of solitary liver tumors at Osaka Medical College Hospital. Of these, 107 patients had AL lesions, and 46 had PS lesions. Of the 46 patients with a PS lesion, 23 underwent an abdominal-only approach, and 23 underwent the intercostal trocar approach. Multivariate analyses were performed to investigate outcomes. Results: Conventional abdominal-only laparoscopic resection of PS liver tumors resulted in prolonged surgical time (P = 0.031), increased bleeding (P = 0.012), and a higher open conversion rate (P = 0.022) compared with AL tumors. Among patients with PS tumors, the open conversion rate was significantly higher for those treated with the abdominal-only approach than with the intercostal trocar approach (P = 0.047). Appropriate surgical margins were obtained equally using the intercostal trocar approach (P = 0.648). There was no significant difference in occurrence of complications between the abdominal-only group and the intercostal trocar group. Conclusion: Using the intercostal trocar approach for PS liver lesions is a safe and effective method, which significantly reduced the open conversion rate compared with the conventional abdominal-only approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Laparoscopic hepatectomy (Lap-Hx) has been increasingly performed for patients with liver tumors as surgical techniques and devices have progressed. However, the long-term outcomes of Lap-Hx for malignant liver tumors are not oncologically guaranteed. This study compared the short- and long-term outcomes between Lap-Hx and open hepatectomy (Open-Hx) for malignant liver tumors by matched-pair analysis. Methods: The indications for Lap-Hx at our department are a tumor size of <5 cm and fewer than two lesions without macroscopic vascular invasion or the need for biliary reconstruction. In total, 135 patients underwent Lap-Hx for malignant liver tumors through December 2013. We compared the short- and long-term outcomes between Lap-Hx and Open-Hx in patients who met the above-mentioned indications. Results: With respect to short-term outcomes, the operation time, blood loss, postoperative hospital stay, white blood cell count, and C-reactive protein level after Lap-Hx were significantly better than those after Open-Hx in both the patients who underwent partial resection and those who underwent lateral sectionectomy. In patients who underwent partial resection, the incidence of postoperative complications after Lap-Hx was significantly lower than that after Open-Hx; in particular, wound infection and respiratory complications were significantly lower. Furthermore, when the tumor was located in the posterosuperior segments, the operation time for Lap-Hx was not shorter than that for Open-Hx. With respect to long-term outcomes of hepatocellular carcinoma, neither overall nor disease-free survival differed between the two groups. With respect to long-term outcomes of colorectal liver metastases, the disease-free survival rate was similar between Lap-Hx and Open-Hx; however, the overall survival rate was significantly better for Lap-Hx than for Open-Hx. Conclusions: Lap-Hx is a good option for selected patients with malignant liver tumors. The short- and long-term outcomes of Lap-Hx also are considered to be acceptable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to clarify the clinicopathological features of extrahepatic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurrence after hepatectomy in order to schedule optimal treatment strategies for better long-term outcomes. Methods: A cohort of 206 patients who had undergone curative hepatectomy for HCC was analysed; 133 patients had developed relapse. Among them, 101 patients had intrahepatic recurrence only (IHR), and 32 patients had extrahepatic recurrence (EHR). Clinicopathological and survival data were compared between the two groups. Results: The overall survival rate after hepatectomy was better in the IHR than in the EHR group ( p < 0.0001). The recurrence-free interval after hepatectomy was significantly shorter in the EHR than in the IHR group (258 vs. 487 days, p < 0.0043). Patients in the EHR group were more likely to have a high PIVKA II, a large tumour, and microscopic portal vein invasion when compared with patients in the IHR group. Microscopic portal vein invasion was the most important independent risk factor for EHR after hepatectomy ( p = 0.0295). Patients with more than two risk factors for EHR showed poor prognosis in comparison with patients without any risk factors ( p < 0.001). In the EHR group, patients who underwent repeated resection had significantly better survival than patients receiving only the best supportive care (539 vs. 133 days, p = 0.0098). Furthermore, among EHR patients with concomitant IHR, patients with controllable IHR had significantly better survival than those with uncontrollable IHR (524 vs. 147 days, p = 0.0131). Conclusions: EHR of HCC was associated with early recurrence, and risk factors for the occurrence of EHR included the presence of high PIVKA II, large tumours, and microscopic portal vein invasion. Resection of recurrent tumour and local control of concomitant IHR may improve the prognosis of EHR patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Microvascular invasion (MVI) is an important risk factor for early recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but preoperative prediction of MVI is difficult. Methods: A retrospective review was undertaken on 167 patients with primary solitary HCC who underwent initial hepatectomy. Independent predictors of MVI were identified, and factors affecting disease-free survival in patients withMVI were clarified. Results: Of the 167 patients, 20 patients (12%) had MVI. Recurrence rates of HCC after hepatectomy in MVI patients were significantly worse than in patients without MVI (P < 0.0361). Univariate analysis revealed that positive L3-AFP, PIVKA-II ≥ 150 mAU/mL and tumor size ≥3 cm preoperatively were associated with positive MVI. On multivariate analysis, independent predictors of MVI were PIVKA-II ≥ 150 mAU/mL (odds ratio [OR], 5.19; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.44-24.87; P = 0.0109) and positive L3-AFP (OR, 3.47; 95% CI, 1.19-10.75; P = 0.0229). Among the MVI-positive group, the 1-, 2- and 3-year disease-free survival rates were 78%, 58%, and 58% in patients with surgical margin (SM) ≥ 10 mm and 38%, 29%, and 29% in those with SM < 10 mm, respectively (P = 0.0263). Conclusions: Patients with PIVKA-II ≥ 150 mAU/mL and positive L3-AFP on preoperative examination are at high risk for MVI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical characteristics and outcomes of elderly patients (≥70 years old) undergoing curative hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods: Clinicopathological data and treatment outcomes in 100 elderly patients (≥70 years old) and 120 control patients (≤70 years old) with HCC who underwent curative hepatectomy between 2000 and 2011 were retrospectively collected and compared. Results: The overall survival rate was similar between the two groups, but the disease-free survival rate was worse in the elderly group when compared with the control group. Prognostic factors for overall and disease-free survival were the same when comparing the two groups. The elderly group had higher rate of females ( p = 0.0230), higher hepatitis C virus infection rate ( p = 0.0090), higher postoperative pulmonary complication rate ( p = 0.0484), lower rate of response to interferon (IFN) therapy ( p = 0.0203) and shorter surgical time ( p = 0.0337) when compared with the control group. The overall recurrence rate was higher in the elderly group than in the control group ( p = 0.0346), but the rate of recurrence within 2 years after the operation was similar when comparing the two groups. Conclusion: The survival of elderly patients with HCC was similar to that of younger patients. However, the disease-free survival was worse in elderly patients than in younger patients. Aggressive antiviral therapy (e.g. IFN therapy) may be necessary to improve the disease-free survival, even in elderly patients. Additionally, clinicians should be aware of the risk of pulmonary complications in elderly patients after hepatectomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Antibiotic prophylaxis is frequently administered after liver resection to prevent postoperative infections. However, very few studies have examined the usefulness of antibiotic prophylaxis after liver resection. A randomized controlled trial was conducted to evaluate the postoperative antibiotic prophylaxis in patients after liver resection. METHODS: A total of 241 patients scheduled to undergo liver resection were randomly assigned to the non-postoperative antibiotic group (n 5 95) or the antibiotic group (n 5 95). The antibiotic group was given flomoxef sodium every 12 hours for 3 days after the operation. The end point was signs of infection, surgical site infection, or infectious complications. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the 2 groups in signs of infection (21.3% vs 25.5%, P 5 .606), the incidence of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (11.7% vs 17.0%, P 5 .406), infectious complications (7.5% vs 17.0%, P 5 .073), surgical site infection (10.6% vs 13.8%, P 5 .657), and remote site infection (2.1% vs 8.5%, P 5 .100). CONCLUSIONS: Postoperative antibiotic prophylaxis cannot prevent postoperative infections after liver resection, and it is thought that antibiotic prophylaxis is unnecessary and costly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The aim of this study is to evaluate the appropriate treatment for intrahepatic recurrence after hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).Methods: Of 151 patients who underwent initial hepatectomy for HCC, 82 had intrahepatic recurrence and were divided into two groups: group A, ≤2 tumors, each 3 cm in size; and group B, beyond the group A. Survival and treatment in each group were analyzed retrospectively to determine the best therapeutic modality for intrahepatic recurrence.Results: The 5-year overall survival and recurrence rate were 65% and 58%, respectively. Overall 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates after recurrence were better in group A (100%, 76%, and 54%) than in group B (74%, 23%, and 5.8%; p < 0.001). The clinical backgrounds were not different for each modality. Of the 43 patients in group A, 10 underwent hepatectomy, 21 ablation therapy, and 12 transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE). The survival rate of hepatectomy was similar to that of ablation therapy and significantly better than that of TACE (p = 0.0248). Of the 39 patients in group B, the results of TACE were similar to other therapies after recurrence.Conclusions: Repeat hepatectomy and ablation therapy were more effective than TACE in the group with ≤2 tumors up to 3 cm in size at recurrence, while any treatment modality was more effective than best supportive care, but the outcome was poorer in the group with ≥3 tumors or tumor size ≥3 cm at recurrence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abdominal drainage after liver resection is considered unnecessary: however, there still exist a number of cases where drain is effective to prevent serious infectious complications. We reevaluated the necessity of drain placement after liver resection from the retrospective analysis of postoperative complications with special reference to the need for drain insertion of 140 patients undergoing hepatectomy without intraoperative abdominal drainage from 2007 through 2010. Three patients required drain reinsertion in the early postoperative period (before postoperative Day 7); all had undergone extended right hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein thrombus followed by postoperative liver failure. Risk factors for postoperative bile leakage included repeated hepatectomy, operative procedure with exposure of the major Glisson's sheath (i.e., central bisegmentectomy and anterior segmentectomy), and intraoperative bile leakage. However, because the onset of this complication was as late as postoperative Day 19.5, prophylactic drainage does not appear useful. Although not required routinely, prophylactic drainage might be useful in patients undergoing extended hepatectomy, a high-risk hepatectomy procedure exposing the major Glisson's sheath, those with positive intraoperative bile leakage, for hepatocellular carcinoma, and especially complicated with portal vein thrombus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

B Introduction: b In recent years, life expectancy has increased worldwide, and the frequency of liver resection for elderly patients is increasing. However, data is still limited regarding the safety of laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) compared with open liver resection (OLR) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in elderly patients. [Extracted from the article]

Backgrounds: Liver resection for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with Child–Pugh class (CPC) B increases the incidence of postoperative complication and in-hospital death and decreases the disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) compared with those with CPC A. Conversely, some selected patients possibly gained benefits for liver resection. Methods: Clinical records of 114 patients with CPC B who underwent liver resection for HCC were retrospectively reviewed. The risk of postoperative complications (Clavien–Dindo classification grade of ≥ II), postoperative recurrence, and death was analyzed. Results: Postoperative complications occurred in 36 patients (31.6%), and 2 died within 90 days postoperatively due to the liver and respiratory failure, respectively. Multivariate analysis indicated that albumin-bilirubin (ALB) grade III and extended operation time were found as independent risk factors for postoperative complications. The DFS and OS rates at 3/5 years after liver resection were 30.8%/25.3% and 68.4%/48.9%, respectively. Multivariate analysis indicated that the extended blood loss, high α-fetoprotein (AFP) level (≥ 200 ng/mL), and Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage C were found to be independent risk factors for postoperative recurrence. The high AFP level was also an independent prognostic factor for OS. Patients with high AFP levels had postoperative recurrence within 2 years and a higher number of extrahepatic recurrences than those with low AFP levels (< 200 ng/mL). Conclusion: For patients with HCC with CPC B who were scheduled for liver resection, ALBI grade III and high AFP level should be considered as unfavorable outcomes after liver resection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The goal of the study was to evaluate the diagnostic ability of 18F-FBPA PET/CT for malignant tumors. Findings from 18F-FBPA and 18F-FDG PET/CT were compared with pathological diagnoses in patients with malignant tumors or benign lesions. Methods: A total of 82 patients (45 males, 37 females; median age, 63 years; age range, 20–89 years) with various types of malignant tumors or benign lesions, such as inflammation and granulomas, were examined by 18F-FDG and 18F-FBPA PET/CT. Tumor uptake of FDG or FBPA was quantified using the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax). The final diagnosis was confirmed by cytopathology or histopathological findings of the specimen after biopsy or surgery. A ROC curve was constructed from the SUVmax values of each PET image, and the area under the curve (AUC) and cutoff values were calculated. Results: The SUVmax for 18F-FDG PET/CT did not differ significantly for malignant tumors and benign lesions (10.9 ± 6.3 vs. 9.1 ± 2.7 P = 0.62), whereas SUVmax for 18F-FBPA PET/CT was significantly higher for malignant tumors (5.1 ± 3.0 vs. 2.9 ± 0.6, P < 0.001). The best SUVmax cutoffs for distinguishing malignant tumors from benign lesions were 11.16 for 18F-FDG PET/CT (sensitivity 0.909, specificity 0.390) and 3.24 for 18F-FBPA PET/CT (sensitivity 0.818, specificity 0.753). ROC analysis showed significantly different AUC values for 18F-FDG and 18F-FBPA PET/CT (0.547 vs. 0.834, p < 0.001). Conclusion: 18F-FBPA PET/CT showed superior diagnostic ability over 18F-FDG PET/CT in differential diagnosis of malignant tumors and benign lesions. The results of this study suggest that 18F-FBPA PET/CT diagnosis may reduce false-positive 18F-FDG PET/CT diagnoses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Left hemihepatectomy requires exposure of the middle hepatic vein (MHV) at the cutting-surface. Two procedures are used to approach the MHV: a conventional ventral approach and a laparoscopy-specific dorsal approach. This multicenter retrospective observational study aimed to evaluate the perioperative outcomes of these two procedures.Methods: Clinical records of 38 consecutive patients that underwent laparoscopic left hemihepatectomy in four university hospitals between 2016 and 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. Outcome measurements were operative blood loss, operating time, trend of postoperative laboratory data within 7 days after hepatectomy, and postoperative complications. Quality of MHV exposure was also evaluated and compared by three-grade evaluation (excellent/good/poor) using recorded still images of the cut-surface of the remnant liver (n = 35).Results: Dorsal and ventral approaches were performed in 9 and 29 patients, respectively. Median operating time was 316 min (dorsal) and 314 min (ventral) (P = 0.71). Median operative blood loss was 45 ml (dorsal) and 105 ml (ventral) (P = 0.10). Two patients in the ventral approach group had bleeding in excess of 500 ml, which was not seen in the dorsal approach group. Excellent/good/poor MHV appearance on the cutting-surface was observed in 5/3/1 patients in the dorsal approach group, respectively, and in 7/8/11 patients in the ventral approach group, respectively (P = 0.03). In the ventral approach group, significant increases of aspartate aminotransferase (on postoperative day 1 and day 4/5) and of alanine aminotransferase (on postoperative day 2/3 and 4/5) were observed (P < 0.05). Postoperative complications were observed only in the ventral approach group (n = 3).Conclusions: The dorsal approach could achieve safe and precise anatomical left hemihepatectomy with operation time and operative blood loss comparable to the conventional ventral approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) has pathological characteristics similar to those of alcoholic hepatitis, despite the absence of a drinking history. The greatest threat associated with NASH is its progression to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The pathophysiology of NASH is not fully understood to date. In this study, we investigated the pathophysiology of NASH from the perspective of glycolysis and the Warburg effect, with a particular focus on microRNA regulation in liver-specific macrophages, also known as Kupffer cells. We established NASH rat and mouse models and evaluated various parameters including the liver-to-body weight ratio, blood indexes, and histopathology. A quantitative phosphoproteomic analysis of the NASH rat model livers revealed the activation of glycolysis. Western blotting and immunohistochemistry results indicated that the expression of pyruvate kinase muscle 2 (PKM2), a rate-limiting enzyme of glycolysis, was upregulated in the liver tissues of both NASH models. Moreover, increases in PKM2 and p-PKM2 were observed in the early phase of NASH. These observations were partially induced by the downregulation of microRNA122-5p (miR-122-5p) and occurred particularly in the Kupffer cells. Our results suggest that the activation of glycolysis in Kupffer cells during NASH was partially induced by the upregulation of PKM2 via miR-122-5p suppression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Clinical usefulness of the recently developed neo-Glasgow prognostic score (GPS) as a nutritional prognostic assessment in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) were evaluated in a multicenter retrospective study. In multivariate analysis with the Cox proportional hazards model, elevated alpha-fetoprotein (AFP; ≥100 ng/mL; hazard ratio [HR] 2.190, p < 0.001), multiple tumors (HR 1.784, p = 0.006), tumor size of ≥5 cm (HR 1.508, p = 0.032), and neo-GPS of ≥1 (HR 1.554, p = 0.019) were significant prognostic factors for OS, whereas elevated AFP (≥100 ng/mL) (HR 1.743, p < 0.001), multiple tumors (HR 1.537, p = 0.004), and neo-GPS of ≥1 (HR 1.522, p = 0.001) were significant prognostic factors for PFS. A neo-GPS of ≥1 was associated with higher rate of high-grade (≥3) Clavien-Dindo complications than a neo-GPS of <1 (31.1% vs. 16.7%, p = 0.007). Neo-GPS was a good prognostic nutritional assessment tool for the prediction of postoperative complications and prognosis in patients undergoing surgical HCC resection. Nutritional assessment is important for predicting a prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The authors examined the utility of the recently developed neo-Glasgow prognostic score (GPS) as a nutritional prognostic assessment in HCC in a multicenter retrospective study of 271 patients with HCC and Child-Pugh class A liver function who underwent R0 resection between 2011 and 2013. The median age was 72 years, 229 and 42 patients had Child-Pugh scores of 5 and 6, respectively, 223 patients had single tumors, the median tumor size was 3.6 cm, and open and laparoscopic resection were performed in 138 and 133 patients, respectively. We compared the prognostic predictive utility of the prognostic nutritional index, neutrophil/lymphocyte and platelet/lymphocyte ratios, controlling nutritional status score, GPS, and neo-GPS, which uses albumin-bilirubin grade (ALBI) instead of albumin. The c-indexes for the predictive prognostic value for overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were best for neo-GPS (OS: 0.571 vs. ≤0.555; PFS: 0.555 vs. ≤0.546). In multivariate analysis with the Cox proportional hazards model, elevated alpha-fetoprotein (AFP; ≥100 ng/mL; hazard ratio [HR] 2.190, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.493–3.211, p < 0.001), multiple tumors (HR 1.784, 95%CI 1.178–2.703, p = 0.006), tumor size of ≥5 cm (HR 1.508, 95%CI 1.037–2.193, p = 0.032), and neo-GPS of ≥1 (HR 1.554, 95%CI 1.074–2.247, p = 0.019) were significant prognostic factors for OS, whereas elevated AFP (≥100 ng/mL) (HR 1.743, 95%CI 1.325–2.292, p < 0.001), multiple tumors (HR 1.537, 95%CI 1.148–2.057, p = 0.004), and neo-GPS of ≥1 (HR 1.522, 95%CI 1.186–1.954, p = 0.001) were significant prognostic factors for PFS. A neo-GPS of ≥1 was associated with a higher rate of high-grade (≥3) Clavien-Dindo complications than a neo-GPS of <1 (31.1% vs. 17.0%, p = 0.007). Neo-GPS was a good prognostic nutritional assessment tool for the prediction of postoperative complications and prognosis in patients undergoing surgical HCC resection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to investigate whether a novel biomarker incorporating albumin, lymphocytes, and CRP can predict the prognosis for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after hepatectomy. Between January 2011 and December 2013, 384 patients who underwent hepatectomy in four university hospitals in Japan were investigated as a discovery cohort. The CRP-Albumin-Lymphocyte (CALLY index) was defined as (Albumin × Lymphocyte)/(CRP × 104). Patients with a CALLY index ≥5 (n = 200) were compared to those with an index <5 (n = 184). Next, validation was performed using 267 patients from three other university hospitals (external validation cohort). The number of TNM Stage III and IV patients was significantly higher in the CALLY <5 group than the ≥5 group (p = 0.003). There was a significant difference in the 5-year survival rate (CALLY ≥5: 71% vs. <5: 46%; p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis identified the CALLY index as an independent factor of overall survival. Similarly, there was a significant difference in the 5-year survival rate between the CALLY ≥5 (73%) and <5 (48%) groups (p < 0.001), and the CALLY index was identified as an independent prognostic factor in the external validation cohort. The CALLY index derived from CRP, albumin, and lymphocyte values is a promising predictive biomarker for postoperative prognosis of patients with HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) shows a high rate of recurrence after hepatectomy; predictive factors for early recurrence would help determine optimal therapeutic and management strategies. Among 163 patients with HCC undergoing hepatectomy with curative intent, 46 patients developed recurrence within 1 year. Clinicopathological data were retrospectively analyzed to identify predictive parameters for early recurrence. Survival rates in cases of recurrence within 1 year were worse than those of no recurrence within 1 year or recurrence after 1 year. Protein induced by vitamin K absence/antagonist II (PIVKA-II) greater than 150, positive fucosylated alpha-fetoprotein (L3-AFP), and deviancy from Milan criteria (MC) on preoperative imaging were associated with high risk of early recurrence and total number of these three risk factors predicted the survival. With multivariate analysis, 1) preoperatively, positive factors of two or more among three items of PIVKA-II, L3-AFP, and deviancy from MC; 2) and postoperatively, pathological cancer spread (microscopic vascular invasion and/or intrahepatic metastasis) both represented risks for early recurrence. A combination of three preoperative factors, PIVKA-II, L3-AFP, and MC status, in conjunction with the postoperative factor of cancer spread status represents a significant indicator for recurrence within 1 year. Improving the prognosis of patients with HCC would depend on how to adequately treat those at high risk of early recurrence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatic pseudolymphoma (HPL) and primary hepatic marginal zone B cell lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT lymphoma) are rare diseases and the differential diagnosis between these two entities is sometimes difficult. We herein report a 56-year-old Japanese woman who was pointed out to have a space occupying lesion in the left lateral segment of the liver. Hepatitis viral-associated antigen/antibody was negative and liver function tests including lactic dehydrogenase, peripheral blood count, tumor markers and soluble interleukin-2 receptor were all within normal limit. Imaging study using computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging were not typical for hepatocellular carcinoma, cholangiocarcinoma, or other metastatic cancer. Fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography examination integrated with computed tomography scanning showed high standardized uptake value in the solitary lesion in the liver. Under a diagnosis of primary liver neoplasm, laparoscopic-assisted lateral segmentectomy was performed. Liver tumor of maximal 1.0 cm in diameter was consisted of aggregation of lymphocytes of predominantly B-cell, containing multiple lymphocyte follicles positive for CD10 and bcl-2, consistent with a diagnosis of HPL rather than MALT lymphoma, although a definitive differentiation was pending. The background liver showed non-alcoholic fatty liver disease/early non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. The patient is currently doing well with no sign of relapse 13 months after the surgery. Since the accurate diagnosis is difficult, laparoscopic approach would provide a reasonable procedure of diagnostic and therapeutic advantage with minimal invasiveness for patients. Considering that the real nature of this entity remains unclear, vigilant follow-up of patient is essential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hepatic resection often results in delirium in preoperatively self-sufficient elderly people. The association of frailty with postoperative delirium remains unclear, and preoperative risk assessment, including frailty, of postoperative delirium has not been established. Methods: This prospective multicenter study included 295 independently living patients aged ≥ 65 years scheduled for initial hepatic resection. All patients answered the phenotypic frailty index Kihon Checklist, which is a self-reporting list of 25 questions, within a week before surgery. The risk factors for postoperative delirium were investigated. Patients who scored ≥ 4 in the Intensive Care Delirium Screening Checklist were designated as having postoperative delirium. Results: Delirium developed after liver resection in 22 of 295 patients (7.5%). Total Kihon Checklist score (≥ 6 points), age (≥ 75 years), and serum albumin concentration (≤ 3.7 g/dL) were the independent risk factors for postoperative delirium. The proportion of patients with postoperative delirium was 0% in those with no applicable risk factors, 3.2% in those with one applicable risk factor, 12.0% in those with two applicable risk factors, and 40.9% in those with all three factors (p < 0.001). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for this risk assessment for predicting postoperative delirium was 0.842. Conclusion: The use of these three factors for preoperative risk assessment may be effective in predicting and preparing for delirium after hepatic resection in elderly patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) has cytoprotective effects in the liver. To find how PGE1 influenced hepatic hemodynamics, oxygen metabolism, and hepatic function, we carried out an experimental and a clinical study. PGE1 was continuously administered into the hepatic artery (n = 5) or portal vein (n = 5) at a rate of 0.01 micrograms/kg per min in healthy mongrel dogs. In the clinical study, in eight patients PGE1 was administered through the hepatic artery at a rate of 0.01 micrograms/kg per min after hepatic lobectomy. In the experimental study, hepatic hemodynamics and oxygen metabolism did not change during the administration of PGE1 into the portal vein. During administration of PGE1 into the hepatic artery, hepatic arterial flow increased 1.5-fold after administration compared to the rate before administration (P < 0.01). Hepatic arterial pressure, hepatic arterial resistance, and post-sinusoidal resistance significantly decreased after administration (P < 0.01, P < 0.01, and P < 0.05, respectively). Hepatic oxygen supply increased significantly (P < 0.01). In the patients, serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) and glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT) levels remained low after surgery, and the recovery of protein synthesis was improved compared with that in eight hepatectomized patients without PGE1 administration (controls). The intrahepatic arterial infusion of PGE1 was considered useful for the recovery of liver function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hepatectomy is currently recommended as the most reliable treatment for colorectal liver metastases. However, the association between the choice of treatment for recurrence and the timing of recurrence remains controversial. Methods: Two-hundred ninety-five patients who underwent hepatectomy were retrospectively analyzed for the risk factors and the outcomes for early recurrence within 6 months. The remnant liver volumes (RLVs) and laboratory data were measured postoperatively using multidetector computed tomography on days 7 and months 1, 2, and 5 after the operation. Results: Early recurrence developed in 88/295 patients (29.8%). Colorectal cancer lymph node metastasis, synchronous liver metastasis, and multiple liver metastases were independent risk factors for the occurrence of early recurrence (p < 0.001, 0.032, and 0.019, respectively). Patients with early recurrence had a poorer prognosis than did patients who developed later recurrence (p < 0.001). Patients who underwent surgery or other local treatment had better outcomes. The changes in RLV and laboratory data after postoperative month 2 were not significantly different between the 2 groups. Conclusion: Patients with early recurrence within 6 months had a poorer prognosis than did patients who developed later recurrence. However, patients who underwent repeat hepatectomy for recurrence had a better prognosis than did those who underwent other treatments, with good prospects for long-term survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A procedure-based laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) classification (IMM classification) stratified 11 different LLR procedures into 3 grades. IMM classification assessed the difficulty of LLR differently than an index-based LLR classification (IWATE criteria), which scored each procedure on an index scale of 12. We validated the difference of 3 IMM grades using an external cohort, evaluated the IMM classification using the scores of the IWATE criteria, and compared the performance of IMM classification with the IWATE criteria and the minor/major classification.Methods: Patients undergoing LLR without simultaneous procedures were selected from a prospectively maintained database at the Institut Mutualiste Montsouris (IMM cohort) and from the database of 43 Japanese institutions (JMI cohort). Surgical and postoperative outcomes were evaluated according to the 3 IMM grades using the JMI cohort. The 11 LLR procedures included in the IMM classification were scored according to the IWATE criteria. The area under the curves (AUCs) for surgical and postoperative outcomes were compared.Results: In the JMI (n = 1867) cohort, operative time, blood loss, conversion rate, and major complication rate were significantly associated with a stepwise increase in grades from I to III (all, P < 0.001). In the IMM (n = 433) and JMI cohorts, IMM grades I, II, and III corresponded to three low-scoring, two intermediate-scoring, and six high-scoring LLR procedures as per the IWATE criteria, respectively. Mean ± standard deviation among the IMM grades were significantly different: 3.7 ± 1.4 (grade I) versus 7.5 ± 1.7 (grade II) versus 10.2 ± 1.0 (grade III) (P < 0.001) in the IMM cohort and 3.6 ± 1.4 (grade I) versus 6.7 ± 1.5 (grade II) versus 9.3 ± 1.4 (grade III) (P < 0.001) in the JMI cohort. The AUCs for surgical and postoperative outcomes are higher for the 3-level IMM classification than for the minor/major classification.Conclusions: The difference of 3 IMM grades with respect to surgical and postoperative outcomes was validated using an external cohort. The 3-level procedure-based IMM classification was in accordance with the index-based IWATE criteria. The IMM classification performed better than the minor/major classification for stratifying LLR procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients who undergo pancreatectomy for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) develop relatively early recurrence, but pulmonary metastasis from PDA is rare. Between January 2008 and December 2016, a total of 120 consecutive patients underwent pancreatectomy for primary PDA at Osaka Medical College Hospital. Among these, 13 patients developed pulmonary metastasis and 6 patients underwent pulmonary metastasectomy. Among these patients, the median disease-free survival following initial pancreatic surgery was 26.1 months, and the median overall survival (OS) interval was 39 months. On the other hand, seven patients did not undergo pulmonary resection. The median OS interval of these patients was 33 months. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS rates were 100%, 80%, and 60%, respectively, for patients who underwent pulmonary metastasectomy and 100.0%, 42.8%, and 0%, respectively, for those who did not undergo the procedure. Our experience has shown that surgical resection may lengthen the survival time of patients who tolerate surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Laparoscopic hepatic resection has been developed as a minimally invasive surgery; however, laparoscopic repeat minor hepatic resection (LRH) carries a higher risk of damage to other organs because of postoperative changes to and losses of anatomical landmarks. The current standard approach at many facilities has been to perform open repeat minor hepatic resection (ORH). This paper describes the surgical outcomes, procedure safety, and utility of ORH versus LRH, as well as the laparoscopic techniques used in LRH.Methods: Between February 2010 and May 2018, the data of 142 patients who underwent LRH or ORH at a single institution were retrospectively reviewed. Surgical outcomes, procedure safety, and procedure utility data were analyzed.Results: Forty-five patients underwent LHR and 97 patients underwent ORH. The conversion rate from LHR to OHR was 13.3%. After propensity score matching (PSM), the estimated blood loss was significantly lower in the LRH group than in the ORH group (50 mL vs. 350 mL; P < 0.001). The LRH group had an 8.1% complication rate, while the ORH group had a complication rate of 24.3% (P = 0.044). The postoperative length of stay was significantly shorter in the LHR group than in the OHR group (9 days vs. 11 days) (P = 0.024).Conclusion: LRH can be performed safely using various surgical devices. More favorable results are achieved with LRH than with ORH in terms of surgical outcomes including intraoperative bleeding, postoperative complications, and postoperative lengths of stay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Postoperative chemotherapy for treating colorectal liver metastasis (CLM) has been introduced with the aim of improving therapeutic outcomes. However, there is no consensus on the utility of multidisciplinary treatments with postoperative chemotherapy. Therefore, we evaluated surgical outcomes in patients with CLMs who underwent hepatectomy, while focusing on the effects of post-hepatectomy chemotherapy on remnant liver regeneration.Methods: Two hundred ninety patients who underwent hepatectomy were retrospectively analyzed using propensity score matching. Postoperative outcomes were evaluated with a focus on the effects of post-hepatectomy chemotherapy on regeneration of the remnant liver in patients with CLM. The remnant liver volumes (RLVs) were measured postoperatively using multi-detector computed tomography on day 7 and months 1, 2, 5, and 12 after the operation.Results: RLV regeneration and postoperative blood laboratory data did not differ significantly between patients who received postoperative chemotherapy and those who did not receive postoperative chemotherapy immediately after surgery or at any time point from postoperative day 7 to postoperative month 12. The recurrence rates, including same and other segmental intrahepatic recurrences, as well as the resection frequency of the remnant liver were not significantly different between the two groups.Conclusion: Postoperative chemotherapy may be of small significance for patients with CLM in terms of the remnant liver volume regeneration and functional recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The rising proportion of elderly patients (aged 80 yearsor above) in our population means that more elderly patients are undergoing hepatectomy. Methods: Five-hundred and thirty patients who underwent hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) were retrospectively analyzed with respect to their preoperative status and perioperative results, including remnant liver regeneration. The remnant liver volume was postoperatively measured with multidetector CT on postoperative day 7 and 1, 2, 5, and 12 months after surgery. An elderly group (aged 80 or older) was compared with a non-elderly group (aged less than 80 years). Results: Underlying diseases of the cardiovascular system were significantly more common in the elderly group (57.8%, p = 0.0008). The postoperative incidence of Clavien-Dindo Grade IIIa or higher complications was 20.0% in the elderly group and 24.3% in the non-elderly group, and this difference was not significant. As for regeneration of the remnant liver after resection, this was not morphologically delayed compared to the non-elderly group. Conclusions: In this study, we have demonstrated that safe, radical hepatectomy, similar to procedures performed on non-elderly patients, can be performed on patients with HCC aged 80 and older with sufficient perioperative care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Post-hepatectomy liver regeneration is of great interest to liver surgeons, and understanding the process of regeneration could contribute to increasing the safety of hepatectomies and improving prognoses.Methods: Five hundred thirty-eight patients who underwent hepatectomy were retrospectively analyzed. Postoperative outcomes were evaluated, with a focus on the effects of portal vein resection and resected liver volume on remnant liver regeneration in patients with liver tumors. Remnant liver volumes (RLVs) and laboratory data were measured postoperatively using multidetector computed tomography on day 7 and months 1, 2, 5, 12, and 24 after the operation.Results: Liver regeneration speed peaked at 1 week postoperatively and gradually decreased. Regeneration with large resections was longer than that with small resections, with the remnant liver regeneration rate being significantly lower in the former at all time points. Remnant liver regeneration plateaued around 5 months postoperatively, when regeneration is almost complete. Up to 1 month postoperatively, laboratory data were significantly worse when more portal veins was resected. After 2 months postoperatively, these data recovered to near normal levels.Conclusion: The speed and rate of remnant liver regeneration primarily showed a strong correlation with the number of resected portal veins and the amount of removed liver parenchyma. The larger the resection ratio, the longer it took the liver to regenerate. We confirmed that recovery of the liver's functional aspects accompanies recovery of the RLV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adhesion formation that occurred after alkali-induced injury of the cecum was used as a novel adhesion model in rats, and it was compared with that of a common adhesion model after abrading the cecum. Using the novel adhesion model, inhibition of adhesion formation by a chymase inhibitor, Suc-Val-Pro-PheP(OPh)2, and by sodium hyaluronate/carboxymethylcellulose (Seprafilm) was evaluated, and their mechanisms were assessed. The degree of adhesion formation was more severe and more stable in the alkali-induced injury model than in the abrasion-induced injury model. Both the chymase inhibitor and Seprafilm showed significant attenuation of the degree of adhesion 14 days after alkali-induced injury. Chymase activity in the cecum was significantly increased after alkali-induced injury, but it was significantly attenuated by the chymase inhibitor and Seprafilm. Myeloperoxidase and transforming-growth factor (TGF)-β levels were significantly increased after alkali-induced injury, but they were attenuated by both the chymase inhibitor and Seprafilm. At the level of the adhesions, the numbers of both chymase-positive cells and TGF-β-positive cells were significantly increased, but their numbers were reduced by the chymase inhibitor and Seprafilm. In conclusion, a chymase inhibitor attenuated the degree of adhesions to the same degree as Seprafilm in a novel peritoneal adhesion model that was more severe and more stable than the common adhesion model, and not only the chymase inhibitor, but also Seprafilm reduced the chymase increase at the adhesions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to retrospectively identify prognostic factors for long-term cumulative survival following liver resection in patients with primarily unresectable colorectal cancer who had previously received conversion therapy. A multicentre study was designed to ascertain the appropriate indication for conversion therapy. The study included 34 patients who underwent conversion therapy at 5 university hospitals. Patients' background, operative factors, recurrence rate and survival rate were evaluated, and factors influencing therapy outcomes were identified. The median duration of preoperative chemotherapy was 3 months and the response rate was 39.8%. Upon resection, the median tumour size was 47 mm and the median number of tumours was 4. The recurrence-free and cumulative survival rates 5 years after liver resection were 13.7 and 39.3%, respectively. Postoperative complications developed in 12 patients. A response rate >40% was indicated with regards to the assessed prognostic factors for long-term cumulative survival following liver resection and an absence of postoperative complications was noted. It was revealed that conversion therapy should be considered prior to liver resection, particularly for patients with response rates exceeding 40%. Absence of postoperative complications is also an independent predictor of long-term cumulative survival after liver resection. In light of these findings, it was consisted that an optimal response rate >40% could be used as an indicator for surgical resection in conversion therapy. In addition, meticulous intra- and postoperative managements are important for decreasing postoperative complications and improving long-term cumulative survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Various chemotherapy regimens have been shown to improve outcomes when administered before tumor excision surgery. However, there is no consensus on the utility of multidisciplinary treatment with preoperative chemotherapy for treating colorectal liver metastasis (CLM).Materials and methods: Two hundred-fifty patients who underwent hepatectomy were retrospectively analyzed using propensity score matching. Postoperative outcomes were evaluated with a focus on the effect of pre-hepatectomy chemotherapy on regeneration of the remnant liver in patients with CLM. The remnant liver volumes (RLVs) were postoperatively measured with multidetector computed tomography on days 7 and months 1, 2, 5, and 12 after the operation.Results: RLV regeneration and blood test results did not significantly differ between patients who underwent preoperative chemotherapy versus those who did not immediately after surgery or at any time point from postoperative day 7 to postoperative month 12. The 1-, 2-, and 3-year overall survival (OS) rates for all patients were 94.6, 86.2, and 79.9%, respectively; the corresponding disease-free survival (RFS) rates were 49.3, 38.6, and 33.7%, respectively. There were no significant differences in OS and RFS between the two groups after hepatic resection. The recurrence rates, including marginal and intrahepatic recurrences, as well as resection frequency of the remnant liver were not significantly different between the two groups.Conclusion: Preoperative chemotherapy may have no appreciable benefit for patients with CLM in terms of perioperative and long-term outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is no consensus about remnant liver regeneration associated with middle hepatic vein (MHV) resecting.Methods: Seventy-five patients who underwent hemihepatectomy were retrospectively analysed with respect to remnant liver regeneration. The liver remnant volume (LRV) and each sectional volume were postoperatively measured with multidetector computed tomography at day 7 and months 1, 2, 5, and 12 after the operation.Results: In right hemihepatectomy cases, the regeneration rate of LRV in the MHV preservation group was significantly higher than that of the MHV resection group at months 5 and 12. In particular, the regeneration rate of remnant segment IV peaked at day 7 and was shrunk after 1 month, and was significant higher in the MHV preservation group. In left hemihepatectomy cases, the regeneration rate of LRV at month 12 was significantly higher in the MHV preservation group. The regeneration rate of the remnant anterior section peaked at 1 month and was shrunk.Conclusion: In this study, the MHV should be preserved or reconstructed whenever possible during hepatic hemihepatectomy. Hepatic regeneration in the MHV perfusion region becomes poor within 7 days to 1 month after surgery (UMIN000023714). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Laparoscopic hepatic resection (LHR) has been developed as a novel minimally invasive surgery. However, despite improvements in equipment and procedures, intraoperative hemorrhage remains an issue that requires great precaution. To reduce the amount of intraoperative blood loss, we perform the Pringle maneuver, aimed at occluding the inflow of blood into the liver during LHR. This article describes our experience performing LHR using the Pringle maneuver, including postoperative results, and discusses the safety and effectiveness of the Pringle maneuver.Methods: Data from 83 patients who underwent laparoscopic partial right hepatic resection with or without the Pringle maneuver were retrospectively analyzed with respect to surgical outcomes, safety, and utility.Results: In LHR, the amount of bleeding was significantly lower in cases that included the Pringle maneuver (P = .0314). However, there were no differences in the duration of surgery, surgical margin, rate of curative resections, and incidence of postoperative complications. Laboratory data collected after surgery showed no significant difference between the two groups regardless of whether blood flow was occluded or not.Conclusions: The Pringle maneuver may be effective in reducing the amount of intraoperative blood loss during laparoscopic partial right hepatic resection, although the difference is not clinically significant. Rather, the reduction in bleeding can reduce the stress experienced by the operator while keeping the transection stump of the liver dry. Particularly, the extracorporeal Pringle maneuver using cotton tape is simple and convenient and can be carried out within a short amount of time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the degree of invasiveness and the clinical outcomes of laparoscopic parenchyma-sparing hepatectomy (LPSH) for a maximum hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) size ≤5 cm. Sixty-one LPSHs and 175 open parenchyma-sparing hepatectomies (OPSHs) for small-sized HCC were analyzed using a propensity score matching analysis. The median operative time was significantly shorter in the LPSH group (194 min) than in the OPSH group (275 minutes) (P < 0.0001). The estimated blood loss was significantly lower in the LPSH group (100 mL) than in the OPSH group (380 mL) (P < 0.0001). The incidences of superficial incisional surgical site infections and respiratory complications were significantly lower in the LPSH group than in the OPSH group (P = 0.0161 and 0.0285, respectively). During the postoperative course, the white blood cell counts and C-reactive protein levels were significantly lower in the LPSH group. There were no differences in overall survival and disease-free survival (P = 0.1293 and 0.4039, respectively), and no significant differences in terms of type of recurrence and site of intrahepatic recurrence (P = 0.1410). The data from the present series suggest the lesser invasiveness and safety of LPSH even for small-sized HCC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The influence of allogenic blood transfusion on the postoperative outcomes of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) surgery remains controversial. This study aims to clarify the clinical impacts of perioperative allogenic blood transfusion on liver resection outcome in HCC patients. Methods: We analyzed data collected over 5 years for 642 patients who underwent hepatectomy for HCC at one of the five university hospitals. We investigated the impact of allogenic blood transfusion on postoperative outcome after surgery in all patients and in 74 matched pairs, using a propensity score. Results: Of the 642 patients, 198 (30.8%) received perioperative allogenic blood transfusion (AT group) and 444 (69.2%) did not (non-AT group). Overall survival was lower in the AT group than in the non-AT group in univariate ( P < 0.001) and multivariate analyses (risk ratio 1.521, P = 0.011). After matching the different distributions using propensity scores, perioperative blood transfusion was found to be a poor prognostic factor for HCC patients. Conclusions: In this multi-center study, perioperative blood transfusion was an independent factor for poor prognosis after curative surgery for primary HCC in the patient group and in pairs matched by propensity scores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) has been developed as a minimally invasive surgery. However, challenges such as difficulty securing visibility and limited control of forceps make it difficult to complete LLR in hepatic segments VI, VII, and VIII. To overcome these challenges, we devised a surgical technique using intercostal ports. We termed this approach the lateral approach. This work describes our experience performing LLR using this approach and discusses the safety and effectiveness of this approach.Methods: Between April 2011 and December 2016, data from 91 patients who underwent LLR with or without the intercostal port at a single institution were retrospectively analyzed regarding surgical outcomes, safety, and utility.Results: LLR was performed for 32 patients with the intercostal port and for 59 patients without the intercostal port. The conversion rates to open surgery with and without intercostal ports were 3.1 and 25.4% (P = 0.008). In hepatic segments VII and VIII, the rates of conversion to open surgery were significantly lower for cases involving intercostal ports (6.7 vs. 42.9 and 0 vs. 38.9%; P = 0.035 and 0026, respectively); however, there were no differences in hepatic segment VI (0 vs. 7.4%; P = 0.563). There were no differences in operative time, blood loss volume, surgical margin, curative resection rate, or postoperative complication rate for LLR in all segments (VI, VII, and VIII). No adverse events due to placement of the intercostal port were observed in this set of patients.Conclusion: LLR using the lateral approach and intercostal ports for hepatic segments VII and VIII resulted in a significant decrease in conversion rates to open surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Routine drainage after partial hepatic resection has long been controversial. Methods: Three hundred and twenty-eight patients who underwent hepatic resections for liver tumors without biliary-enteric and gastrointestinal anastomoses were analyzed using propensity score matching analysis with respect to if and when a prophylactic drain was used and for how long. The criteria for drain placement were established and validated. Results: Our criteria for drain placement were chosen according to postoperative percutaneous abdominal drainage risk factors, organ/space surgical site infections (SSIs), hepatic resection method, intraoperative bile leakage and operative time (= 300 min). The organ/space SSI rate was significantly lower in the group in which abdominal drain removal occurred 2 days after surgery. We decided to remove the abdominal drains on postoperative day 2 when the drain-fluid bilirubin concentration was less than 3 times the serum bilirubin concentration. After our criteria for drain management were developed in 2011, the number of inserted drains, postoperative percutaneous abdominal drainages, postoperative complications, SSI rates and postoperative hospital stays were significantly lower. Conclusions: Our criteria for abdominal drain management facilitate favorable postoperative outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objectives: We determined the rates of initial lymph node metastasis following curative resection of mass-forming type-intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) in patients with and without hepatitis virus infection. Methods: We enrolled 87 patients between January 2000 and December 2013 with ICC without preoperative lymph node metastasis and without lymph node dissection. Patients included 32 who were seropositive for hepatitis B or C virus (virus group) and 55 who had no evidence of hepatitis virus infection (nonvirus group). Postsurgical outcomes and initial recurrence of the groups were compared, and we identified the risk factors for lymph node metastasis as initial recurrence. Results: Platelet counts and prothrombin activities were significantly lower in the virus group compared with those of the nonvirus group. The number of patients with chronic hepatitis or liver cirrhosis was significantly higher in the virus group compared with the nonvirus group as well as their respective rates of recurrence-free survival. One patient (3%) in the virus group and 14 patients (25%) in the nonvirus group had lymph node metastasis as initial recurrence ( p = 0.007). Multivariate analysis revealed that the absence of hepatitis virus infection as an independent risk factor ( p = 0.047). Conclusion: Hepatitis virus-associated mass-forming-type ICC confers a low risk of lymph node metastasis as initial postoperative recurrence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The optimal timing of the surgical strategy for colorectal cancer (CRC) presenting with resectable synchronous liver metastases remains unclear and controversial. The aim of this study was to compare simultaneous with staged resection, with respect to morbidity, mortality, and prognosis, including recurrence. A total of 107 patients who underwent initial hepatic resection for resectable synchronous liver metastasis from colorectal cancer were retrospectively analyzed. The 5-year disease-free survival rates were 16.4 per cent in the simultaneous group, and 24.0 per cent in the staged group (P = 0.5486). The 5-year overall survival rates were 70.7 per cent in the simultaneous group and 67.9 per cent in the staged group (P = 0.8254). Perioperative chemotherapy did not have a significant effect. Tumor depth of CRC (≥pT4) was the only key factor influencing prognosis. Postoperative intestinal anastomotic leakage occurred in nine patients (8.4%). On multivariate analysis, simultaneous surgery was shown to be the only independent risk factor for the occurrence of postoperative intestinal anastomotic leakage (P = 0.0163). In conclusion, neither timing of hepatic resection (simultaneous or staged) nor perioperative chemotherapy represented significant prognostic factors. The simultaneous surgery was the only independent risk factor for intestinal anastomotic leakage. Therefore, we recommend staged hepatic surgery for synchronous CRC and liver metastasis from colorectal cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: While spontaneously ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has a poor prognosis, the true impact of a rupture on survival after hepatic resection is unclear.Methods: Fifty-eight patients with ruptured HCC and 1922 with non-ruptured HCC underwent hepatic resection between 2000 and 2013. To correct the difference in the clinicopathological factors between the two groups, propensity score matching (PSM) was used at a 1:1 ratio, resulting in a comparison of 42 patients/group. We investigated outcomes in all patients with ruptured HCC and compared outcomes between the two matched groups.Results: Of the 58 patients with ruptured HCC, 7 patients (13 %) died postoperatively. Overall survival (OS) rate at 5 years after hepatic resection was 37 %. Emergency hepatic resection was an independent risk factor for in-hospital death and Child-Pugh class B for unfavorable OS in multivariate analysis. Clinicopathological variables were well-balanced between the two groups after PSM. No significant differences were noted in incidence of in-hospital death (ruptured HCC 12 % vs non-ruptured HCC 2 %, p = 0.202) or OS rate (5/10-year; 42 %/38 % vs 67 %/30 %, p = 0.115).Conclusion: Emergency hepatic resection should be avoided for ruptured HCC in Child-Pugh class B patients. Rupture itself was not a risk for unfavorable surgical outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although several studies have reported the outcomes of surgery for the treatment of liver metastases of gastric cancer (GLM), indications for liver resection for gastric metastases remain controversial. This study was designed to identify prognostic determinants that identify operable hepatic metastases from gastric cancer and to evaluate the actual targets of surgical therapy. Methods: Retrospective analysis was performed on outcomes for 24 consecutive patients at five institutions who underwent gastrectomy for gastric cancer followed by curative hepatectomy for GLM between 2000 and June 2012. Results: Overall 5-year survival and median survival were 40.1 % and 22.3 months, respectively. Uni- and multivariate analyses showed that liver metastatic tumour size less than 5 cm was the most important predictor of overall survival (OS, p = 0.03). Four patients survived >5 years. Repeat hepatectomy was performed in three patients. Two of these patients have remained disease-free since the repeat hepatectomy. Conclusions: GLM patients with metastatic tumour diameter less than 5 cm maximum are the best candidates for hepatectomy. Hepatic resection should be considered as an option for gastric cancer patients with liver metastases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Photoactive drugs selectively accumulate in malignant tissue specimens and cause drug-induced fluorescence. Photodynamic diagnosis (PDD) and fluorescence can distinguish normal from malignant tissue. Objective: Methods: From May 2012 to September 2013, a total of 70 patients underwent hepatic resections using 5-ALA-mediated PDD for liver tumors at our hospital. Results: 5-ALA fluorescence was detected in all hepatocellular carcinoma cases with serosa invasion. In liver metastasis from colorectal cancer cases with serosa invasion, 18 patients (85.7 %) were detected, and three patients (14.2 %) whose tumors showed complete response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy showed no fluorescence. Both superficial and deep malignant liver tumors were detected with 92.5 % sensitivity. Using 5-ALA-mediated PDD, tumors remaining at the cut surface and postoperative bile leakage were less frequent than in our previous hepatic resections using conventional white-light observation. Moreover, all malignant liver tumors were completely removed with a clear microscopic margin using 5-ALA, with a significant difference in resection margin width between 5-ALA-mediated PDD (6.7 ± 6.9 mm) and white-light observation (9.2 ± 7.0 mm; p = 0.0083). Conclusions: With the detection of malignant liver tumors, residual tumor and bile leakage at the cut surface of the remnant liver were improved by PDD with 5-ALA. This procedure may provide greater sensitivity than the conventional procedure. Furthermore, 5-ALA-mediated PDD can ensure histological clearance regardless of the resection margin and preserve as much liver parenchyma as possible in patients with impaired liver function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Non-invasive biomarkers detected preoperatively are still inadequate for treatment decision making for patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). In this study, we analyzed preoperative findings to establish a novel preoperative staging system (PRE-Stage) for patients with ICC. A newly invented PRE-Stage was developed using a CRP–albumin–lymphocyte index < 3, central tumor location, and CA19-9 level > 40 U/mL, and it was able to significantly predict DSS and DFS when the patients were stratified into four stages (p < 0.05). The PRE-Stage demonstrated similar accuracy in predicting the prognosis of ICC as that of the Liver Cancer Study Group of Japan stage, which is based on postoperative findings. The PRE-Stage may contribute to appropriate treatment decision making. Background: Non-invasive biomarkers detected preoperatively are still inadequate for treatment decision making for patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). In this study, we analyzed preoperative findings to establish a novel preoperative staging system (PRE-Stage) for patients with ICC. Methods: The clinical data of 227 consecutive patients with histologically confirmed ICC following hepatectomy at five university hospitals were analyzed. Results: Cox proportional hazards regression analysis of survival revealed that a CRP–albumin–lymphocyte index < 3, central tumor location, and CA19-9 level > 40 U/mL were prognostic factors among the preoperatively obtained clinical findings (hazard ratios (HRs) of all three factors for disease-specific survival (DSS) and disease-free survival (DFS: 2.4–3.3 and 1.7–2.9; all p < 0.05). The PRE-Stage was developed using these three prognostic factors, and it was able to significantly predict DSS and DFS when the patients were stratified into four stages (p < 0.05). In addition, the PRE-Stage resulted in similar HRs as those of the Liver Cancer Study Group of Japan (LCSGJ) stage (HRs for DSS: PRE-Stage, 1.985; LCSGJ stage, 1.923; HRs for DFS: LCSGJ stage, 1.909, and PRE-Stage, 1.623, all p < 0.05). Conclusion: The PRE-Stage demonstrated similar accuracy in predicting the prognosis of ICC as that of the LCSGJ stage, which is based on postoperative findings. The PRE-Stage may contribute to appropriate treatment decision making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]