Search

Background: Laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) of posterosuperior (PS) segment liver tumors is technically challenging with confusion about optimal patient positioning and trocar placement (i.e., transabdominal vs. transcostal). The aim of this study is to describe our technique and outcomes with LLR of these tumors., Methods: This is an IRB-approved retrospective review of a prospective database. Between 2005 and 2017, patients with benign and malignant lesions underwent LLR. Perioperative outcomes of PS (segments 4A, 7, and 8) and anterolateral (AL) resections were compared. All patients were operated through intra-abdominal trocars in the supine position., Results: 304 patients underwent LLR for AL (n = 217) and PS (n = 87) segmental lesions. Minor liver resections were performed in 274 patients and major resections in 30. Groups were comparable for age, sex, pathology, and tumor size (mean 4.2 and 3.7 cm for AL and PS). Inflow occlusion was more frequently performed for PS resections, but precoagulation rates were similar. PS resections more frequently required hand assistance (50% vs. 20%, p < 0.001) and conversion to open (18% vs. 7%, p = 0.04). For PS versus AL resections, operative time (253 vs. 205 min, p ≤ 0.001) was longer and associated with more blood loss (307 vs. 211 mL, p < 0.001) and more frequent need for blood transfusion (15% vs. 7%, p = 0.04). However, the rate of negative resection margin, 90-day complication rates, and length of stay were similar between the two groups., Conclusion: This study shows that LLR of PS located liver tumors is more challenging compared to AL lesions. Nevertheless, it can be performed successfully in the majority of patients with supine positioning and intra-abdominal trocar placement, without compromising oncologic principles. Liberal uses of hand assistance and inflow occlusion were the technical tips helping us to successfully resect these tumors laparoscopically.

Background: Parenchymal transection(PT) still remains a challenge in liver resection. The outcomes of the first experience of a novel vessel-sealer for hepatic transection were assessed., Methods: A bipolar articulating vessel-sealer (Caiman ® , Aesculap Inc., Center Valley, PA) was used in 100 liver resections through both open (OLR) and laparoscopic (LLR) approaches. All data were prospectively collected into an IRB-approved department database, and clinical, surgical and perioperative parameters were analyzed., Results: Fifty patients underwent OLR and 50 patients underwent LLR. Eighty hepatectomies were performed for malignancy. Median number of tumors was 1, with the largest focus measuring an average of 5.1 cm. Forty-nine of the procedures were major liver resections. Parenchymal transection time was 29.9 ± 3.1 min in OLR and 29.9 ± 3.6 min in LLR. Median estimated blood loss was 300 cc (Inter-quartile range (IQR) 100-575 cc). Median hospital stay was 6 days for open and 3 days for laparoscopic procedures. Ninety-day complication rate was 8% without any mortality. Bile leak rate was 4%. Staplers were used for parenchymal transection in 16 cases., Conclusion: This study introduces a new multifunctional device into the armamentarium of the liver surgeon. In our experience, this device facilitated the parenchymal transection by adding speed and consolidating the amount of instrumentation used in liver resection without increasing complications., (Copyright © 2018 International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

We present a case of initially unexplained fever in a living right liver lobe transplant donor that turned out to be due to primary cytomegalovirus infection.

Background: Techniques for laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) have been developed over the past two decades. The aim of this study is to analyze the outcomes and trends of LLR., Methods: 203 patients underwent LLR between 2006 and 2015. Trends in techniques and outcomes were assessed dividing the experience into 2 periods (before and after 2011)., Results: Tumor type was malignant in 62%, and R0 resection was achieved in 87.7%. Procedures included segmentectomy/wedge resection in 64.5%. Techniques included a purely laparoscopic approach in 59.1% and robotic 12.3%. Conversion to open surgery was necessary in 6.4% cases. Mean hospital stay was 3.7 ± 0.2 days. 90-day mortality was 0% and morbidity 20.2%. Pre-coagulation and the robot were used less often, while the performance of resections for posteriorly located tumors increased in the second versus the first period., Conclusion: This study confirms the safety and efficacy of LLR, while describing the evolution of a program regarding patient and technical selection. With building experience, the number of resections performed for posteriorly located tumors have increased, with less reliance on pre-coagulation and the robot.

Background: Our aim was to compare the perioperative and oncologic outcomes of open liver resection and minimally invasive liver resection in the management of colorectal liver metastases., Methods: Patients who underwent minimally invasive liver resection for colorectal liver metastases between January 2006 and June 2015 at a single center were identified and matched by extent of resection to consecutive open liver resection patients from the same period. Clinicopathologic characteristics, perioperative data, recurrence, and survival outcomes were collected and analyzed based on intention-to-treat., Results: Sixty-five patients underwent minimally invasive liver resection during this period and were matched to 65 consecutive open liver resection patients, with similar baseline demographic, tumor, and chemotherapy parameters. Conversion to open occurred in 5 (7.7%) minimally invasive liver resection patients. R0 resection rates and operative times were comparable, but the estimated blood loss was less in the minimally invasive liver resection group (median 200 mL vs 400 mL, P < .001), as were perioperative transfusion rates (4.6% vs 15.4%, P = .04). The duration of stay was shorter after minimally invasive liver resection (median 4 days vs 6 days, P < .001), while major and minor complication rates were similar and no perioperative mortality was recorded. At a median follow-up of 28 months, there was no difference regarding disease-free (P = .90) or overall survival (P = .37)., Conclusion: In selected patients with colorectal liver metastases, minimally invasive liver resection resulted in similar oncologic outcomes, with decreased blood loss and shorter duration of stay compared to patients who underwent open liver resection., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Despite emerging technologies, parenchymal transection still remains challenging in liver resection. The aim of this study is to assess the safety and efficacy of a new articulating vessel sealer for laparoscopic hepatectomy. Our hypothesis was that this new device would facilitate parenchymal transection and reduce intraoperative costs in laparoscopic hepatectomy., Methods: Within 18 months, a 5 cm bipolar articulating vessel sealer was used in 32 laparoscopic liver resections (LLR). By excluding 4 patients who underwent concomitant colorectal resections, the outcomes of the remaining 28 patients (group 1) were compared with 28 patients who underwent LLR by the same surgical group using other energy devices (group 2)., Results: Tumor type was malignant in 71% of patients (n=20) in group 1 and 89% of the patients (n=25) in group 2 (P=0.360). The number and size of tumors were similar in both groups, as well as the type of resections performed. In group 1, there was a less number of adjunctive devices (ie, energy, clip appliers, staplers) used (median 2) compared with group 2 (median 3, P=0.032). Parenchymal transection time (mean±SEM 28.2±3.5 vs. 55.2±4.1 min, respectively, P<0.001) and total operative time (200.1±13.7 vs. 242.7±14.4 min, respectively, P=0.036) were shorter for group 1 versus group 2. Estimated blood loss, transfusion rate, margin status, and length of stay were similar between the groups. There was no mortality. Morbidity was 11% (n=3) in group 1 and 18% (n=5) in group 2 (P=NS). The overall intraoperative costs were an average of $3000 less in group 1 (95% confidence interval, $1090-$4930, P=0.0029) compared with group 2., Conclusions: This study demonstrates the safety and efficacy of a new energy device for LLR. Our experience suggested that this new device provided the functionality of both a vessel sealer and a stapler with its large jaw and articulation.

Background: There are scant data regarding oncologic outcomes of laparoscopic liver resection (LLR). The aim of this study is to analyze the oncologic outcomes of LLR for malignant liver tumors (MLT)., Methods: This was a prospective IRB-approved study of 123 patients with MLT undergoing LLR. Kaplan-Meier disease-free (DFS) and overall survival (OS) was calculated., Results: Tumor type was colorectal in 61%, hepatocellular cancer in 21%, neuroendocrine in 5% and others in 13%. Mean tumor size was 3.2 ± 1.9 cm and number of tumors 1.6 ± 1.2. A wedge resection or segmentectomy was performed in 63.4%, bisegmentectomy in 24.4%, and hemihepatectomy in 12.2%. Procedures were totally laparoscopic in 67% and hand-assisted in 33%. Operative time was 235.2 ± 94.3 min, and conversion rate 7.3%. An R0 resection was achieved in 90% of patients and 94% of tumors. Median hospital stay was 3 days. Morbidity was 22% and mortality 0.8%. For patients with colorectal liver metastasis, DFS and OS at 2 years was 47% and 88%, respectively., Conclusions: This study shows that LLR is a safe and efficacious treatment for selected patients with MLT. Complete resection and margin recurrence rate are comparable to open series in the literature., (© 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Multiple new treatment options for metastatic colorectal cancer have been developed over the past 2 decades, including conventional chemotherapy and agents directed against vascular endothelial growth factor and epidermal growth factor receptor. Combination regimens, integrated with surgical approaches, have led to an increase in median survival, and a minority of patients with resectable disease can survive for years. Clinical decision-making therefore requires a strategic, biomarker-based multidisciplinary approach to maximize life expectancy and quality of life. This review describes systemic approaches to the treatment of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer, including integration with liver resection, other liver-directed therapies, and primary resection., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The growing demand for liver transplantation and the concomitant scarcity of cadaveric livers have increased the need for living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). Ensuring the safety of donors and recipients is critical. The preoperative identification of the vascular and biliary tract anatomy with 3-dimensional (3D) printing may allow better preoperative surgical planning, avert unnecessary surgery in patients with potentially unsuitable anatomy, and thereby decrease the complications of liver transplant surgery. We developed a protocol and successfully 3D-printed synthetic livers (along with their complex networks of vascular and biliary structures) replicating the native livers of 6 patients: 3 living donors and 3 respective recipients who underwent LDLT. To our knowledge, these are the first complete 3D-printed livers. Using standardized preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative assessments, we demonstrated identical anatomical and geometrical landmarks in the 3D-printed models and native livers., (© 2013 American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.)

Living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) is associated with a low but finite and well-documented risk of donor morbidity and mortality, so organizations and individuals involved in this activity must accept the fact that a donor death is a question of when and not if. Studies in the field of crisis management show that preparing for the inevitable not only is critical in preparing institutions to better respond to catastrophic events but more importantly plays a crucial role in preventing them. This article describes the background of crisis management with specific reference to the death of a living liver donor and proposes a general framework that can be adopted by LDLT programs around the world., (Copyright © 2013 American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.)

Background: Due to the shortage of available cadaveric organs, living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) has been recently applied extensively in adults. The use of the left lobe should be encouraged because of donor safety, but frequently the metabolic requirements of severely cirrhotic patients are great and subsequent graft dysfunction is encountered after transplantation. The importance of increased portal inflow to the graft in previously severely cirrhotic patients and other hemodynamic changes in LDLT using left lobes are still under debate, as are the surgical modulations to correct them. In this study, we have reported an initial series of adult-to-adult LDLT using left lobes, underlining the hemodynamic changes encountered during the transplant and the surgical modulations we applied to correct them., Methods: Eight adult recipients underwent left lobe liver transplantation from living donors. Portal vein pressure and central venous pressure were measured before and after surgical modulation., Results: We encountered four cases of small-for-size syndrome. Two patients were retransplanted; the other two died. Seventy-five percent of our recipients survived and 50% did not require further surgery., Conclusion: Surgical portal inflow modulation should be considered in cases of left lobe liver transplantation between adults.

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is well known to have a very poor prognosis. Aggressive surgical strategies in the treatment of ICC, including major hepatectomy, have been reported to afford patients the best chance for significant survival. Recent advancements in surgical techniques concerning live donor liver transplantation have dramatically improved the results of major hepatectomy. However, surgical treatment of biliary malignancy is complex and is known to increase the likelihood of blood transfusion. We describe a Jehovah's Witness patient with ICC and concomitant bile duct invasion who had a successful right trisectionectomy with bile duct resection, lymph node dissection, and Rouxen-Y hepatico-jejunostomy without blood transfusion. A multidisciplinary preparation was crucial in obtaining this positive outcome. Importantly, bloodless liver transection techniques with inflow clamping, meticulous dissection, and hemostasis should be utilized for major hepatectomy in a Jehovah's Witness. The success of this case may alert clinicians to consider a hepatectomy as a possible option in the treatment of ICC in a Jehovah's Witness.

An accurate in vivo preparation of the hepatic hilum is a fundamental prerequisite for a successful multiorgan transplantation. Our preferred technique in this surgical setting is in vivo procurement in the heart-beating donor. This technique allows an effective exposition of the hilum structures and recognition of anatomical vascular variants, particularly those of the hepatic artery. Also, the cold ischemia time is drastically reduced, and the back-table preparation is left to a minimum. In this article we show the results of a consecutive series of 250 procurements.

Introduction: Living donation in adult liver transplantation (LDLTx) is an important resource because of the waiting list growth. We started a living donor program to overcome the shortage of cadaveric sources., Patients: From May 2001 to May 2003, 36 patients underwent LDLTx: 27 received a right lobe, 8 received a left lobe, and 1 received segments II and III., Results: The 1-year actuarial survival rate was 77.7%, with a mean follow-up, in survivors, of 754 +/- 248 days. Eleven of 27 (40.7%) right lobe recipients died. Among left graft recipients, 3 patients died (33%). We undertook retransplantation in 4 cases, because of 2 "small for size" syndrome, 1 late hepatic artery thrombosis, and 1 early portal vein thrombosis. After a period of 797 days, all 36 donors returned to a normal social and working life. Two donors, who underwent right lobe donation, experienced major complications: 1 case of biliary stenosis, treated by stenting, and 1 case of biliary leak from the cut surface of the liver, requiring laparotomy and abscess drainage. Left lobe donors developed no complications., Conclusions: LDLTx has a learning curve for experienced liver transplantation surgeons. Our last 18 cases showed better survivals than the first 18 (9 deaths vs 5), even if, in the latter group, we transplanted 8 left livers. In our experience, LDLTx of a left liver graft has an increased risk of "small for size syndrome," but patients, both donors and recipients, report improved outcomes.