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Inferior Right Hepatic Vein-preserving Major Right Hepatectomy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Patients with Significant Fibrosis or Cirrhosis

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Abstract

Background

Liver resection represents a most effective treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The extent of hepatectomy for HCC involves maintaining a tricky balance between radical resection of tumors and preservation of sufficient liver parenchyma. Generally, removal of the right hepatic vein often involves resection of the whole posterior right lobe, which may prevent patients with impaired liver function from maintaining a functional reserve and could also limit the future liver remnant from curative hepatectomy. As a common anatomic variation, preservation of the inferior right hepatic vein (IRHV) may enable preservation of liver segment 6, even when the right hepatic vein has to be removed. In the present study, we report our experience with IRHV-preserving major right hepatectomy.

Methods

From February 2009 to December 2011, eight trisegmentectomies 5-7-8 and two segmentectomies 4-5-7-8 were performed with the IRHV-sparing technique on patients with HCC and significant fibrosis or cirrhosis. Data including demographic information, preoperative evaluations, postoperative outcomes, and follow-up results were collected and evaluated.

Results

All patients survived and recovered from hepatectomy. The incidence of complications was higher in cirrhotic patients. The 1-year overall survival rate was 80 %, and the 1-year disease free survival rate was 60 %.

Conclusions

IRHV-preserving major right hepatectomy increases the resectability of HCC. Intraoperative ultrasonography is recommended to facilitate protection of the IRHV. This technique is safe with careful preoperative evaluation and meticulous perioperative care. The short-term outcome of IRHV-preserving liver resections is satisfactory.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by Grants for Key Clinical Centers and Institutes (No. ZX201105), the Scientific Research Foundation of Graduate School of Nanjing University (No. 2013CL14) and the Science Fund of the Ministry of Health of China (No. LW201008).

Conflict of interest

The authors declared no conflict of interest

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital, School of Medicine, Nanjing University, 321 Zhong Shan Road, Nanjing, 210008, Jiangsu, China

    Chunping Jiang, Zhongxia Wang, Qingxiang Xu, Xingyu Wu & Yitao Ding

  2. Jiangsu Province’s Key Medical Center for Liver Surgery, Nanjing, 210008, Jiangsu, China

    Chunping Jiang, Zhongxia Wang, Qingxiang Xu, Xingyu Wu & Yitao Ding

Authors
  1. Chunping Jiang
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  2. Zhongxia Wang
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  3. Qingxiang Xu
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  4. Xingyu Wu
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  5. Yitao Ding
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yitao Ding.

Additional information

Chunping Jiang, Zhongxia Wang, and Qingxiang Xu have contributed equally to this work.

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Jiang, C., Wang, Z., Xu, Q. et al. Inferior Right Hepatic Vein-preserving Major Right Hepatectomy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Patients with Significant Fibrosis or Cirrhosis. World J Surg 38, 159–167 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00268-013-2240-1

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