ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the impact of intermittent porta hepatis occlusion on postoperative intra-hepatic recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma.Methods We retrospectively reviewed the records of 335 patients who underwent partial hepatectomy.The patients were classified into 2 groups:(1) the study group (n=97):porta hepatis was occluded with intermittent Pringle maneuver with 2-3 cycles of clamp/unclamp time of 15 min/5 min,repeated 2-3cycles; (2) the control group (n=238):including using Pringle maneuver,preconditioning occlusion of porta hepatis and selective occlusion of portal blood inflow.Patients were followed-up in the Outpatient Department once every 2-3 weeks in the 1st year,and once every 3-6 weeks in the 2nd year with US/CT/MRI and serum AFP test.The mean duration of follow-up was 26.5 months.Results The perioperative mortality was 1.8％ (6/335).Tumour recurrence in the study group was 31.6％ and 48.4％ in the 1st and 2nd year,respectively.The recurrence rates were significantly higher,than the 21.4％ and 38.0％ in the control group (P＜0.05).To exclude the miscellaneous factors which were involved in intra-hepatic recurrence of HCC,we set up 3 criteria to include patients for subgroup analysis:tumor ≥5 cm; serum AFP decreased to normal level within 4 weeks; negative intra-operative US scan.The number of patients included were 79 and 155 in the study and the control groups,respectively.There were significant differences in recurrence rate between the study and the control groups in the 1st and 2nd year (29.1％ vs 18.7％,46.8％ vs 35.5％,P＜0.05).There were no significant differences in overall survival rate between the two groups.Conclusions Intermittent porta hepatis occlusion is a risk factor of postoperative intra hepatic recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma.