Can we delineate preoperatively the right and ventral margins of caudate lobe of the liver?

PURPOSE: Complete removal of the caudate lobe, which is sometimes necessary, is accomplished via isolated caudate lobectomy or hepatectomy that includes the caudate lobe. It is impossible, however, to confirm the right and ventral margins of the caudate lobe by preoperative imaging. This study was undertaken to determine whether we could identify the right and ventral margins of the caudate lobe preoperatively using Synapse 3D visualization software. METHODS: Ninety-four preoperative 3-dimensional (3D) computed tomographic images (1-mm slices) of the liver from candidate donors were examined. The images of the caudate lobe were subjected to a counter-staining method according to Synapse 3D to delineate their dimensions. We first examined whether the right margin of the caudate lobe exceeded the plane formed by the root of the right hepatic vein (RHV) and the right side of the inferior vena cava (IVC). Second, we determined whether the ventral margin of the caudate lobe exceeded the plane formed by the root of the middle hepatic vein (MHV) and the root of the RHV. RESULTS: For the right margin, 17 cases (18%) exceeded the RHV-IVC plane by a mean of 10.2 mm (range, 2.4–27.2 mm). For the ventral margin, 28 cases (30%) exceeded the MHV-RHV plane by a mean of 17.4 mm (range, 1.2–49.1 mm). CONCLUSION: Evaluating the anatomy of caudate lobe using Synapse 3D preoperatively could be helpful for more precise anatomical resection of the caudate lobe.

Ultrasound-guided percutaneous radiofrequency ablation to treat hepatocellular carcinoma in the caudate lobe / 中华肝胆外科杂志

Objective To study the feasibility,efficacy and safety of ultrasound-guided percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the caudate lobe.Methods From November 2006 to June 2017,31 patients with 31 HCCs located in the caudate lobe were treated with percutaneous RFA at the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University.The treatment efficacy,complications,and the local tumor progression (LTP),disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) rates were analyzed.Results Residual tumors were detected in 5 patients after the first treatment.Complete necrosis was achieved in all the patients after the second treatment.The mean number of ablation sessions was 1.16±0.37.At a follow-up period which ranged from 3 to 65 months,19 patients had died,10 patients were still alive,and 2 patients were lost to follow-up.The 1-,2-,3-,and 5-years OS rates were 78.4％,48.5％,12.1％ and 12.1％,respectively.On follow-up,9 caudate lobe HCC lesions were detected to have LTP.The 1-,2-,and 3-years LTP rates were 21.5％,41.6％ and 41.6％,respectively;while the 1-,2-,and 3-years DFS rates were 22.3％,11.2％ and 11.2％,respectively.Ablationrelated complications were detected in 4 patients.Conclusions Ultrasound-guided percutaneous RFA was safe and effective for patients with HCC in the caudate lobe.These patients should be followed-up closely to detect LTP.