Efficacy of transcatheter arterial embolization and laparotomy in the treatment of severe liver injury: a comparative study / 中华创伤杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To compare the efficacy of transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) with laparotomy in the treatment of severe liver injury.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted to analyze the clinical data of 48 patients with severe liver injury admitted to 909th Hospital of Joint Logistics Support Force (Affiliated Dongnan Hospital of Xianmen University Medical College) from December 2013 to June 2020, including 28 males and 20 females; aged 16-75 years [(45.7±6.2)years]. There were 25 patients with grade III, 15 grade IV and 8 grade V according to the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (AAST) classification. After general treatments such as infusion and hemostasis, TAE was performed in 26 patients (TAE group) and laparotomy in 22 patients (laparotomy group). The operation time and length of hospital stay were compared between the two groups. Erythrocyte, hemoglobin and serum creatinine were compared before operation and at postoperative 1 day. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were analyzed before operation and at postoperative 1, 3, 7 days. Complications were observed.Results:All patients were followed up for 12-60 months [(17.1±9.1)months]. The operation time and length of hospital stay were (65.7±9.2)minutes and (21.6±6.6)days in TAE group, significantly shorter than (162.5±28.1)minutes and (31.5±7.4)days in laparotomy group ( P<0.05 or 0.01). There was no significant difference between the two groups referring to erythrocyte, hemoglobin and serum creatinine before operation and at postoperative 1 day (all P>0.05). There was no significant difference in ALT and AST between the two groups before operation (all P>0.05). TAE group showed ALT level of 1 154(884, 1 698)U/L, (975.3±400.9)U/L and (403.4±232.9)U/L at postoperative 1, 3, 7 days, significantly lower than 2 053(1 965, 2 132)U/L, (1 604.1±188.2)U/L and (915.3±160.5)U/L in laparotomy group (all P<0.05). TAE group showed AST level of (1 313.2±542.0)U/L, 525(302, 971)U/L and 174(84, 324)U/L at postoperative 1, 3, 7 days, significantly lower than (1 962.9±245.4)U/L, 1 478(1 089, 1 677)U/L and 837(674, 1 006)U/L in laparotomy group ( P<0.05 or 0.01). The complication rate was 26.9% (7/26) in TAE group, significantly lower than 59.1% (13/22) in laparotomy group ( P<0.05). Conclusion:For severe liver injury, TAE can significantly shorten operation time and length of hospital stay, accelerate the recovery of liver function and reduce the complication rate in comparison with laparotomy.