Liver resection for hepatocellular carcinoma in non-cirrhotic liver without underlying viral hepatitis.

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) arising in normal liver parenchyma is rare and the outcome after hepatectomy is not well documented. METHODS: Between June 1998 and September 2003, 33 patients without viral hepatitis underwent resection for HCC in a non-cirrhotic, non-fibrotic liver. Data were analysed with regard to operative details, pathological findings including completeness of resection, and outcome as measured by tumour recurrence and survival. RESULTS: Twenty-three major hepatectomies and ten segmentectomies or bisegmentectomies were performed. After potentially curative resection, 19 of 29 patients were alive at a median follow-up of 25 months, with calculated 1- and 3-year survival rates of 87 and 50 per cent respectively. Survival was significantly better after resection of tumours without vascular invasion (3-year survival rate 89 versus 18 per cent; P = 0.024). Disseminated recurrence developed in nine of 29 patients, leading to death within 28 months of operation in all but one of the nine. CONCLUSION: These data justify hepatic resection for HCC arising in non-cirrhotic, non-fibrotic liver without underlying viral hepatitis. Liver transplantation is rarely indicated because the outcome is good after resection of tumours without vascular infiltration, whereas vascular invasion is invariably associated with diffuse extrahepatic recurrence.

The role of Doppler velocity histograms of hepatic veins in early detection of cirrhotic changes of the liver parenchyma.

AIM: In a prospective study we measured the velocity ranges of the Doppler Velocity Histogram (DVH) of the hepatic venous system at two levels (-3 dB and -6 dB) below the maximum power level of the Doppler wave in order to investigate if that allows a higher selectivity between the Doppler tracings in hepatic veins of patients with liver cirrhosis and healthy subjects. METHODS: The DVH was measured in 23 healthy subjects and 31 patients with liver cirrhosis of different etiologies at power levels of -3 and -6 dB in the right and middle hepatic vein after an overnight fast. The DVH measurements were performed at the maximum of phase I of the hepatic venous flow in which we assessed the Peak-, Mode-, Mean-Value, and the velocity range (bandwidth). RESULTS: At both power levels the bandwidth (BW) of the DVH in the right and middle hepatic vein was significantly higher in cirrhotics than in healthy subjects (-3 dB: RHV: p = 0.048, MHV: p = 0.006; -6 dB: RHV and MHV: p < 0.0005). The selectivity between healthy subjects and cirrhotics is higher at the -6 dB level than at the -3 dB level. CONCLUSION: The DVH-measurement is a useful additional device in early sonographic detection of cirrhotic liver parenchyma changes. DVH-velocity range measurements at a level of -6 dB below the maximum power level reveal a better selectivity between healthy subjects and cirrhotic patients than measurements at the -3 dB level. It is recommendable to perform velocity range measurements at different power levels within a single frozen image.

[Liver resection and liver transplantation in liver cell adenoma, hepatocellular carcinoma and fibrolamellar liver carcinoma]. / Leberresektion und Lebertransplantation bei Leberzelladenom, hepatozellulärem Karzinom und fibrolamellärem Leberkarzinom.

Hepatocellular adenomas are rare benign conditions but represent an indication for resection due to their risk of rupture and malignant mutation. Surgical resection should include a safety margin according to oncologic principles. Surgical resection does represent the optimal treatment modality for hepatocellular carcinoma without accompanied cirrhosis of the liver. The rare fibrolamellar carcinoma has the best prognosis. Liver transplantation is usually not performed in HCC without cirrhosis. In case of HCC with cirrhosis in stage I and II the relapse free 5-year-survival rate is more than 50% after liver transplantation. In the UICC-stages III and IV the results of liver transplantation are worse, which points to the impact of exact preoperative staging. Liver resection in HCC and cirrhosis is indicated in stage I and II in case of good liver function. In case of liver resection the survival rates are worse with significantly higher relapses compared to liver transplantation. For small, functionally irresectable hepatocellular carcinoma in cirrhosis liver transplantation is the treatment of choice today.

Comparison of portal venous flow in cirrhotic patients with and without paraumbilical vein patency using duplex-sonography.

AIM: In a prospective study we examined the effect of paraumbilical vein patency on the portal venous blood flow in patients with liver cirrhosis by Duplex-sonography. In this context we investigated the influence of the aetiology and the severity of cirrhosis on the development of venous paraumbilical shunts. METHOD: In 70 patients (Child A: 16; Child B: 27; Child C: 27) with cirrhosis of different aetiologies the portal venous flow velocity, the blood flow volume, and the diameter of the portal vein were examined by Duplex sonography after an overnight fast. RESULTS: 16 patients had a patent paraumbilical vein. The mean portal venous flow velocity (19.2 +/- 7.8 cm/s) and the flow volume (1.29 +/- 0.50 l/min) were significantly higher in patients with paraumbilical vein patency than in patients without paraumbilical shunts (14.4 +/- 4.6 cm/s; p = 0.029 and 0.88 +/- 0.34 l/min; p = 0.007 respectively). The prevalence of shunts of the paraumbilical vein in cirrhotics was significantly lower in category Child A (6.3%) than in Child B (25.9%; p = 0.011) and Child C (33.3%; p = 0.006). CONCLUSION: The occurrence of relatively high portal blood flow velocities in cirrhotics must remind the examiner of the potential existence of spontaneous portosystemic shunts. Those shunts must be carefully looked for with colour-Doppler ultrasound. In order to assess the true parenchymal blood flow we suggest to perform additional measurements of the right portal trunk and the left portal vein distal to the shunt. With an increase in the severity of liver cirrhosis the incidence of paraumbilical vein patency rises.