Perioperative Outcomes of Laparoscopic Liver Resection and Risk Factors for Adverse Events.

PURPOSE: The perioperative outcomes and risk factors associated with adverse events (AEs) after initial laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) are unclear. We studied the outcomes of LLR and identified the predictive factors for AEs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data from 100 adults who underwent LLR between April 2014 and February 2020 were reviewed. Baseline characteristics, surgery details, intraoperative data, and postoperative outcomes were tabulated. The AEs included conversion to open surgery, morbidity, and mortality. RESULTS: Major and minor LLRs accounted for 16% and 84% of cases, respectively. Of the indications for LLR, 88% were malignancies. Conversion to open surgery was necessary for 7% of the patients, the overall morbidity rate was 21%, the major morbidity rate was 7%, and the 90-day mortality rate was 1%. Although the incidence of AEs was higher after major LLR (37.5%) than after minor LLR (21.4%), the difference was not statistically significant (P=0.095); the rate of AEs in the resection of posterosuperior segments (43.7%) did not significantly differ from that of the anteroinferior segments (19.2%; P=0.095). Multivariable analysis revealed that the significant predictors of AEs included American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) class III (odds ratio, 5.76; 95% confidence interval, 1.74-19.1; P=0.003) and an operative time longer than 5 hours (odds ratio, 9.20; 95% confidence interval, 2.41-35.07; P<0.001). CONCLUSION: To improve outcomes in LLR, patients with ASA class III and those in whom surgery is expected to last longer than 5 hours should be taken into account for better patient selection.

Total Hilar Exposure Maneuver for Repair of Complex Bile Duct Injury.

The reconstruction of high-level bile duct injury is challenging because exposure of the hilar area is limited and sometimes inaccessible by the Hepp-Couinaud approach. We describe a maneuver for total hilar exposure to perform complex bile duct injury reconstruction. After adhesions surrounding the liver are divided, intraoperative ultrasonography is used to delineate the hilar and intrahepatic biliary anatomy. Surgical exposure of the biliary system is achieved by our maneuver, which consists of four steps: (1) identification of landmark structures, such as the base of the umbilical fissure, the inferior edge of segment 4b, the cystic-hilar plate junction, and the right anterior portal pedicle; (2) lowering of the hilar plate; (3) hepatotomy along the right anterior pedicle; and (4) connection of the hepatotomy to the base of segment 4b. This maneuver allows the liver to be flipped upward, which facilitates clear exposure of the hilar duct and preserves the liver parenchyma. The anterior parts of the right and left hepatic duct are then opened, a wide-hepaticojejunostomy anastomosis is achieved for biliary reconstruction, and a jejunal subcutaneous limb is created. We used this maneuver for treating complex bile duct injury in six cases; none of the patients has died, and two had Clavien-Dindo grade III complications, including surgical site infection and intra-abdominal collection. The total hilar exposure maneuver is thus feasible and safe. It provides excellent exposure of both hepatic ducts and is a good surgical alternative to the Hepp-Couinaud approach in cases of high-level injury.

Hepatic Vein Aneurysm: An Extremely Rare Case with Successful Embolization.

Hepatic vein aneurysm is an extremely rare case. The etiology of hepatic vein aneurysms is uncertain, and endovascular treatment of this condition has not been reported. We report the case of a 71-year-old woman with right upper abdominal pain who was diagnosed with hepatic vein aneurysm and was successfully treated with an endovascular technique.