Paulo Herman

Recommendations for laparoscopic liver resection: a report from the second international consensus conference held in Morioka.

OBJECTIVE This review aims to assess the impact of implementing dedicated emergency surgical services, in particular acute care surgery, on clinical outcomes. BACKGROUND The optimal model for delivering high-quality emergency surgical care remains unknown. Acute Care Surgery (ACS) is a health care model combining emergency general surgery, trauma, and critical care. It has been adopted across the United States in the management of surgical emergencies. METHOD A systematic review was performed after PRISMA recommendations using the MEDLINE, Embase, and Psych-Info databases. Studies assessing different care models and institutional factors affecting the delivery of emergency general surgery were included. RESULTS Twenty-seven studies comprising 744,238 patients were included in this review. In studies comparing ACS with traditional practice, mortality and morbidity were improved. Moreover, time to senior review, delays to operating theater, and financial expenditure were often reduced. The elements of ACS models varied but included senior clinicians present onsite during office hours and dedicated to emergency care while on-call. Referrals were made to specialist centers with primary surgical assessments taking place on surgical admissions units rather than in the emergency department. Twenty-four-hour access to dedicated emergency operating rooms was also described. CONCLUSIONS ACS models as well as centralized units and hospitals with dedicated emergency operating rooms, access to radiology and intensive care facilities (ITU) are all factors associated with improved clinical and financial outcomes in the delivery of emergency general surgery. There is, however, no consensus on the elements that constitute an ideal ACS model and how it can be implemented into current surgical practice.

Hepatic Adenoma and Focal Nodular Hyperplasia: Differential Diagnosis and Treatment

The diagnosis of benign hepatic tumors as hepatic adenoma (HA) and focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH) remains a challenge for clinicians and surgeons. The importance of differentiating between these lesions is based on the fact that HA must be surgically resected and FNH can be only observed. A series of 23 female patients with benign liver tumors (13 FNH, 10 HA) were evaluated, and a radiologic diagnostic algorithm was employed with the aim of establishing preoperative criteria for the differential diagnosis. All patients were submitted to surgical biopsy or hepatic resection to confirm the diagnosis. Based only on clinical and laboratory data, distinction was not possible. According to the investigative algorithm, the diagnosis was correct in 82.6% of the cases; but even with the development of imaging methods, which were used in combination, the differentiation was not possible in four patients. For FNH cases scintigraphy presented a sensitivity of 38.4% and specificity of 100%, whereas for HA the sensitivity reached 60% and specificity 85.7%. Magnetic resonance imaging, employed when scintigraphic findings were not typical, presented sensitivities of 71.4% and 80% and specificities of 100% and 100% for FNH and HA, respectively. Preoperative diagnosis of FNH was possible in 10 of 13 (76.9%) patients and was confirmed by histology in all of them. In one case, FNH was misdiagnosed as HA. The diagnosis of HA was possible in 9 of 10 (90%) adenoma cases. Surgical biopsy remains the best method for the differential diagnosis between HA and FNH and must be performed in all doubtful cases. Surgical resection is the treatment of choice for all patients with adenoma and can be performed safely. With the evolution of imaging methods it seems that the preoperative diagnosis of FNH may be considered reliable, thereby avoiding unnecessary surgical resection.

Management of Hepatic Hemangiomas: A 14-Year Experience

Hemangioma is the most common primary tumor of the liver and its diagnosis has become increasingly prevalent. Most of these lesions are asymptomatic and are managed conservatively. Large hemangiomas are often symptomatic and reports of surgical intervention are becoming increasingly frequent. We present our experience, over the last 14 years, with diagnosis and management of 249 liver hemangiomas, with special attention to a conservative strategy. Clinical presentation, diagnosis, treatment, and longterm outcome are analyzed. Of 249 patients, 77 (30.9%) were symptomatic, usually with right abdominal upper quadrant pain. Diagnosis was based on a radiologic algorithm according to the size and characteristics of the tumor; diagnosis by this method was not possible in only one case (0.4 %). Giant hemangiomas (>4 cm) were found in 68 patients (27.3%) and in 16 were larger than 10 cm. Eight patients (3.2%) underwent surgical treatment; indications were incapacitating pain in 6, diagnostic doubt in 1, and stomach compression in 1. No postoperative complications or mortality were observed in this series. Patients who did not undergo surgery (n = 241) did not present any complication related to the hemangioma during long-term follow-up (mean = 78 months). Hemangioma is a benign course disease with easy diagnosis and management. We propose a conservative approach for these lesions. Resection, which can be safely performed, should be reserved for the rare situations such as untreatable pain, diagnostic uncertainty, or compression of adjacent organs.

Ligadura da veia porta associada à bipartição do fígado para hepatectomia em dois estágios (ALPPS): experiência brasileira

RACIONAL: Insuficiencia hepatica pos-operatoria devido a remanescente hepatico pequeno tem sido complicacao temida em pacientes que sao submetidos a resseccao hepatica extensa. A ligadura da veia porta associada a biparticao do figado para hepatectomia em dois estagios (ALPPS) foi desenvolvida recentemente com a finalidade de induzir rapida e significante regeneracao do figado para pacientes em que o tumor e previamente considerado irressecavel. OBJETIVO: Apresentar a experiencia brasileira com o ALPPS. METODO: Foram analisados 39 pacientes submetidos ao procedimento ALPPS em nove hospitais. Ele foi realizado em duas etapas. A primeira operacao consistiu em ligadura do ramo direito da veia porta e biparticao hepatica. Na segunda, os ramos direito da arteria hepatica, via biliar e veia hepatica foram ligados e o lobo hepatico direito estendido foi removido. Foram 22 pacientes do sexo masculino (56,4%) e 17 do feminino (43,6%). A media de idade foi 57,3 anos (variando de 20 a 83 anos). RESULTADOS: A indicacao mais comum foi metastase hepatica em 32 pacientes (82,0%), seguida por colangiocarcinoma em tres pacientes (7,7%). Dois morreram neste intervalo e nao foram submetidos a segunda operacao. O intervalo medio da primeira para a segunda operacao foi de 14,1 dias (variando de 5-30 dias). O volume do segmento lateral esquerdo apresentou aumento de 83% (variando de 47-211,9%). Morbidade significante foi observada em 23 pacientes (59,0%). A mortalidade foi de 12,8% (cinco pacientes). CONCLUSAO: O procedimento ALPPS permite resseccao hepatica em pacientes com lesoes consideradas previamente irressecaveis por induzir rapida hipertrofia do figado evitando a insuficiencia hepatica na maioria dos pacientes. Porem ainda apresenta elevada morbidade e mortalidade.

Does hepatocellular carcinoma in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis exist in cirrhotic and non-cirrhotic patients?

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) has been associated with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) often arising in histologically advanced disease when steatohepatitis is not active (cryptogenic cirrhosis). Our objective was to characterize patients with HCC and active, histologically defined steatohepatitis. Among 394 patients with HCC detected by ultrasound imaging over 8 years and staged by the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) criteria, we identified 7 cases (1.7%) with HCC occurring in the setting of active biopsy-proven NASH. All were negative for other liver diseases such as hepatitis C, hepatitis B, autoimmune hepatitis, Wilson disease, and hemochromatosis. The patients (4 males and 3 females, age 63 +/- 13 years) were either overweight (4) or obese (3); 57% were diabetic and 28.5% had dyslipidemia. Cirrhosis was present in 6 of 7 patients, but 1 patient had well-differentiated HCC in the setting of NASH without cirrhosis (fibrosis stage 1) based on repeated liver biopsies, the absence of portal hypertension by clinical and radiographic evaluations and by direct surgical inspection. Among the cirrhotic patients, 71.4% were clinically staged as Child A and 14.2% as Child B. Tumor size ranged from 1.0 to 5.2 cm and 5 of 7 patients were classified as early stage; 46% of all nodules were hyper-echoic and 57% were <3 cm. HCC was well differentiated in 1/6 and moderately differentiated in 5/6. Alpha-fetoprotein was <100 ng/mL in all patients. HCC in patients with active steatohepatitis is often multifocal, may precede clinically advanced disease and occurs without diagnostic levels of alpha-fetoprotein. Importantly, HCC may occur in NASH in the absence of cirrhosis. More aggressive screening of NASH patients may be warranted.

Extended preoperative chemotherapy, extent of liver resection and blood transfusion are predictive factors of liver failure following resection of colorectal liver metastasis

AIM The aim of this study was to determine the incidence and prognostic factors of postoperative liver failure in patients submitted to liver resection for colorectal metastases. METHOD Patients with CLM who underwent hepatectomy from 1998 to 2009 were included in retrospective analysis. Postoperative liver failure was defined using either the 50-50 criteria or the peak of serum bilirubin level above 7 mg/dL independently. RESULTS Two hundred and nine (209) procedures were performed in 170 patients. 120 surgeries were preceded by chemotherapy within six months. The overall morbidity rate was 53.1% and 90-day mortality was 2.3%. Postoperative liver failure occurred in 10% of all procedures, accounting for a mortality rate of 9.5% among this group of patients. In multivariate analysis, extent of liver resection, need of blood transfusion and more than eight preoperative chemotherapy cycles were independent prognostic factors of postoperative liver insufficiency. This complication was not related with the chemotherapy regimen used. CONCLUSION We conclude that postoperative liver failure has a relatively low incidence (10%) after CLM resection, but a remarkable impact on postoperative mortality rate. The amount of liver resected, the need of blood transfusion and extended preoperative chemotherapy are independent predictors of its occurrence and this knowledge can be used to prevent postoperative liver failure in a multidisciplinary approach.

Hepatocellular adenoma: an excellent indication for laparoscopic liver resection.

OBJECTIVES Laparoscopic resection for benign liver disease has gained wide acceptance in recent years and hepatocellular adenoma (HA) seems to be an appropriate indication. This study aimed to discuss diagnosis and treatment strategies, and to assess the feasibility, safety and outcomes of pure laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) in a large series of patients with HA. METHODS Of 88 patients who underwent pure LLR, 31 were identified as having HA. Diagnosis was based on radiological evaluation and resections were performed for lesions measuring >5.0 cm. RESULTS The sample included 29 female and two male patients. Their mean age was 33.2 years. A total of 27 patients had a single lesion, one patient had two and one had four lesions. The two remaining patients had liver adenomatosis. Mean tumour size was 7.5 cm. Three right hepatectomies, 17 left lateral sectionectomies and 11 wedge resections or segmentectomies were performed. There was no need for blood transfusion or conversion to open surgery. Postoperative complications occurred in two patients. Mean hospital stay was 3.8 days. CONCLUSIONS Hepatocellular adenoma should be regarded as an excellent indication for pure LLR. Pure LLR is safe and feasible and should be considered the standard of care for the treatment of HA when performed by surgeons with experience in liver and laparoscopic surgery.

Tumor growth pattern as predictor of colorectal liver metastasis recurrence

BACKGROUND Surgical resection is the gold standard therapy for the treatment of colorectal liver metastases (CRM). The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of tumor growth patterns on disease recurrence. METHODS We enrolled 91 patients who underwent CRM resection. Pathological specimens were prospectively evaluated, with particular attention given to tumor growth patterns (infiltrative vs pushing). RESULTS Tumor recurrence was observed in 65 patients (71.4%). According to multivariate analysis, 3 or more lesions (P = .05) and the infiltrative tumor margin type (P = .05) were unique independent risk factors for recurrence. Patients with infiltrative margins had a 5-year disease-free survival rate significantly inferior to patients with pushing margins (20.2% vs 40.5%, P = .05). CONCLUSIONS CRM patients with pushing margins presented superior disease-free survival rates compared with patients with infiltrative margins. Thus, the adoption of the margin pattern can represent a tool for improved selection of patients for adjuvant treatment.

Trombose de veia porta após desconexão ázigo-portal e esplenectomia em pacientes esquistossomóticos: Qual a real importância?

CONTEXT: Portal vein thrombosis is the most frequent complication after esophagogastric devascularization and splenectomy for hepatosplenic schistosomosis. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate portal vein thrombosis in 155 patients with schistosomal portal hypertension submitted to esophagogastric devascularization and splenectomy. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed not only the incidence and predictive factors of this complication, but also clinical, laboratorial, endoscopic and Doppler sonography outcome of these patients. RESULTS: Postoperative portal thrombosis was observed in 52.3% of the patients (partial in 45.8% and total in 6.5%). Postoperative diarrhea was more frequent in patients with portal vein thrombosis. Fever was a frequent postoperative symptom (70%) but occurred in a higher percentage when total portal vein thrombosis was present (100%). Superior mesenteric vein thrombosis occurred in four patients (2.6%) and was associated with total thrombosis of the portal vein. There was no statistical difference between patients with and without portal vein thrombosis according to clinical and endoscopic parameters during late follow-up. It was not possible to identify any predictive factor for the occurrence of this complication. CONCLUSIONS: Portal vein thrombosis is an early and frequent event after esophagogastric devascularization and splenectomy, usually partial with benign outcome and low morbidity. Total portal vein thrombosis is more frequently associated with a high morbidity complication, the superior mesenteric vein thrombosis. Long-term survival was not influenced by either partial or total portal thrombosis.

Lymphadenectomy in Colorectal Cancer Liver Metastases Resection: Incidence of Hilar Limph Nodes Micrometastasis

Liver resection is considered the best treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer. Several prognostic factors have been investigated, and many studies have shown that hepatic hilum lymph nodes involvement has a negative impact on prognosis. The present study evaluated the frequency of microscopic involvement of hilar lymph nodes, through systematic lymphadenectomy and analysis of micrometastases in patients undergoing hepatectomy due to colorectal metastasis.