Victoria Ardiles

Early survival and safety of ALPPS: first report of the International ALPPS Registry.

Objectives:To assess safety and outcomes of the novel 2-stage hepatectomy, Associating Liver Partition and Portal Vein Ligation for Staged Hepatectomy (ALPPS), using an international registry. Background:ALPPS induces accelerated growth of small future liver remnants (FLR) to allow curative resection of liver tumors. There is concern about safety based on reports of higher morbidity and mortality. Methods:A Web-based data entry system was created with password access and data pseudoencryption (NCT01924741). All patients with complete 90-day data were included. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify independent risk factors for severe complications and mortality and volume growth of the FLR. Results:Complete data were available for 202 patients. A total of 141 (70%) patients had colorectal liver metastases (CRLM). Median starting standardized future liver remnants of 21% increased by 80% within a median of 7 days. Ninety-day mortality was 19/202 (9%). Severe complications including mortalities (Clavien-Dindo ≥IIIb) occurred in 27% of patients. Independent factors for severe complications were red blood cell transfusion [odds ratio (OR), 5.2), ALPPS stage I operating time greater than 300 minutes (OR, 4.4), age more than 60 years (OR, 3.8), and non-CRLM (OR, 2.7). Age, use of Pringle maneuver, and histologic changes led to less volume growth. In patients younger than 60 years with CRLM, 90-day mortality was similar to conventional 2-stage hepatectomies for CRLM. Conclusions:This is the first analysis of the ALPPS registry showing that ALPPS has increased perioperative morbidity and mortality in older patients but better outcomes in patients with CRLM.

Bile duct injuries: management of late complications

BackgroundLaparoscopic cholecystectomy is the treatment of choice for gallbladder stones. In the current study, this approach was associated with a higher incidence of biliary injuries. The authors evaluate their experience treating complex biliary injuries and analyze the literature.MethodsIn a 15-year period, 169 patients with bile duct injuries (BDIs) resulting from open and laparoscopic cholecystectomies were treated. The patients were retrospectively evaluated through their records. Biliary injury and associated lesions were evaluated with imaging studies. Surgical management included therapeutic endoscopy, percutaneous interventions, hepaticojejunostomy, liver resection, and liver transplantation. Postoperative outcome was recorded. Survival analysis was performed with G-Stat and NCSS programs using the Kaplan–Meier method.ResultsOf the 169 patients treated for BDIs, 148 were referred from other centers. The injuries included 115 lesions resulting from open cholecystectomy and 54 lesions resulting from laparoscopic cholecystectomy. A total of 110 patients (65%) fulfilled the criteria for complex injuries, 11 of whom met more than one criteria. Injuries resulting from laparoscopic and open cholecystectomies were complex in 87.5% and 72% of the patients, respectively. The procedures used were percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage for 30 patients, hepaticojejunostomy for 96 patients, rehepaticojejunostomy for 16 patients, hepatic resection for 9 patients, and liver transplantation projected for 18 patients. Hepaticojejunostomy was effective for 85% of the patients. The mean follow-up period was 77.8 months (range, 4–168 months). The mortality rate for noncomplex BDI was 0%, as compared with the mortality rate of 7.2% (8/110) for complex BDI. Mortality after hepatic resection was nil, and morbidity was 33.3%. The actuarial survival rate for liver transplantation at 1 year was 91.7%.ConclusionsComplex BDIs after laparoscopic cholecystectomy are potentially life-threatening complications. In this study, late complications of complex BDIs appeared when there was a delay in referral or the patient received multiple procedures. On occasion, hepatic resections and liver transplantation proved to be the only definitive treatments with good long-term outcomes and quality of life.

Monosegment ALPPS hepatectomy: Extending resectability by rapid hypertrophy

BACKGROUND Liver remnant function limits major liver resections to generally leave patients with ≥2 Couinaud segments. Associating Liver Partition and Portal vein ligation for Staged hepatectomy (ALPPS) induces extensive hypertrophy and allows surgeons to perform extreme liver resections. METHODS The international ALPPS registry (NCT01924741; 2011-2014) was screened for novel resection type with only 1 segment remnant. The anatomy of lesions and indications for ALPPS, operative technique, complications, survival, and recurrence were evaluated. RESULTS Among 333 patients, 12 underwent monosegment ALPPS hepatectomies in 6 centers, all for extensive bilobar colorectal liver metastases. All patients were considered unresectable by conventional means, and all had a response to or no progression after chemotherapy before surgery. In 2 patients, the liver remnant consisted of segment 2, in 2 of segment 3, in 6 of segment 4, and in 2 of segment 6. Median time to proceed to stage 2 was 13 days and median hypertrophy of the liver remnant was 160%. There was no mortality. Four patients experienced liver failure, but all recovered. Complications higher than Dindo-Clavien IIIa occurred in 4 patients with no long-term sequelae. At a median follow-up of 14 months, 6 patients are tumor free and 6 patients have developed recurrent metastatic disease. CONCLUSION ALPPS allows systematic liver resections with monosegment remnants, a novelty in liver surgery. Because such resections are difficult to conceive without rapid hypertrophy, we propose to name such resections after the segments constituting the liver remnant rather than the segments removed.

Complex bile duct injuries: management

BACKGROUND Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the present treatment of choice for patients with gallbladder stones, despite its being associated with a higher incidence of biliary injuries compared with the open procedure. Injuries occurring during the laparoscopic approach seem to be more complex. A complex biliary injury is a disease that is difficult to diagnose and treat. We considered complex injuries: 1) injuries that involve the confluence; 2) injuries in which repair attempts have failed; 3) any bile duct injury associated with a vascular injury; 4) or any biliary injury in association with portal hypertension or secondary biliary cirrhosis. The present review is an evaluation of our experience in the treatment of these complex biliary injuries and an analysis of the international literature on the management of patients.

The Associating Liver Partition and Portal Vein Ligation for Staged Hepatectomy Approach Using Only Segments I and IV as Future Liver Remnant

Liver resection, with or without chemotherapy, remains the only treatment with the potential for curingmalignant liver tumors. Frequently, major liver resections are mandatory to achieve tumor-free surgical margins. One of the most severe complications associated with extended resections is posthepatectomy liver failure (PHLF). The best candidates for liver resection with curative intention are those who have enough parenchymal reserve, which should be at least 20% of the total liver volume in the case of a healthy future liver remnant (FLR), and between 30% and 40% in patients with chemotherapy-related liver injury, fibrosis orsteatosis. Portal vein occlusion has become the gold standard strategy to regenerate the FLR with a low morbidity, allowing up to 20% to 35% hypertrophy in 45 days. However, up to 40% of patients treated with this approach are finally not candidates for resection, either because of tumor progression during the interval period or insufficient FLR hypertrophy. Recently, associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy (ALPPS) has been introduced as a strategy for preventing PHLF by inducing a rapid (1 week) and large FLR volume increase (21% to 200%). Briefly, during the first surgical stage, the complete removal of any tumor in the FLR must be completed whenever bilateral disease is present. Then the liver parenchyma is transected and portal vein ligation of the tumor-bearing side is applied. The second stage is performed when sufficient hypertrophy of the FLR is demonstrated, usually as a right hepatectomy or trisectionectomy, leaving the left lateral segments of the liver (segments II and III) as part of the FLR. Here we describe a new surgical strategy using the principles of the ALPPS technique, preserving only segments I and IV as the FLR.

Focal nodular hyperplasia and hepatic adenoma: current diagnosis and management

Benign liver tumors are common lesions that can be classified into cystic and solid lesions. Cystic lesions are the most frequent; however, they rarely represent a diagnostic or therapeutic challenge. In contrast, solid lesions are more difficult to characterize and management remains controversial. The wide availability and use of advanced imaging modalities, including ultrasonography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging have led to increased identification of incidental liver masses. Although some of these incidentally discovered masses are malignant, most are benign and must be included in the differential diagnosis. In this article we review FNH and HA. Its etiology, biological behavior, diagnosis, and treatment will be highlighted.

Hepatic artery reconstruction first for the treatment of hilar cholangiocarcinoma bismuth type IIIB with contralateral arterial invasion: a novel technical strategy

BACKGROUND En-bloc liver resection with the extrahepatic bile duct is mandatory to obtain tumour-free surgical margins and better long-term outcomes in hilar cholangiocarcinoma (CC). One of the most important criteria for irresectability is local extensive invasion to major vessels. As hilar CC Bismuth type IIIB often requires a major left hepatic resection, the invasion of the right hepatic artery (RHA) usually contraindicates this procedure. METHODS The authors describe a novel technique that allowed an oncological resection in two patients with hilar CC Bismuth type IIIB and contralateral arterial invasion. Arterial reconstruction between the posterior branch of the RHA and the left hepatic artery (LHA) was performed as the first surgical step. Once arterial vascular flow was restored, a left trisectionectomy with caudate lobe resection and portal vein reconstruction was performed. RESULTS In both patients an R0 resection was achieved. Both patients made a full recovery and were discharged within 14 days of surgery. Both patients remain free of disease at 18 months. CONCLUSIONS This new technique allows a R0 resection to be achieved in patients with Bismuth type IIIB hilar CC with contralateral arterial involvement.

Experience using liver transplantation for the treatment of severe bile duct injuries over 20 years in Argentina: results from a National Survey.

BACKGROUND Bile duct injury (BDI) is a severe complication that may arise during the surgical treatment of benign disease and a few patients will develop end-stage liver disease (ESLD) requiring a liver transplant (LT). OBJECTIVE Analyse the experience using LT as a definitive treatment of BDI in Argentina. PATIENTS AND METHODS A national survey regarding the experience of LT for BDI. RESULTS Sixteen out 18 centres reported a total of 19 patients. The percentage of LT for BDI from the total number of LT per period was: 1990-94 = 3.1%, 1995-99 = 1.6%, 2000-04 = 0.7% and 2005-09 = 0.2% (P < 0.001). The mean age was 45.7 ± 10.3 years (range 26-62) and 10 patients were female. The BDI occurred during cholecystectomy in 16 and 7 had vascular injuries. One patient presented with acute liver failure and the others with chronic ESLD. The median time between BDI and LT was 71 months (range 0.2-157). The mean follow-up was 8.3 years (10 months to 16.4 years). Survival at 1, 3, 5 and 10 years was 73%, 68%, 68% and 45%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS The use of LT for the treatment of BDI declined over the review period. LT plays a role in selected cases in patients with acute liver failure and ESLD.

Survival after associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy (ALPPS) for advanced colorectal liver metastases: A case-matched comparison with palliative systemic therapy

Background. Associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy (ALPPS) allows the resection of colorectal liver metastases with curative intent which would otherwise be unresectable and only eligible for palliative systemic therapy. This study aimed to compare outcomes of ALPPS in patients with otherwise unresectable colorectal liver metastases with matched historic controls treated with palliative systemic treatment. Methods. All patients with colorectal liver metastases from the international ALPPS registry were identified and analyzed. Survival data were compared according to the extent of disease. Otherwise unresectable ALPPS patients were defined by at least 2 of the following criteria: ≥6 metastasis, ≥2 future remnant liver metastasis, ≥6 involved segments excluding segment 1. These patients were matched with patients included in 2, phase 3, metastatic, colorectal cancer trials (CAIRO and CAIRO2) using propensity scoring in order to compare survival. Results. Of 295 patients with colorectal liver metastases in the ALPPS registry, 70 patients had otherwise unresectable disease defined by the proposed criteria. Two‐year overall survival was 49% and 72% for patients with ≥2 and <2 criteria, respectively (P = .002). Median disease‐free survival was 6 months compared to 12 months (P < .001) in the ≥2 and <2 criteria groups, respectively. Median overall survival was comparable between ALPPS patients with ≥2 criteria and case‐matched patients who received palliative treatment (24.0 vs 17.6 months, P = .088). Conclusion. Early oncologic outcomes of patients with advanced liver metastases undergoing ALPPS were not superior to results of matched patients receiving systemic treatment with palliative intent. Careful patient selection is essential in order to improve outcomes.

The ALPPS Approach for the Management of Colorectal Carcinoma Liver Metastases

Liver resection is the treatment of choice for patients with colorectal liver metastases (CRLM). The possibility of achieving curative resection is limited by the future liver remnant (FLR), with posthepatectomy liver failure (PHLF) the most severe possible complication after major liver resection. Associated liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy (ALPPS) has recently been introduced as a strategy for prevention of PHLF by inducing a rapid and large FLR hypertrophy not achieved by other methods. To date, most of the evidence regarding ALPPS is based on retrospective analysis of small series of patients or of case reports. The promising short-term results obtained are difficult to interpret oncologically, because of the heterogeneous groups of patients with different underlying pathology, variable chemotherapy use, and technical variations applied. Only increased experience and long-term outcomes will better define the utility of this novel method.