Technical aspects and learning curve of complex laparoscopic hepatectomy: how we do it.

INTRODUCTION: Laparoscopic liver surgery has advanced significantly, offering benefits, such as reduced intraoperative complications and quicker recovery. However, complex laparoscopic hepatectomy (CLH) is technically demanding, requiring skilled surgeons. This study aims to share technical aspects, insightful tips, and outcomes of CLH at our center, focusing on the safety and learning curve. METHODS: We reviewed all patients undergoing liver resection at our center from July 2017 to December 2023, focusing on those who underwent CLH. Of 135 laparoscopic liver resections, 63 (46.7%) were CLH. The learning curve of CLH was also assessed through linear and piecewise regression analyses considering the operation time and intraoperative blood loss. RESULTS: Postoperative complications occurred only in 4.8% of patients, with a 90-day mortality rate of 3.2%. The mean operation time and blood loss significantly decreased after the first 20 operations, marking the learning curve's optimal cut-off. Significant improvements in R0 resection (p = 0.024) and 90-day mortality (p = 0.035) were noted beyond the learning curve threshold. CONCLUSION: CLH is a safe and effective approach, with a relatively short learning curve of 20 operations. Future large-scale studies should further investigate the impact of surgical experience on CLH outcomes to establish guidelines for training programs.

A core set of quality performance indicators for HPB procedures: a global consensus for hepatectomy, pancreatectomy, and complex biliary surgery.

BACKGROUND: Surgery for hepatopancreaticobiliary (HPB) conditions is performed worldwide. This investigation aimed to develop a set of globally accepted procedural quality performance indicators (QPI) for HPB surgical procedures. METHODS: A systematic literature review generated a dataset of published QPI for hepatectomy, pancreatectomy, complex biliary surgery and cholecystectomy. Using a modified Delphi process, three rounds were conducted with working groups composed of self-nominating members of the International Hepatopancreaticobiliary Association (IHPBA). The final set of QPI was circulated to the full membership of the IHPBA for review. RESULTS: Seven "core" indicators were agreed for hepatectomy, pancreatectomy, and complex biliary surgery (availability of specific services on site, a specialised surgical team with at least two certified HPB surgeons, a satisfactory institutional case volume, synoptic pathology reporting, undertaking of unplanned reintervention procedures within 90 days, the incidence of post-procedure bile leak and Clavien-Dindo grade ≥III complications and 90-day post-procedural mortality). Three further procedure specific QPI were proposed for pancreatectomy, six for hepatectomy and complex biliary surgery. Nine procedure-specific QPIs were proposed for cholecystectomy. The final set of proposed indicators were reviewed and approved by 102 IHPBA members from 34 countries. CONCLUSIONS: This work presents a core set of internationally agreed QPI for HPB surgery.

[Parenchyma sparing or Anatomical Resections for Colorectal Liver Metastases?] / Parenchymsparende Operationen oder anatomische Resektionen bei Lebermetastasen des kolorektalen Karzinoms?

Colorectal cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the Western world. Half of the patients develop colorectal liver metastases (CRLM), while only less than 30% of the patients have surgically resectable metastasis at the time of diagnosis. In case of resectability, classical anatomical (major) hepatectomy offers a high R0 resection rate, but with simultaneously increased perioperative morbidity and mortality. Over the past two decades, the potential benefits of parenchyma-sparing hepatectomy (PSH) for overall oncological outcomes, survival, and re-resection in case of recurrence ("salvageability") have been demonstrated. This article summarizes the current evidence on PSH as a surgical treatment option, and discusses the current "state of the art" in different therapy scenarios.

Appendicitis during the COVID-19 lockdown: results of a multicenter analysis in Germany.

PURPOSE: The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed medical care worldwide. General surgery has been affected in elective procedures, yet the implications for emergency surgery are unclear. The current study analyzes the effect of the COVID-19 lockdown in spring 2020 on appendicitis treatment in Germany. METHODS: Hospitals that provided emergency surgical care during the COVID-19 lockdown were invited to participate. All patients diagnosed with appendicitis during the lockdown period (10 weeks) and, as a comparison group, patients from the same period in 2019 were analyzed. Clinical and laboratory parameters, intraoperative and pathological findings, and postoperative outcomes were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 1915 appendectomies from 41 surgical departments in Germany were included. Compared to 2019 the number of appendectomies decreased by 13.5% (1.027 to 888, p=0.003) during the first 2020 COVID-19 lockdown. The delay between the onset of symptoms and medical consultation was substantially longer in the COVID-19 risk group and for the elderly. The rate of complicated appendicitis increased (58.2 to 64.4%), while the absolute number of complicated appendicitis decreased from 597 to 569, (p=0.012). The rate of negative appendectomies decreased significantly (6.7 to 4.6%; p=0.012). Overall postoperative morbidity and mortality, however, did not change. CONCLUSION: The COVID-19 lockdown had significant effects on abdominal emergency surgery in Germany. These seem to result from a stricter selection and a longer waiting time between the onset of symptoms and medical consultation for risk patients. However, the standard of emergency surgical care in Germany was maintained.

The MEGNA Score and Preoperative Anemia are Major Prognostic Factors After Resection in the German Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma Cohort.

BACKGROUND: Surgical resection is associated with the best long-term results for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC); however, long-term outcomes are still poor. OBJECTIVE: The primary aim of this study was to validate the recently proposed MEGNA score and to identify additional prognostic factors influencing short- and long-term survival. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis of a German multicenter cohort operated at 10 tertiary centers from 2004 to 2013. Patients were clustered using the MEGNA score and overall survival was analyzed. Cox regression analysis was used to identify prognostic factors for both overall and 90-day survival. RESULTS: A total of 488 patients undergoing liver resection for ICC fulfilled the inclusion criteria and underwent analysis. Median age was 67 years, 72.5% of patients underwent major hepatic resection, and the lymphadenectomy rate was 86.9%. Median overall survival was 32.2 months. The MEGNA score significantly discriminated the long-term overall survival: 0 (68%), I (48%), II (32%), and III (19%) [p <0.001]. In addition, anemia was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival (hazard ratio 1.78, 95% confidence interval 1.29-2.45; p <0.01). CONCLUSION: Hepatic resection provides the best long-term survival in all risk groups (19-65% overall survival). The MEGNA score is a good discriminator using histopathologic items and age for stratification. Correction of anemia should be attempted in every patient who responds to treatment. Perioperative liver failure remains a clinical challenge and contributes to a relevant number of perioperative deaths.

ALPPS in neuroendocrine liver metastases not amenable for conventional resection - lessons learned from an interim analysis of the International ALPPS Registry.

BACKGROUND: Surgery is the most effective treatment option for neuroendocrine liver metastases (NELM). This study investigated the role of associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy (ALPPS) as a novel strategy in treatment of NELM. METHODS: The International ALPPS Registry was reviewed to study patients who underwent ALPPS for NELM. RESULTS: From 2010 to 2017, 954 ALPPS procedures from 135 international centers were recorded in the International ALPPS Registry. Of them, 24 (2.5%) were performed for NELM. Twenty-one patients entered the final analysis. Overall grade ≥3b morbidity was 9% after stage 1 and 27% after stage 2. Ninety-day mortality was 5%. R0 resection was achieved in 19 cases (90%) at stage 2. Median follow-up was 28 (19-48) months. Median disease free survival (DFS) was 17.3 (95% CI: 7.1-27.4) months, 1-year and 2-year DFS was 73.2% and 41.8%, respectively. Median overall survival (OS) was not reached. One-year and 2-year OS was 95.2% and 95.2%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: ALPPS appears to be a suitable strategy for inclusion in the multimodal armamentarium of well-selected patients with neuroendocrine liver metastases. In light of the morbidity in this initial series and a high rate of disease-recurrence, the procedure should be taken with caution.

Defining Benchmark Outcomes for ALPPS.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to use the concept of benchmarking to establish robust and standardized outcome references after the procedure ALPPS (Associating Liver Partition and Portal Vein Ligation for Staged hepatectomy). BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The recently developed ALPPS procedure, aiming at removing primarily unresectable liver tumors, has been criticized for safety issues with high variations in the reported morbidity/mortality rates depending on patient, disease, technical characteristics, and center experience. No reference values for relevant outcome parameters are available. METHODS: Among 1036 patients registered in the international ALPPS registry, 120 (12%) were benchmark cases fulfilling 4 criteria: patients ≤67 years of age, with colorectal metastases, without simultaneous abdominal procedures, and centers having performed ≥30 cases. Benchmark values, defined as the 75th percentile of the median outcome parameters of the centers, were established for 10 clinically relevant domains. RESULTS: The benchmark values were completion of stage 2: ≥96%, postoperative liver failure (ISGLS-criteria) after stage 2: ≤5%, ICU stay after ALPPS stages 1 and 2: ≤1 and ≤2 days, respectively, interstage interval: ≤16 days, hospital stay after ALPPS stage 2: ≤10 days, rates of overall morbidity in combining both stage 1 and 2: ≤65% and for major complications (grade ≥3a): ≤38%, 90-day comprehensive complication index was ≤22, the 30-, 90-day, and 6-month mortality was ≤4%, ≤5%, and 6%, respectively, the overall 1-year, recurrence-free, liver-tumor-free, and extrahepatic disease-free survival was ≥86%, ≥50%, ≥57%, and ≥65%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This benchmark analysis sets key reference values for ALPPS, indicating similar outcome as other types of major hepatectomies. Benchmark cutoffs offer valid tools not only for comparisons with other procedures, but also to assess higher risk groups of patients or different indications than colorectal metastases.

Liver Resection with In Situ Hypothermic Perfusion: An Old but Effective Method.

BACKGROUND: More than 40 years ago, patients with tumors infiltrating the confluence of the hepatic veins were deemed unresectable; however, in situ hypothermic perfusion, first described by Fortner et al. (Ann Surg 180(4):644-652, 1974), allowed resection of these tumors. In order to prevent liver ischemia after total vascular exclusion, the liver was flushed with a cooled organ preservation solution. The surgeon was able to resect the tumor and reconstruct the hepatic veins with occlusion of the hepatic inflow and outflow. METHODS: A 55-year-old female suffering from a leiomyosarcoma of the inferior vena cava (IVC) presented to our clinic. Three years ago, the IVC was replaced with a synthetic graft. During the patient's follow-up, a computed tomography (CT) scan revealed three hepatic metastases of the sarcoma. A central metastasis in Segment 8 infiltrated the right hepatic vein (RHV), and two additional metastases were located in the left lateral segments. We used Fortner's technique to resect these tumors. RESULTS: The postoperative course of the patient was prolonged due to a hematoma that partially compressed the new RHV graft. A re-laparotomy was performed and drains were placed. On the 15th postoperative day, the patient was discharged in good health. CONCLUSIONS: Although nowadays patients with these unfortunate tumor locations can, to some extent, be managed non-operatively, surgery remains an option with a chance of cure. Azoulay et al. (Ann Surg 262(1):93-104, 2015) were able to show satisfactory 5-year-survival in 77 patients (30.4%), however 90-day mortality was high (19.5%). Therefore, patients need to be selected carefully. In the era of minimally invasive liver surgery, these old techniques should not vanish from the armamentarium of liver surgeons.

Extending resectability of hilar cholangiocarcinomas: how can it be assessed and improved?

Until the 1980's, Klatskin tumors were considered 'desperate cases' and most of them were not resected; almost no oncologic concept was available. After many improvements, today, extended hepatectomy, including caudate lobe resection and lymphoadenectomy, have become a standard of care for oncologicaly radical resection of Klatskin tumors. Portal vein en bloc resection, if necessary, is a diffused standard assuring R0-resection without any improvement of survival in most series. Arterial resection remains episodical and controversial in its oncologic impact. Arterial resection-reconstruction was demonstrated to be feasible with many different technical possibilities. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy, refinement of associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy and liver transplantations are some possible future resources for treatment of those aggressive tumors that could be able to expand the pool of treatable patients.

Performance validation of the ALPPS risk model.

BACKGROUND: Based on the International ALPPS registry, we have recently proposed two easily applicable risk models (pre-stage1 and 2) for predicting 90-day mortality in ALPPS but a validation of both models has not been performed yet. METHODS: The validation cohort (VC) was composed of subsequent cases of the ALPPS registry and cases of centers outside the ALPPS registry. RESULTS: The VC was composed of a total of 258 patients including 70 patients outside the ALPPS registry with 32 cases of early mortalities (12%). Development cohort (DC) and VC were comparable in terms of patient and surgery characteristics. The VC validated both models with an acceptable prediction for the pre-stage 1 (c-statistic 0.64, P = 0.009 vs. 0.77, P < 0.001) and a good prediction for the pre-stage 2 model (c-statistic 0.77, P < 0.001 vs. 0.85, P < 0.001) as compared to the DC. Overall model performance measured by Brier score was comparable between VC and DC for the pre-stage 1 (0.089 vs. 0.081) and pre-stage 2 model (0.079 vs. 0087). CONCLUSION: The ALPPS risk score is a fully validated model to estimate the individual risk of patients undergoing ALPPS and to assist clinical decision making to avoid procedure-related early mortality after ALPPS.

Risk Adjustment in ALPPS Is Associated With a Dramatic Decrease in Early Mortality and Morbidity.

OBJECTIVE: To longitudinally assess whether risk adjustment in Associating Liver Partition and Portal Vein Ligation for Staged Hepatectomy (ALPPS) occurred over time and is associated with postoperative outcome. BACKGROUND: ALPPS is a novel 2-stage hepatectomy enabling resection of extensive hepatic tumors. ALPPS has been criticized for its high mortality, which is reported beyond accepted standards in liver surgery. Therefore, adjustments in patient selection and technique have been performed but have not yet been studied over time in relation to outcome. METHODS: ALPPS centers of the International ALPPS Registry having performed ≥10 cases over a period of ≥3 years were assessed for 90-day mortality and major interstage complications (≥3b) of the longitudinal study period from 2009 to 2015. The predicted prestage 1 and 2 mortality risks were calculated for each patient. In addition, questionnaires were sent to all centers exploring center-specific risk adjustment strategies. RESULTS: Among 437 patients from 16 centers, a shift in indications toward colorectal liver metastases from 53% to 77% and a reverse trend in biliary tumors from 24% to 9% were observed. Over time, 90-day mortality decreased from initially 17% to 4% in 2015 (P = 0.002). Similarly, major interstage complications decreased from 10% to 3% (P = 0.011). The reduction of 90-day mortality was independently associated with a risk adjustment in patient selection (P < 0.001; OR: 1.62; 95% CI: 1.36-1.93) and using less invasive techniques in stage-1 surgery (P = 0.019; OR: 0.39; 95% CI: 0.18-0.86). A survey indicated risk adjustment of patient selection in all centers and ALPPS technique in the majority (80%) of centers. CONCLUSIONS: Risk adjustment of patient selection and technique in ALPPS resulted in a continuous drop of early mortality and major postoperative morbidity, which has meanwhile reached standard outcome measures accepted for major liver surgery.

The "Nouvelle Vague" of surgeons in pancreatic surgery: can they rise to the legacy of current surgeons?

PURPOSE: Pancreatic surgery is still thought as a challenging field even for experienced hepatobilliary (HPB) surgeons and high volume tertiary centers. The purpose of this study was to present the results (mortality and morbidity) of pancreatic surgery in a high volume center, in operations performed solely by inexperienced surgeons (two 6th year residents and a HPB fellow) under the supervision of expert surgeons on the field. METHODS: Forty-one consecutive patients who underwent curative-intent pancreatic resection with a modified pancreaticojejunostomy between January 2010 and December 2014 at Asklepios Hospital Barmbek, Germany, were identified from our institutional computer-based database. Two 6th year residents and an HPB-fellow performed all pancreatic anastomoses under the instructions of an experienced surgeon. Perioperative outcomes were recorded and analyzed. RESULTS: Median postoperative length of stay for all patients was 15 days (IQR:7-31). In the first 90 postoperative days, the postoperative mortality rate was 0% and morbidity rate reached 39%. Reoperation was required in 1 patient (2.44%). However, no reoperation was performed for pancreatic anastomotic failure. No postoperative hemorrhage requiring interventional procedure or reoperation occurred in any patient. CONCLUSIONS: The outcomes of pancreatic surgery performed by less experienced surgeons are satisfactory. The instructions of an expert surgeon in a high volume hospital definitely secures a favorable outcome after pancreatic surgery with lower mortality and morbidity rates compared with current literature trends.

The ALPPS Risk Score: Avoiding Futile Use of ALPPS.

OBJECTIVES: To create a prediction model identifying futile outcome in ALPPS (Associating Liver Partition and Portal vein ligation for Staged hepatectomy) before stage 1 and stage 2 surgery. BACKGROUND: ALPPS is a 2-stage hepatectomy, which incorporates parenchymal transection at stage 1 enabling resection of extensive liver tumors. One of the major criticisms of ALPPS is the associated high mortality rate up to 20%. METHODS: Using the International ALPPS Registry, a risk analysis for futile outcome (defined as 90-day or in-hospital mortality) was performed. Futility was modeled using multivariate regression analysis and a futility risk score formula was computed on the basis of the relative size of logistic model regression coefficients. RESULTS: Among 528 ALPPS patients from 38 centers, a futile outcome was observed in 47 patients (9%). The pre-stage 1 model included age 67 years or older [odds ratio (OR) = 5.7], and tumor entity (OR = 3.8 for biliary tumors) as independent predictors of futility from multivariate analysis. For the pre-stage 1 model scores of 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 were associated with futile risk of 2.7%, 4.9%, 8.6%, 15%, 24%, and 37%. The pre-stage 2 model included major complications (grade ≥ 3b) after stage 1 (OR = 3.4), serum bilirubin (OR = 4.4), serum creatinine (OR = 5.4), and cumulative pre-stage 1 risk score (OR = 1.9). The model predicted futility risk of 5%, 10%, 20%, and 50% for patients with scores of 3.9, 4.7, 5.5, and 6.9, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Both models have an excellent prediction to assess the individual risk of futile outcome after ALPPS surgery and can be used to avoid futile use of ALPPS.

'Liver-first' approach for metastatic colorectal cancer.

The liver-first approach was proposed for the first time in 2006 to obtain resectability of stage IV colorectal cancer patients and complete the therapeutic plan. From then some groups have used this new revolutionary approach reporting promising results. Other alternative strategies have been proposed for metastatic patients. The authors reviewed the literature weighing the pros and cons of each strategy proposed to manage these advanced tumor stages. The therapeutic options are analyzed in the light of oncologic problems and evidence. Also problems, questions and perspectives are given. Even if the 'liver-first' approach seems to be a promising strategy, the ideal diagnostic-therapeutic flowchart for metastatic colorectal cancer is still difficult to standardize. The great heterogeneity of this population of patients is one of the main problems. A 'tailored approach' philosophy is necessary to calibrate, in a multidisciplinary setting, a case-by-case choice of therapeutic options.

Large hemangiopericytoma of the pelvis--towards a multidisciplinary approach.

BACKGROUND: In 1942, Stout described tumors which derive from Zimmerman's pericytes and suggested the term hemangiopericytoma (HPC). These tumors, which are often highly vascularized, pose difficulties in the surgical management regarding blood loss and complete resection. Therefore, preoperative management seems to be an essential part in dealing with these issues. CASE PRESENTATION: We present a 70-year-old female patient with a large HPC in the pelvis. Preoperative embolization of the tumor was performed, and 2 weeks after the intervention, we completely resected the tumor with minimal blood loss. CONCLUSION: In which cases do we need preoperative treatment, especially emboliziation of hemangiopericytomas/solid fibrous tumors (SFT)? Although preoperative embolizations of tumors are now commonly undertaken, as for now, neither a clear statement nor a standardized approach has been given or developed. The purpose of this article is to provide our experience with preoperative embolization and to start a new discussion concerning a standardized approach.

ALPPS and simultaneous right hemicolectomy - step one and resection of the primary colon cancer.

BACKGROUND: Resection of the liver is often limited due to the volume of the parenchyma. To address this problem, several approaches to induce hypertrophy were developed. Recently, the 'associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy' (ALPPS) procedure was introduced and led to rapid hypertrophy in a short interval. Additionally to the portal vein occlusion, the parenchyma is transected, which disrupts the inter-parenchymal vascular connections. Since the first description of the ALPPS procedure, various reports around the world were published. In some cases, due to the high morbidity and mortality, a decent oncologic algorithm is not deliverable in a timely manner. If a patient is to be treated with a liver-first approach, the resection of the primary could sometimes be severely protracted. To overcome the problem, a simultaneous resection of the primary tumor and step one of ALPPS were performed. CASE PRESENTATION: A 73-year-old male patient underwent portal vein embolization (PVE) after suffering from a synchronous hepatic metastasized carcinoma of the right colic flexure in order to perform a right trisectionectomy. Sufficient hypertrophy could not be obtained by PVE. Thus a 'Rescue-ALPPS' was undertaken. During step one of ALPPS, we simultaneously performed a right hemicolectomy. The postoperative course after the first step was uneventful, and sufficient hypertrophy was achieved. CONCLUSION: In order to achieve a macroscopic disease-free state and lead the patient as soon as possible to the oncologic path (with, for example, chemotherapy), sometimes a simultaneous resection of the primary with step one of the ALPPS procedure seems justified. A resection of the primary with step two is not advisable, due to the high morbidity and mortality after this step. This case shows that a simultaneous resection is feasible and safe. Whether other locations of the primary should be treated this way must be part of further investigations.

ALPPS for patients with colorectal liver metastases: effective liver hypertrophy, but early tumor recurrence.

BACKGROUND: Associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy (ALPPS) is a promising method to increase resectability rates of liver tumors. Little has been published about oncological results so far. This report describes clinical evidence regarding a possible effect of ALPPS on tumor recurrence. METHODS: Ten ALPPS procedures were performed for otherwise non-resectable colorectal liver metastases. Seven of these ten patients had a follow-up of at least 3 months and were analyzed for tumor recurrence. RESULTS: Six of these seven patients had tumor recurrence to the liver. Three of seven patients presented with lung metastases, occurring earlier than liver metastases in two of three cases. One patient with a follow-up of 3 months had no visible recurrent disease, but increasing carcinoembryonic antigen levels. CONCLUSIONS: The patient group operable only through ALPPS is at high risk for recurrence and early tumor progression. Still, this new method is the only chance for an oncological treatment strategy including a surgical approach and possibly better outcome.