Major Laparoscopic Versus Open Resection for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Propensity Score-Matched Analysis Based on Surgeons' Learning Curve.

BACKGROUND: Surgical complications for surgeons still in the learning phase of major laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) have been frequently observed. We aimed to compare perioperative and long-term outcomes of laparoscopic and open surgery based on the surgeons' learning curve for LLR after propensity score-matched (PSM) analysis. METHODS: This was a retrospective study of all patients with a histologic diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma who underwent major hepatectomy between January 2013 and December 2018. A PSM analysis was used to compare the groups of patients who underwent LLR and open major liver resection (OLR) before and after the learning curve was maximized. RESULTS: Among 405 patients, 106 underwent LLR and 299 underwent OLR. The learning curve was maximized after 42 cases. Compared with OLR, LLR had more liver-related injury and grade III or higher complications during the learning phase. The LLR group had less blood loss, fewer transfusion requirements, and fewer liver-related complications during the 'experienced' phase. Hospital stay was significantly shorter during and after maximization of the learning curve in LLR compared with OLR. Operative time was comparable in the two phases. Overall, LLR was associated with less blood loss, fewer complications, and shorter hospital stay compared with open surgery. There was no significant difference in long-term survival outcomes between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: LLR had a higher incidence of liver-related complications during the surgeon's learning phase compared with OLR. This association was significantly diminished with surgeon experience. Overall perioperative outcomes such as estimated blood loss, surgical complications, and hospital stay remained better for LLR compared with OLR.

Oncologic safety of laparoscopic radical cholecystectomy in pT2 gallbladder cancer: A propensity score matching analysis compared to open approach.

The role of laparoscopic radical cholecystectomy (LRC) in the surgical management of T2 gallbladder carcinoma (GBC) is still controversial.The medical records of patients with T2 GBC treated with radical cholecystectomy were retrospectively reviewed. In this study, we compare the short- and long-term oncologic outcomes, using propensity score matching analysis, of patients with T2 GBC who underwent LRC and open radical cholecystectomy (ORC).Among 183 patients, 86 were selected by propensity score matching (LRC = 43 and ORC = 43). The ORC group underwent more extensive surgery (liver resections and extended lymph node dissections [ELND]) than the LRC group. The LRC group had less operative blood loss, shorter length of hospital stay, fewer complications, and had the earlier start of adjuvant chemotherapy. There was no significant difference between the laparoscopic and open surgery groups in terms of 5-year overall survival rate (64.6% vs 80.4%, P = .214) and disease-free survival rate (77.1% vs 82.2%, P = .641). A subgroup analyses showed that liver resection and ELND had no survival advantage compared to no liver resection and regional lymph node dissection, respectively.Our LRC approach is safe and effective, with long-term survival comparable to that of ORC.

What are the most important predictive factors for clinically relevant posthepatectomy liver failure after right hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma?

PURPOSE: The risk of posthepatectomy liver failure (PHLF) after right hepatectomy remains substantial. Additional parameters such as computed tomography volumetry, liver stiffness measurement by FibroScan, indocyanine green retention rate at 15 minutes, and platelet count used to properly assess future liver remnant volume quality and quantity are of the utmost importance. Thus, we compared the usefulness of these modalities for predicting PHLF among patients with hepatocellular carcinoma after right hepatectomy. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed patients who underwent right hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma between 2007 and 2013. PHLF was determined according to International Study Group of Liver Surgery consensus definition and severity grading. Grades B and C were defined as clinically relevant posthepatectomy liver failure (CRPHLF). The results were internally validated using a cohort of 97 patients. RESULTS: Among the 90 included patients, 15 (16.7%) had CRPHLF. Multivariate analysis confirmed that platelet count < 140 (109/L) (hazard ratio [HR], 24.231; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.623-161.693; P = 0.001) and remnant liver volume-to-body weight (RVL/BW) ratio < 0.55 (HR, 25.600; 95% CI, 4.185-156.590; P < 0.001) were independent predictors of CRPHLF. Among the 12 patients with a platelet count < 140 (109/L) and RLV/BW ratio < 0.55, 9 (75%) had CRPHLF. Likewise, 5 of 38 (13.2%) with only one risk factor developed CRPHL versus 1 of 40 (2.5%) with no risk factors. These findings were confirmed by the validation cohort. CONCLUSION: RLV/BW ratio and platelet count are more important than the conventional RLV/TFLV, indocyanine green retention rate at 15 minutes, and liver stiffness measurement in the preoperative risk assessment for CRPHLF.

Pitfalls for laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy: Need for a stepwise approach.

Because of today's advancements in surgical techniques and perioperative management skills, surgeons are beginning to explore the usefulness of the laparoscopic approach in managing periampullary tumors. However, as a result of its innate complexity and associated high surgery-related complications, its applicability to the general surgical community remains controversial. To date, only retrospective data from high-volume centers support the safety and feasibility of laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy (Lap PD) for the treatment of benign conditions and malignant periampullary tumors. In addition, various surgical techniques in terms of port placement, dissection, and reconstruction have evolved in different centers depending on the preferred method commonly used by the surgeon through accumulated experience. In our center, we used a stepwise approach and standardized our surgical technique to overcome this technically demanding procedure. A collaborative implementation of video review and analysis, practice training and simulation, operating room didactics, and strict adherence to our stepwise approach in Lap PD, might potentially improve the surgical skills of young hepatobiliary surgeons and possibly overcome the volume-based learning curve of Lap PD.

Laparoscopic radical cholecystectomy with common bile duct resection for T2 gallbladder cancer.

The oncologic safety and feasibility of laparoscopic radical cholecystectomy for a preoperatively suspected gallbladder cancer is continually being challenged even in an era of minimally invasive surgery. A seventy-four-year-old woman was presented in the outpatient department with a history of fever, abdominal pain, and vomiting. CT scan showed an irregular wall thickening of the body to the cystic duct of the gallbladder and portocaval lymph node. In addition, EUS revealed no subserosal invasion of the tumor. PET scan showed an intense FDG uptake of in the gallbladder and in the portocaval lymph node. The laparoscopic radical cholecystectomy was performed with 6 trocars. The procedure included simple cholecystectomy, hepatoduodenal and aortocaval lymphadenectomy, and common bile duct resection. The hepaticojejunal anastomosis was constructed laparoscopically, while the jejunal continuity was established via an extracorporeal anastomosis. The patient was discharged on the 7th postoperative day with no complications and adjuvant chemotherapy was started on the 14th day after surgery. Based on our experienced, laparoscopic radical cholecystectomy with combined common bile duct resection is technically safe and feasible.