Factors Associated with and Impact of Open Conversion in Laparoscopic and Robotic Minor Liver Resections: An International Multicenter Study of 10,541 Patients.

INTRODUCTION: Despite the increasing widespread adoption and experience in minimally invasive liver resections (MILR), open conversion occurs not uncommonly even with minor resections and as been reported to be associated with inferior outcomes. We aimed to identify risk factors for and outcomes of open conversion in patients undergoing minor hepatectomies. We also studied the impact of approach (laparoscopic or robotic) on outcomes. METHODS: This is a post-hoc analysis of 20,019 patients who underwent RLR and LLR across 50 international centers between 2004-2020. Risk factors for and perioperative outcomes of open conversion were analysed. Multivariate and propensity score-matched analysis were performed to control for confounding factors. RESULTS: Finally, 10,541 patients undergoing either laparoscopic (LLR; 89.1%) or robotic (RLR; 10.9%) minor liver resections (wedge resections, segmentectomies) were included. Multivariate analysis identified LLR, earlier period of MILR, malignant pathology, cirrhosis, portal hypertension, previous abdominal surgery, larger tumor size, and posterosuperior location as significant independent predictors of open conversion. The most common reason for conversion was technical issues (44.7%), followed by bleeding (27.2%), and oncological reasons (22.3%). After propensity score matching (PSM) of baseline characteristics, patients requiring open conversion had poorer outcomes compared with successful MILR cases as evidenced by longer operative times, more blood loss, higher requirement for perioperative transfusion, longer duration of hospitalization and higher morbidity, reoperation, and 90-day mortality rates. CONCLUSIONS: Multiple risk factors were associated with conversion of MILR even for minor hepatectomies, and open conversion was associated with significantly poorer perioperative outcomes.

Impact of Liver Cirrhosis, Severity of Cirrhosis, and Portal Hypertension on the Difficulty and Outcomes of Laparoscopic and Robotic Major Liver Resections for Primary Liver Malignancies.

BACKGROUND: Minimally invasive liver resections (MILR) offer potential benefits such as reduced blood loss and morbidity compared with open liver resections. Several studies have suggested that the impact of cirrhosis differs according to the extent and complexity of resection. Our aim was to investigate the impact of cirrhosis on the difficulty and outcomes of MILR, focusing on major hepatectomies. METHODS: A total of 2534 patients undergoing minimally invasive major hepatectomies (MIMH) for primary malignancies across 58 centers worldwide were retrospectively reviewed. Propensity score (PSM) and coarsened exact matching (CEM) were used to compare patients with and without cirrhosis. RESULTS: A total of 1353 patients (53%) had no cirrhosis, 1065 (42%) had Child-Pugh A and 116 (4%) had Child-Pugh B cirrhosis. Matched comparison between non-cirrhotics vs Child-Pugh A cirrhosis demonstrated comparable blood loss. However, after PSM, postoperative morbidity and length of hospitalization was significantly greater in Child-Pugh A cirrhosis, but these were not statistically significant with CEM. Comparison between Child-Pugh A and Child-Pugh B cirrhosis demonstrated the latter had significantly higher transfusion rates and longer hospitalization after PSM, but not after CEM. Comparison of patients with cirrhosis of all grades with and without portal hypertension demonstrated no significant difference in all major perioperative outcomes after PSM and CEM. CONCLUSIONS: The presence and severity of cirrhosis affected the difficulty and impacted the outcomes of MIMH, resulting in higher blood transfusion rates, increased postoperative morbidity, and longer hospitalization in patients with more advanced cirrhosis. As such, future difficulty scoring systems for MIMH should incorporate liver cirrhosis and its severity as variables.

Propensity-score Matched and Coarsened-exact Matched Analysis Comparing Robotic and Laparoscopic Major Hepatectomies: An International Multicenter Study of 4822 Cases.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the outcomes between robotic major hepatectomy (R-MH) and laparoscopic major hepatectomy (L-MH). BACKGROUND: Robotic techniques may overcome the limitations of laparoscopic liver resection. However, it is unknown whether R-MH is superior to L-MH. METHODS: This is a post hoc analysis of a multicenter database of patients undergoing R-MH or L-MH at 59 international centers from 2008 to 2021. Data on patient demographics, center experience volume, perioperative outcomes, and tumor characteristics were collected and analyzed. Both 1:1 propensity-score matched (PSM) and coarsened-exact matched (CEM) analyses were performed to minimize selection bias between both groups. RESULTS: A total of 4822 cases met the study criteria, of which 892 underwent R-MH and 3930 underwent L-MH. Both 1:1 PSM (841 R-MH vs. 841 L-MH) and CEM (237 R-MH vs. 356 L-MH) were performed. R-MH was associated with significantly less blood loss {PSM:200.0 [interquartile range (IQR):100.0, 450.0] vs 300.0 (IQR:150.0, 500.0) mL; P = 0.012; CEM:170.0 (IQR: 90.0, 400.0) vs 200.0 (IQR:100.0, 400.0) mL; P = 0.006}, lower rates of Pringle maneuver application (PSM: 47.1% vs 63.0%; P < 0.001; CEM: 54.0% vs 65.0%; P = 0.007) and open conversion (PSM: 5.1% vs 11.9%; P < 0.001; CEM: 5.5% vs 10.4%, P = 0.04) compared with L-MH. On subset analysis of 1273 patients with cirrhosis, R-MH was associated with a lower postoperative morbidity rate (PSM: 19.5% vs 29.9%; P = 0.02; CEM 10.4% vs 25.5%; P = 0.02) and shorter postoperative stay [PSM: 6.9 (IQR: 5.0, 9.0) days vs 8.0 (IQR: 6.0 11.3) days; P < 0.001; CEM 7.0 (IQR: 5.0, 9.0) days vs 7.0 (IQR: 6.0, 10.0) days; P = 0.047]. CONCLUSIONS: This international multicenter study demonstrated that R-MH was comparable to L-MH in safety and was associated with reduced blood loss, lower rates of Pringle maneuver application, and conversion to open surgery.

Risk Factors and Outcomes of Open Conversion During Minimally Invasive Major Hepatectomies: An International Multicenter Study on 3880 Procedures Comparing the Laparoscopic and Robotic Approaches.

INTRODUCTION: Despite the advances in minimally invasive (MI) liver surgery, most major hepatectomies (MHs) continue to be performed by open surgery. This study aimed to evaluate the risk factors and outcomes of open conversion during MI MH, including the impact of the type of approach (laparoscopic vs. robotic) on the occurrence and outcomes of conversions. METHODS: Data on 3880 MI conventional and technical (right anterior and posterior sectionectomies) MHs were retrospectively collected. Risk factors and perioperative outcomes of open conversion were analyzed. Multivariate analysis, propensity score matching, and inverse probability treatment weighting analysis were performed to control for confounding factors. RESULTS: Overall, 3211 laparoscopic MHs (LMHs) and 669 robotic MHs (RMHs) were included, of which 399 (10.28%) had an open conversion. Multivariate analyses demonstrated that male sex, laparoscopic approach, cirrhosis, previous abdominal surgery, concomitant other surgery, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score 3/4, larger tumor size, conventional MH, and Institut Mutualiste Montsouris classification III procedures were associated with an increased risk of conversion. After matching, patients requiring open conversion had poorer outcomes compared with non-converted cases, as evidenced by the increased operation time, blood transfusion rate, blood loss, hospital stay, postoperative morbidity/major morbidity and 30/90-day mortality. Although RMH showed a decreased risk of conversion compared with LMH, converted RMH showed increased blood loss, blood transfusion rate, postoperative major morbidity and 30/90-day mortality compared with converted LMH. CONCLUSIONS: Multiple risk factors are associated with conversion. Converted cases, especially those due to intraoperative bleeding, have unfavorable outcomes. Robotic assistance seemed to increase the feasibility of the MI approach, but converted robotic procedures showed inferior outcomes compared with converted laparoscopic procedures.

Impact of Tumor Size on the Difficulty of Laparoscopic Major Hepatectomies: An International Multicenter Study.

INTRODUCTION: Although tumor size (TS) is known to affect surgical outcomes in laparoscopic liver resection (LLR), its impact on laparoscopic major hepatectomy (L-MH) is not well studied. The objectives of this study were to investigate the impact of TS on the perioperative outcomes of L-MH and to elucidate the optimal TS cutoff for stratifying the difficulty of L-MH. METHODS: This was a post-hoc analysis of 3008 patients who underwent L-MH at 48 international centers. A total 1396 patients met study criteria and were included. The impact of TS cutoffs was investigated by stratifying TS at each 10-mm interval. The optimal cutoffs were determined taking into consideration the number of endpoints which showed a statistically significant split around the cut-points of interest and the magnitude of relative risk after correction for multiple risk factors. RESULTS: We identified 2 optimal TS cutoffs, 50 mm and 100 mm, which segregated L-MH into 3 groups. An increasing TS across these 3 groups (≤ 50 mm, 51-100 mm, > 100 mm), was significantly associated with a higher open conversion rate (11.2%, 14.7%, 23.0%, P < 0.001), longer operating time (median, 340 min, 346 min, 365 min, P = 0.025), increased blood loss (median, 300 ml,  ml, 400 ml, P = 0.002) and higher rate of intraoperative blood transfusion (13.1%, 15.9%, 27.6%, P < 0.001). Postoperative outcomes such as overall morbidity, major morbidity, and length of stay were comparable across the three groups. CONCLUSION: Increasing TS was associated with poorer intraoperative but not postoperative outcomes after L-MH. We determined 2 TS cutoffs (50 mm and 10 mm) which could optimally stratify the surgical difficulty of L-MH.

Utility of the Iwate difficulty scoring system for laparoscopic right posterior sectionectomy: do surgical outcomes differ for tumors in segments VI and VII?

INTRODUCTION: The Iwate Score (IS) have not been well-validated for specific procedures, especially for right posterior sectionectomy (RPS). In this study, the utility of the IS was determined for laparoscopic (L)RPS and the effect of tumor location on surgical outcomes was investigated. METHODS: Post-hoc analysis of 647 L-RPS performed in 40 international centers of which 596L-RPS cases met the inclusion criteria. Baseline characteristics and perioperative outcomes of patients stratified based on the Iwate score were compared to determine whether a correlation with surgical difficulty existed. A 1:1 Mahalanobis distance matching was utilized to investigate the effect of tumor location on L-RPS outcomes. RESULTS: The patients were stratified into 3 levels of difficulty (31 intermediate, 143 advanced, and 422 expert) based on the IS. When using a stepwise increase of the IS excluding the tumor location score, only Pringle's maneuver was more frequently used in the higher surgical difficulty level (35.5%, 54.6%, and 65.2%, intermediate, advanced, and expert levels, respectively, Z = 3.34, p = 0.001). Other perioperative results were not associated with a statistical gradation toward higher difficulty level. 80 of 85 patients with a segment VI lesion and 511 patients with a segment VII lesion were matched 1:1. There were no significant differences in the perioperative outcomes of the two groups including open conversion, operating time, blood loss, intraoperative blood transfusion, postoperative stay, major morbidity, and mortality. CONCLUSION: Among patients undergoing L-RPS, the IS did not significantly correlate with most outcome measures associated with intraoperative difficulty and postoperative outcomes. Similarly, tumor location had no effect on L-RPS outcomes.

Repeat hepatectomy for recurrent colorectal liver metastases: A comparative analysis of short- and long-term results.

BACKGROUND: Liver recurrence after resection of colorectal liver metastases (CRLM) is frequent. Repeat hepatectomy has been shown to have satisfactory perioperative results. However, the long-term outcomes and the benefits for patients with early recurrence have not been clarified. The aim of this study was to compare the short- and long-term outcomes of patients undergoing single hepatectomy and repeat hepatectomy for CRLM. Additionally, the oncological outcomes of patients with early (≤ 6 months) and late recurrence who underwent repeat hepatectomy were compared. METHODS: Consecutive adult patients undergoing hepatectomy for CRLM between June 2000 and February 2020 were included and divided into two groups: single hepatectomy and repeat hepatectomy. RESULTS: A total of 709 patients were included: 649 in the single hepatectomy group and 60 in the repeat hepatectomy group. Patients in the repeat hepatectomy group underwent more cycles of preoperative chemotherapy [4 (3-6) vs. 3 (2-4), P = 0.003]. Patients in the single hepatectomy group more frequently underwent major hepatectomies (34.5% vs. 16.7%, P = 0.004) and had a greater number of lesions resected (2.9 ± 3.6 vs. 1.9 ± 1.8, P = 0.011). There was no increase in operative time, estimated blood loss, length of hospital stay, complications, or mortality in the repeat hepatectomy group. There were no differences in overall survival (P = 0.626) and disease-free survival (P = 0.579) between the two groups. Similarly, for patients underwent repeat hepatectomy, no difference was observed between the early and late recurrence groups in terms of overall survival (P = 0.771) or disease-free survival (P = 0.350). CONCLUSIONS: Repeat hepatectomy is feasible and safe, with similar short- and long-term outcomes when compared to single hepatectomy. Surgical treatment of early liver recurrence offers similar oncological outcomes to those obtained for late recurrence.

Preoperative inflammatory markers as prognostic predictors after hepatocellular carcinoma resection: data from a western referral center.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies from eastern centers have demonstrate an association between inflammatory response and long-term outcomes after hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) resection. However, the prognostic impact of inflammatory markers in western patients, with distinct tumor and epidemiologic features, is still unknown. AIM: To evaluate the prognostic impact of preoperative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR), as well as their impact according to tumor size (< 5 cm, 5-10 cm, > 10 cm) in patients undergoing HCC resection with curative intent. METHODS: Optimal cut-off values for NLR, PLR, and MLR were determined by plotting the receiver operator curves. Overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) curves were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared using the log-rank test. The Cox method was used to identify independent predictors of OS and DFS. RESULTS: In total, 161 consecutive adult patients were included. A high NLR (> 1.715) was associated with worse OS (P = 0.018). High NLR (> 2.475; P = 0.047) and PLR (> 100.25; P = 0.028) were predictors of short DFS. In HCC < 5 cm, MLR (> 1.715) was associated with worse OS (P = 0.047). In the multivariate analysis, high PLR was an independent predictor of worse DFS [hazard ratio (HR) 3.029; 95%CI 1.499-6.121; P = 0.002]. CONCLUSION: Inflammatory markers are useful tools to predict long-term outcomes after liver resection in western patients, high NLR was able to stratify subgroups of patients with short OS and DFS, an increased PLR was an independent predictor of short DFS, while high MLR was associated with short OS in patients with early HCC.

Infiltrative Tumor Borders in Colorectal Liver Metastasis: Should We Enlarge Margin Size?

BACKGROUND: Surgery is the only potentially curative treatment for colorectal cancer liver metastases (CRLMs). Despite an improvement in results following resection, recurrence rates remain high. Many histopathological features have been reported as prognostic factors. Infiltrative borders are known to be associated with worse prognosis; however, margin size has never been evaluated together with the type of tumor border. In the present study, we analyzed the prognosis of patients with resected CRLM according to tumor growth pattern (TGP) and whether a larger margin size would bring any prognostic benefit. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Medical records from a prospective database of 645 patients who underwent hepatic resection for CRLM between January 2004 and December 2019 at a single center were reviewed, and 266 patients were included in the analytic cohort. TGP (pushing or infiltrative) was evaluated regarding the impact in overall and disease-free survival. The impact of margin size (≤ or > 1 cm) on survival and hepatic recurrence according to TGP was also evaluated. RESULTS: TGP was defined as infiltrative in 182 cases (68.4%) and pushing in 84 patients (31.6%). Patients with infiltrative-type border presented worse overall survival and disease-free survival, as well as higher intrahepatic recurrence (p < 0.05). Larger margin size did not impact the prognosis of patients with infiltrative borders. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with infiltrative-type border present worse prognosis and higher intrahepatic recurrence. Larger margin size (> 1 cm) does not change the prognosis in patients with infiltrative border, showing that tumor biology is the most important factor for survival.

Mucinous cystic neoplasm of the liver with biliary communication: case report and surgical therapeutic option.

BACKGROUND: Mucinous cyst neoplasm of the liver (MCN-L) comprise less than 5% of all cystic liver lesions and is characterized by the presence of ovarian stroma and absence of bile duct communication. CASE PRESENTATION: Here, we discuss a 45-year-old woman who presented with symptomatic liver mass. Diagnostic workup detected a 4.2 × 3.6 cm septate cyst located in segments I, V, and VIII of the liver in communication with the right hepatic duct. An open right liver resection with total bile duct excision and hilar lymphadenectomy was performed. Pathology revealed a multiloculated cyst with lined mucinous epithelium and ovarian-like stroma, consistent with low-grade MCN-L. CONCLUSIONS: This case shows that unusual location and bile duct communication can be present in MCN-L.

Minimally invasive versus open right hepatectomy: comparative study with propensity score matching analysis.

BACKGROUND: Minimally invasive liver resections (MILRs) have been increasingly performed in recent years. However, the majority of MILRs are actually minor or limited resections of peripheral lesions. Due to the technical complexity major hepatectomies remain challenging for minimally invasive surgery. The aim of this study was to compare the short and long-term outcomes of patients undergoing minimally invasive right hepatectomies (MIRHs) with contemporary patients undergoing open right hepatectomies (ORHs) METHODS: Consecutive patients submitted to anatomic right hepatectomies between January 2013 and December 2018 in two tertiary referral centers were studied. Study groups were compared on an intention-to-treat basis after propensity score matching (PSM). Overall survival (OS) analyses were performed for the entire cohort and specific etiologies subgroups RESULTS: During study period 178 right hepatectomies were performed. After matching, 37 patients were included in MIRH group and 60 in ORH group. The groups were homogenous for all baseline characteristics. MIRHs had significant lower blood loss (400 ml vs. 500 ml, P = 0.01), lower rate of minor complications (13.5% vs. 35%, P = 0.03) and larger resection margins (10 mm vs. 5 mm, P = 0.03) when compared to ORHs. Additionally, a non-significant decrease in hospital stay (ORH 9 days vs. MIRH 7 days, P = 0.09) was observed. No differences regarding the use of Pringle's maneuver, operative time, overall morbidity or perioperative mortality were observed. OS was similar between the groups (P = 0.13). Similarly, no difference in OS was found in subgroups of patients with primary liver tumors (P = 0.09) and liver metastasis (P = 0.80). CONCLUSIONS: MIRHs are feasible and safe in experienced hands. Minimally invasive approach was associated with less blood loss, a significant reduction in minor perioperative complications, and did not negatively affect long-term outcomes.

Laparoscopic Right Hepatectomy for Cirrhotic Patients: Takasaki's Hilar Control and Caudal Approach.

BACKGROUND: Cirrhotic patients bearing hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC) derive benefits from laparoscopic hepatectomy1 - 6 such as reduced bleeding, less overall and liver-specific complications, and fewer adhesions in the case of future reoperation or transplantation.7 - 10 Bleeding is concerning in the setting of cirrhosis,11 - 15 and adequate inflow control reduces blood loss. The caudal approach is the laparoscopic counterpart of the anterior approach to open surgery. It implies in parenchymal transection initiated from the visceral surface of the liver after limited hepatic mobilization, reducing the risk of increased circulating tumoral cells.16 - 18 Venous outflow transection and completion of ligament mobilization are left as last steps. METHODS: A 46 years-old-male with hepatitis C virus and alcoholic cirrhosis was diagnosed with a 4-cm HCC (right hepatic lobe). Expected future liver remnant was 45 % of his total liver volume. A totally laparoscopic right hepatectomy was performed using six ports, and the specimen was removed through a Pfannenstiel auxiliary incision. A 10-mm 30° scope was used. The pneumoperitoneum pressure was set to 12 mmHg. The right hepatic pedicle, the caudate lobe, and the major hepatic veins were managed with laparoscopic vascular staplers. RESULTS: Surgery was performed with limited liver mobilization and en bloc extrafascial right pedicle control (Takasaki's technique),19 followed by caudal parenchymal transection along the paracaval plane. The operative time was 450 min, and the estimated blood loss was 800 ml (no transfusion was required). CONCLUSION: The laparoscopic Takasaki technique and caudal approach are feasible procedures in the setting of cirrhosis, resulting in an oncologic adequate intervention with less morbidity.

Intrahepatic lymphatic invasion but not vascular invasion is a major prognostic factor after resection of colorectal cancer liver metastases.

BACKGROUND: Despite advances in diagnosis and surgical strategies, up to 70% of patients will develop recurrence of the disease after resection of colorectal cancer liver metastases (CRCLM). The purpose of our study was to determine the frequency of four different mechanisms of intrahepatic dissemination, and to evaluate the impact of each mechanism on patient outcomes. METHODS: The medical records of 118 patients who underwent a first resection of CRCLM during the period between 2000 and 2010 were reviewed. Clinicopathologic variables and outcome parameters were examined. Resected specimens were submitted to routine histological evaluation, and immunohistochemical staining with D2-40 (lymphatic vessels), CD34 (blood vessels), CK-7 (biliary epithelium), and CK-20 (CRC cells). RESULTS: The mean follow-up after resection was 38 months. Tumor recurrence was observed in 76 patients, with a median interval of 13 months after resection. Overall survival and disease-free survival (DFS) rates after hepatectomy were 62 and 56%, and 26 and 24% at 3 and 5 years, respectively. Intrahepatic microscopic invasion included portal venous in 49 patients, sinusoidal in 43 patients, biliary in 20 patients, and lymphatic in 33 patients. Intra-hepatic lymphatic invasion was the only mechanism of dissemination independently associated with the risk of hepatic recurrence (odds ratio 2.75) and shorter DFS (p = 0.006). CONCLUSION: Intrahepatic lymphatic invasion is a significant prognostic factor. Other mechanisms of invasion, although frequently observed, are not related to recurrence or survival, suggesting that the lymphatic system is the main route for dissemination of CRCLM. Furthermore, immunohistochemical detection of intrahepatic lymphatic invasion might be of value in clinical practice.

Surgical treatment of fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma: an underestimated malignant tumor?

BACKGROUND: Fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma (FLHCC) is a rare disease with an indolent behavior. Its prognosis is better than that of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. The authors present their experience with resection of FLHCC. METHODS: Twenty-one patients with FLHCC were treated at our institution between 1990 and 2012. Of these patients, 14 were subjected to resection of the tumor. Patient demographics, medical history, results of imaging studies and laboratory tests, surgical data, and pathologic findings were evaluated. RESULTS: The median age of the patients at the diagnosis of the tumor was 20 years and 14 patients were female. None of the patients had tumor-associated chronic liver disease or cirrhosis. The mean tumor size was 12.8 cm (range 6-19) and 18 patients had a single liver nodule. Fourteen patients were subjected to hepatectomy and six of them had lymph node metastases resected. Pathologic evaluation revealed that 5 (35.7%) patients had major vascular invasion. Tumor recurrence was seen in 8 patients (66.7%), during a follow-up. The median survival time for patients who were subjected to resection was 36 months. The 5-year overall survival rate and disease free survival rate were 28.0% and 8.5%, respectively. Univariate analysis showed that vascular invasion was the only variable associated with the disease free survival rate. CONCLUSIONS: Despite an aggressive treatment, patients with FLHCC presented unexpected low survival rates. It seems that an underestimated malignant behavior is attributed to this disease, and that the forms of adjuvant treatment should be urgently evaluated.

Laparoscopic hepatic posterior sectionectomy: a hand-assisted approach.

BACKGROUND: Hepatic resection remains a challenging procedure in laparoscopy, requiring trained surgical teams and specialized centers.1 (-) 3 Operating on the posterior segments of the liver brings additional concerns, such as vascular control, right liver mobilization from the retroperitoneum and diaphragm, and a large transection area.1 (,) 3 (-) 6 Here we present a case of a hepatitis B-positive 42-year-old woman with a neoplastic nodule on the right posterior section of the noncirrhotic liver. METHODS: Pneumoperitoneum was made through a hand port, and three additional trocars were placed. Intrahepatic glissonian pedicle control was achieved after liver mobilization. Parenchymal transection was performed through the demarcation line between the anterior well vascularized and the posterior ischemic right segments of the liver. All surgical steps were performed with hand assistance. RESULTS: Operative time was 210 min, and estimated blood loss was 300 ml. Postoperative was uneventful. The patient was discharged on the fourth postoperative day. Histological evaluation confirmed the diagnosis of a well-differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma. The patient was free of disease after 18 months of follow-up. DISCUSSION: Our video shows a standardized operative strategy in which the hand assistance plays important role. Posterosuperior segments of the liver are still less often approached by laparoscopic surgery as a result of its limitations on visualization, mobilization, pedicle control, and parenchymal transection.1 (,) 3 (,) 6 Hand assistance helps solve these issues, making assisted resection easier than a purely laparoscopic approach and more advantageous over the open technique, providing the benefits of laparoscopy without compromising oncological safety.7.

Multiple colorectal liver metastases resection can offer long-term survival: The concept of a chronic neoplastic disease.

BACKGROUND: Resection for colorectal liver metastases has evolved significantly and, currently, there are no limits to the number of resected nodules. This study aimed to evaluate the outcomes and prognostic factors after liver resection for patients with ≥4 colorectal liver metastases, emphasizing long-term survival. METHODS: The study population consisted of 137 patients with ≥4 colorectal liver metastases out of a total of 597 patients with colorectal liver metastases who underwent curative intent liver resection from January 2010 to July 2019 in a single hepatobiliary center. RESULTS: The probability of overall and disease-free survival at 1, 3, and 5 years was 90.8%, 64.5%, 40.6%, and 37.7%, 19.3%, 18.1%, respectively. In a multivariate analysis for overall survival, the size of the largest metastatic nodule was the only unfavorable factor (P = .001). For disease-free survival, complete pathological response was a favorable factor (P = .04), and the following were negative factors: number of nodules ≥7 (P = .034), radiofrequency ablation during surgery (P = .04), positive primary tumor lymph nodes (P = .034), R1 resection (P = .011), and preoperative carcinoembryonic antigen >20 ng/mL (P = .015). After the first and second years of follow-up, 59 patients (45.3%) and 45 patients (34.6%), respectively, were not receiving chemotherapy. After 5 years of follow-up, 21 (16.1%) multimetastatic patients were chemotherapy-free. CONCLUSION: A significant number of patients with multiple colorectal liver metastases will present long-term survival and should not be denied surgery. The long-term survival rates, even in the presence of recurrence, characterize a chronic neoplastic disease.

Current status and future perspectives of radiomics in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Given the frequent co-existence of an aggressive tumor and underlying chronic liver disease, the management of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients requires experienced multidisciplinary team discussion. Moreover, imaging plays a key role in the diagnosis, staging, restaging, and surveillance of HCC. Currently, imaging assessment of HCC entails the assessment of qualitative characteristics which are prone to inter-reader variability. Radiomics is an emerging field that extracts high-dimensional mineable quantitative features that cannot be assessed visually with the naked eye from medical imaging. The main potential applications of radiomic models in HCC are to predict histology, response to treatment, genetic signature, recurrence, and survival. Despite the encouraging results to date, there are challenges and limitations that need to be overcome before radiomics implementation in clinical practice. The purpose of this article is to review the main concepts and challenges pertaining to radiomics, and to review recent studies and potential applications of radiomics in HCC.

Treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma with macroscopic vascular invasion: A systematic review and network meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to evaluate the outcomes of different treatments for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and macroscopic vascular invasion. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis of comparative studies was performed to evaluate various treatment modalities for HCC with macroscopic vascular invasion, including liver resection (LR), liver transplantation (LT), transarterial chemoembolization (TACE), transarterial radioembolization (TARE), radiotherapy (RT), radiofrequency ablation (RFA), and antineoplastic systemic therapy (AnST). RESULTS: After applying the selection criteria, 31 studies were included. The surgical resection (SR) group (including LR and LT) had a similar mortality rate to the non-surgical resection (NS) group (RD = -0.01; 95% CI -0.05 to 0.03). The SR group had a higher rate of complications (RD = 0.06; 95% CI 0.00 to 0.12) but a higher 3-year overall survival (OS) rate than the NS group (RD = 0.12; 95% CI 0.05 to 0.20). The network analysis revealed that the overall survival was lower in the AnST group. LT and LR had similar survival benefits. The meta-regression suggested that SR has a greater impact on the survival of patients with impaired liver function. DISCUSSION: Most likely, LT has a significant impact on long-term survival and consequently would be a better option for HCC with macroscopic vascular invasion in patients with impaired liver function. LT and LR offer a higher chance of long-term survival than NS alternatives, although LR and LR are associated with a higher risk of procedure-related complications.

HEPATOSPLENIC SCHISTOSOMIASIS-ASSOCIATED CHRONIC PORTAL VEIN THROMBOSIS: RISK FACTOR FOR HEPATOCELLULAR CARCINOMA?

BACKGROUND: Hepatosplenic schistosomiasis is an endemic disease prevalent in tropical countries and is associated with a high incidence of portal vein thrombosis. Inflammatory changes caused by both parasitic infection and portal thrombosis can lead to the development of chronic liver disease with potential carcinogenesis. AIMS: To assess the incidence of portal vein thrombosis and hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with schistosomiasis during long-term follow-up. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted involving patients with schistosomiasis followed up at our institution between 1990 and 2021. RESULTS: A total of 126 patients with schistosomiasis were evaluated in the study. The mean follow-up time was 16 years (range 5-31). Of the total, 73 (57.9%) patients presented portal vein thrombosis during follow-up. Six (8.1%) of them were diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma, all with portal vein thrombosis diagnosed more than ten years before. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with schistosomiasis and chronic portal vein thrombosis highlights the importance of a systematic long-term follow-up in this group of patients.

Impact of neoadjuvant chemotherapy on the difficulty and outcomes of laparoscopic and robotic major liver resections for colorectal liver metastases: A propensity-score and coarsened exact-matched controlled study.

BACKGROUND: Minimal invasive liver resections are a safe alternative to open surgery. Different scoring systems considering different risks factors have been developed to predict the risks associated with these procedures, especially challenging major liver resections (MLR). However, the impact of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAT) on the difficulty of minimally invasive MLRs remains poorly investigated. METHODS: Patients who underwent laparoscopic and robotic MLRs for colorectal liver metastases (CRLM) performed across 57 centers between January 2005 to December 2021 were included in this analysis. Patients who did or did not receive NAT were matched based on 1:1 coarsened exact and 1:2 propensity-score matching. Pre- and post-matching comparisons were performed. RESULTS: In total, the data of 5189 patients were reviewed. Of these, 1411 procedures were performed for CRLM, and 1061 cases met the inclusion criteria. After excluding 27 cases with missing data on NAT, 1034 patients (NAT: n = 641; non-NAT: n = 393) were included. Before matching, baseline characteristics were vastly different. Before matching, the morbidity rate was significantly higher in the NAT-group (33.2% vs. 27.2%, p-value = 0.043). No significant differences were seen in perioperative outcomes after the coarsened exact matching. After the propensity-score matching, statistically significant higher blood loss (mean, 300 (SD 128-596) vs. 250 (SD 100-400) ml, p-value = 0.047) but shorter hospital stay (mean, 6 [4-8] vs. 6 [5-9] days, p-value = 0.043) were found in the NAT-group. CONCLUSION: The current study demonstrated that NAT had minimal impact on the difficulty and outcomes of minimally-invasive MLR for CRLM.