Evaluation of a delayed liver transplantation strategy for patients with HCC receiving bridging therapy: the DELTA-HCC study.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: To maximize utility and prevent premature liver transplantation (LT), a delayed LT strategy (DS) was adopted in France in 2015 in patients listed for any single HCC treated with resection or thermal ablation during the waiting phase. The DS involves postponing LT until recurrence. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the DS to make sure that it did not hamper pre- and post-LT outcomes. METHODS: Patients listed for HCC in France between 2015 and 2018 were studied. After data extraction from the national LT database, 2,025 patients were identified and classified according to six groups: single tumor entering DS, single tumor not entering DS, multiple tumors, no curative treatment, untreatable HCC or T1 tumors. Kaplan-Meier estimates of the 18-month risk of dropout for death, too sick to be transplanted or tumor progression before LT, 5-year post-LT HCC recurrence and post-LT survival rates were compared. RESULTS: Median waiting-time in the DS group was 910 days. Pre-LT dropout probability was significantly lower in the DS group compared to other groups (13% vs. 19%, p = 0.0043) and significantly higher in the T1 group (25.4%, p = 0.05). Post-LT HCC recurrence rate in the multiple nodules group was significantly higher (19.6%, p = 0.019), while 5-year post-LT survival did not differ among groups and was 74% in the DS group (p = 0.22). CONCLUSION: The DELTA-HCC study shows that DS does not negatively impact either pre- nor post-LT patient outcomes, and has the potential to allow for redistribution of organs to patients in more urgent need of LT. It can reasonably be proposed and pursued. The unexpectedly high risk of dropout in T1 patients seems related to the MELD-based offering rules underserving this subgroup. IMPACTS AND IMPLICATIONS: To maximize utility and prevent premature liver transplantation (LT), a delayed LT strategy was adopted in France in 2015. It involves postponing LT until recurrence in patients listed for any single HCC curatively treated by surgical resection or thermal ablation. The DELTA-HCC study was conducted to evaluate this nationwide strategy. It shows in a European LT program that delayed strategy does not negatively impact pre- nor post-LT patient outcomes and is relevant to up to 20% of LT candidates; thus, it could potentially enable the redistribution of organs to patients in more urgent need of LT. Such a delayed strategy can reasonably be pursued and extended to other LT programs. Of note, an unexpectedly high risk of dropout in T1 patients, seemingly related to MELD-based offering rules which underserve these patients, calls for further scrutinization and revision of allocation rules in this subgroup.

REDISCOVER International Guidelines on the Perioperative Care of Surgical Patients With Borderline-resectable and Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer.

OBJECTIVE: The REDISCOVER consensus conference aimed at developing and validating guidelines on the perioperative care of patients with borderline-resectable (BR-) and locally advanced (LA) pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). BACKGROUND: Coupled with improvements in chemotherapy and radiation, the contemporary approach to pancreatic surgery supports the resection of BR-PDAC and, to a lesser extent, LA-PDAC. Guidelines outlining the selection and perioperative care for these patients are lacking. METHODS: The Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) methodology was used to develop the REDISCOVER guidelines and create recommendations. The Delphi approach was used to reach a consensus (agreement ≥80%) among experts. Recommendations were approved after a debate and vote among international experts in pancreatic surgery and pancreatic cancer management. A Validation Committee used the AGREE II-GRS tool to assess the methodological quality of the guidelines. Moreover, an independent multidisciplinary advisory group revised the statements to ensure adherence to nonsurgical guidelines. RESULTS: Overall, 34 recommendations were created targeting centralization, training, staging, patient selection for surgery, possibility of surgery in uncommon scenarios, timing of surgery, avoidance of vascular reconstruction, details of vascular resection/reconstruction, arterial divestment, frozen section histology of perivascular tissue, extent of lymphadenectomy, anticoagulation prophylaxis, and role of minimally invasive surgery. The level of evidence was however low for 29 of 34 clinical questions. Participants agreed that the most conducive means to promptly advance our understanding in this field is to establish an international registry addressing this patient population ( https://rediscover.unipi.it/ ). CONCLUSIONS: The REDISCOVER guidelines provide clinical recommendations pertaining to pancreatectomy with vascular resection for patients with BR-PDAC and LA-PDAC, and serve as the basis of a new international registry for this patient population.

Ante Situm Liver Resection for Tumors Invading the Inferior Vena Cava Hepatic Vein Confluence.

BACKGROUND: Liver malignancy invading the retrohepatic inferior vena cava beyond the cavo-hepatic vein venous confluence can be resected by an ante situm technique first described by Hannoun et al.1 In this approach, a major hepatectomy is performed and the hepatic veins are sectioned to allow the inferior vena cava reconstruction while the liver is cold perfused and the liver remains within the abdominal cavity. The hepatic vein is then reimplanted on the reconstructed inferior vena cava in "a liver autotransplantation fashion." PATIENT AND METHODS: The patient was a 66-year-old with a recurrent adrenocortical carcinoma cancer invading the right liver and the retrohepatic inferior vena cava with intraluminal thrombus extending beyond to the hepatic vein confluence. A right hepatectomy extended to segment 1 and the retrohepatic inferior vena cava was planned because of the intracaval tumoral thrombus and the infiltration of the right liver. The future liver remnant (FLR) (646 cc) to total liver volume (1526 cc) ratios was 42% while the FLR to patient weight ratio was 0.9%. RESULTS: The parenchymal liver transection was performed under a total vascular exclusion, venovenous bypass, and hypothermic perfusion of the left liver.2 The common trunk of the left and middle hepatic veins was sectioned, allowing the liver to be rotated toward the left. Vena cava reconstruction was achieved by a ringed Gore-Tex prosthesis, with reimplantation of the left and middle hepatic veins directly over the prosthesis. Surgery lasted 580 min, total duration of venovenous bypass and liver vascular exclusion was 143 min and 140 min, respectively. Blood loss was 2 liters and 8 red blood cell (RBC) units were transfused. The patient spent 5 days in the ICU, liver function tests normalized by postoperative day 8 and patient was discharged home on postoperative day 20; 1 year later, the patient is alive and disease free under mitotane treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The ante situm technique represents a safe surgical option for complex liver resection for malignancy involving the cavo-hepatic venous confluence. Compared with the ex situ liver resection, this technique allows liver remnant outflow reconstruction to be performed while the liver is cold perfused within the abdominal cavity with an intact hepatic pedicle.

Anastomotic bleeding from invaginated pancreaticogastrostomy following pancreatoduodenectomy: incidence, risk factors, treatment and prevention.

BACKGROUND: Meta-analysis of 10 randomized prospective trials demonstrated a higher risk of postoperative bleeding from pancreaticogastrostomy (PG) compared with pancreatojejunostomy following pancreatoduodenectomy (PD). This study evaluated the incidence, risk factors, and treatment of anastomotic bleeding from invaginated PG. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated all consecutive PDs performed between April 1, 2011 and December 31, 2022 using invaginated PG by the double purse-string technique. Multivariate analysis identified risk factors for anastomotic PG bleeding. RESULTS: During the study, 695 consecutive patients with a median age of 66 years underwent PD; the majority was performed for ductal pancreatic adenocarcinomas. Simultaneous vascular resections were performed in 328 patients. Postoperative mortality was 4.1%. Bleeding from PG occurred in 33(4.6%) patients at a median interval of 5 days (range, 1-14) from surgery, leading to reoperation in 21(63%). PG bleeding-related mortality was 9.0%. Multivariate analyses identified a soft pancreatic texture and Wirsung duct > 3 or ≤ 3 mm (Class C and D, respectively, of the ISGPS) (odds ratio [OR]: 2.17, 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 1.38-3.44; P = 0.0009) and wrapping of the invaginated pancreas (OR: 0.37, 95% CI: 0.17-0.84; P = 0.01) as independent risk factors for PG bleeding. CONCLUSIONS: In a large volume setting, anastomotic bleeding from invaginated PG occurred in ~ 5% of patients and was associated with soft pancreatic parenchyma and small wirsung duct. The reduced rate of PG bleeding observed with wrapping of the invaginated pancreatic stump warrants further evaluation in a prospective randomized study.

Preoperative pancreatic radiologic characteristics predict pancreatic-specific complications before pancreaticoduodenectomy: the pancreatic acinar radiologic score.

BACKGROUND: High acinar pancreatic contents are associated with a higher rate of postpancreatectomy acute pancreatitis and pancreatic fistula formation (POPF). Predicting acinar contents preoperatively might identify those at high risk of developing postoperative complications. METHODS: A multivariable analysis was performed to identify radiological factors associated with high pancreatic acinar content at histology in patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy. Clinical and radiological variables identified were used to build a composite score predicting low, moderate, and high acinar pancreatic contents. RESULTS: Pancreatic density, wirsung caliber, and pancreatic thickness on preoperative CT-scan predicted acinar contents. These three variables predicted low, moderate, and high acinar content in 94 (26%), 122 (33.6%), and 147 (40.5%) patients, respectively. Patients with high radiological acinar scores compared with patients with intermediate-low risk scores were more frequently male (73.4% vs. 54.1%; p = 0.0003), obese (14% vs. 6%; p = 0.01), and had a statistically significant higher rate of pancreatic-specific complications (23.8% vs. 8.33%; p = 0.01), POPF (12.9% vs. 4.63%; p = 0.005) and pancreaticogastrostomy bleeding (10.8% vs. 4.17%; p = 0.01). CONCLUSION: A simple radiological score combining pancreatic thickness, density, and wirsung caliber at CT scan preoperatively predicts patients with pancreatic parenchyma that are at higher risk of postoperative pancreatic-specific complications.

Comparing indications, complexity and outcomes of laparoscopic liver resection between centers with and without a liver transplant program: a French nationwide study.

BACKGROUND: There are no data to evaluate the difference in populations and impact of centers with liver transplant programs in performing laparoscopic liver resection (LLR). METHODS: This was a multicenter study including patients undergoing LLR for benign and malignant tumors at 27 French centers from 1996 to 2018. The main outcomes were postoperative severe morbidity and mortality. RESULTS: A total of 3154 patients were included, and 14 centers were classified as transplant centers (N = 2167 patients, 68.7 %). The transplant centers performed more difficult LLRs and more resections for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients who more frequently had cirrhosis. A higher rate of performing the Pringle maneuver, a lower rate of blood loss and a higher rate of open conversion (all p < 0.05) were observed in the transplant centers. There was no association between the presence of a liver transplant program and either postoperative severe morbidity (<10 % in each group; p = 0.228) or mortality (1 % in each group; p = 0.915). CONCLUSIONS: Most HCCs, difficult LLRs, and cirrhotic patients are treated in transplant centers. We show that all centers can achieve comparable safety and quality of care in LLR independent of the presence of a liver transplant program.

Graft reduction in adult liver transplantation: indications, techniques, and outcomes.

PURPOSE: Graft reduction can be a patient's graft-saving option to avoid large-for-size (LFS) syndrome. This study aimed to summarize the literature on graft reduction in adult liver transplantation and to demonstrate the technique of H67 graft hepatectomy. METHODS: The technique, shown in a didactical video, entails an ex situ posterior sectionectomy under hypothermic perfusion. The right hepatic vein is identified, and the transection line follows the right hepatic fissure. The Glissonean pedicles are ligated during parenchymal transection. RESULTS: A narrative review of the literature yielded 7 studies. A total of 15 liver grafts were reduced in adult liver transplantations. Most of the reductions were ex situ (11/15 [73.3%]). Graft reduction entailed an H67 sectionectomy in 10 cases and an H23 sectionectomy in 1 case. In situ reduction included 1 right hepatectomy (H5678), 2 H67 sectionectomies, and 1 H23 left lateral sectionectomy. The duration of the ex situ reduction averaged 56 minutes (median: 40.5 minutes; IQR, 33.0-130.0), and the graft weight-to-recipient weight ratio decreased from 3.57% ± 0.40% to 2.70% ± 0.50% after graft reduction. The average cold ischemia time was 390 minutes (IQR, 230-570). There was no liver retransplantation. CONCLUSION: Graft reduction in adult liver transplantation may be necessary to avoid LFS syndrome. Ex-situ H67 posterior sectionectomy represents the easiest graft reduction hepatectomy and is able to minimize the occurrence of graft compression while leaving enough functional liver parenchyma.

The impact of cirrhosis on short and long postoperative outcomes after distal pancreatectomy.

BACKGROUND: The impact of cirrhosis on the postoperative outcomes of distal pancreatectomy is yet to be reported. We aimed to evaluate the outcomes of distal pancreatectomy in patients with cirrhosis. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective, multicentric study patients with cirrhosis who underwent planned distal pancreatectomy between 2008 and 2020 in French high volume centers. Patients with cirrhosis were matched 1:4 for demographic, surgical, and histologic criteria with patients without cirrhosis. The primary endpoint was severe morbidity (Clavien-Dindo grade ≥III). The secondary endpoints were postoperative complications, specifically related to cirrhosis and pancreatic surgery, and survival for patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma. RESULTS: Overall, 32 patients with cirrhosis were matched with 128 patients without cirrhosis. Most patients (93.5%) had Child-Pugh A cirrhosis. The severe morbidity rate after distal pancreatectomy was higher in patients with cirrhosis than in those without cirrhosis (28.13% vs 25.75%, P = .11. The operative time was significantly longer in the cirrhotic group compared with controls (P = .01). However, patients with and without cirrhosis had comparable blood loss and conversion rates. Postoperatively, the two groups had similar rates of pancreatic fistula, hemorrhage, reoperation, postoperative mortality, and survival rates at 1, 3, and 5 years. CONCLUSION: The current study suggests that distal pancreatectomy in high-volume centers is feasible for patients with compensated cirrhosis.

Minimally invasive versus open distal pancreatectomy for resectable pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors: A propensity score matched multicentric comparative French study.

BACKGROUND: Minimally invasive surgery has gained momentum for left pancreatic resections. However, debate remains about whether it has any advantage over open surgery for distal pancreatectomy for pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. METHODS: This retrospective review examined pancreatectomies performed for resectable pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors at 21 centers in France between January 2014 and December 2018. Short and long-term outcomes were compared before and after propensity score matching based on tumor size, sex, age, body mass index, center, and method of pancreatic transection. RESULTS: During the period study, 274 patients underwent left pancreatic resection for pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors [109 underwent distal splenopancreatectomy, and 165 underwent spleen-preserving distal pancreatectomy [(splenic vessel preservation (n = 97; 58.7%)/splenic vessel resection (n = 68; 41.3%)]. Before propensity score matching, minimally invasive surgery was associated with a lower rate of major morbidity (P = .004), lower rate of postoperative delayed gastric emptying (P = .04), and higher rate of "textbook" outcomes (P = .04). After propensity score matching, there were 2 groups of 54 patients (n = 30 distal splenopancreatectomy; n = 78 spleen-preserving distal pancreatectomy). Minimally invasive surgery was associated with less blood loss (P = .05), decreased rate of major morbidity (6% vs. 24%; P = .02), less delayed gastric emptying (P = .05) despite similar rates of postoperative fistula, hemorrhage, and reoperation (P > .05). The 5-year overall survival (79% vs. 75%; P = .74) and recurrence-free survival (10% vs 17%; P = .39) were similar. CONCLUSION: Minimally invasive surgery for left pancreatic resection can be safely proposed for patients with resectable left pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. Minimally invasive surgery decreases the rate of major complications while providing comparable long-term oncologic outcomes.