Repeated resection for extrahepatic recurrences after hepatectomy for ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma

In March 1999, a 54-year-old man with chronic hepatitis C was referred to our hospital because of ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) located in Couinaud's segments 4 and 8. He underwent central bisegmentectomy of the liver with partial resection of the diaphragm. After the first surgery, extrahepatic metastases were found on different occasions in the abdominal wall, thoracic cavity, and greater omentum and were all surgically resected. In February 2001, the serum protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonist-II (PIVKA-II) level increased markedly to 19,000 mAU/l. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a massive right subphrenic tumor with invasion to the right diaphragm and posterior segment of the liver. The patient underwent en bloc resection of the tumor, diaphragm, posterior segment of the liver, and right lower pulmonary lobe. After the surgery, the PIVKA-II level rapidly decreased, and it has remained within the normal range to date. Two years after the last surgery, the patient is doing well without any extrahepatic recurrence, although small intrahepatic recurrences have been completely treated by radiofrequency ablation and transcatheter arterial chemoembolization. Ruptured HCC often exacerbates the risk of peritoneal dissemination and is usually difficult to completely resect. This is an extremely rare case of a patient who successfully underwent five repeated resections for extrahepatic recurrences after hepatectomy for ruptured HCC.