Preoperative hyaluronic acid measurement to assess the hepatic functional reserve

With liver surgery, preoperative assessment of the hepatic functional reserve is important for estimating the extent of hepatectomy. Hyaluronic acid (HA) is specifically cleared and metabolized by endothelial cells in the liver. Its half-life time is 2-5 min and HA might be a sensitive liver function marker. We obtained data from 44 patients with liver tumor undergoing liver resection.

We studied 44 liver resected patients. Blood samples were obtained before surgery and HA levels and other liver function markers [type IV collagen (IV), procollagen-III-peptide (PIIIP), lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT), cholinesterase (ChE), albumin (Alb), platelets (Plt), prothrombin time (PT%)] levels in the samples were measured. We also performed indocyanine green retention test and calculate R15% (ICG).

HA showed strong positive correlation with ICG, IV and PIIIP, negative correlation with LCAT, ChE, Alb, Plt and PT%. ICG was not correlated with ChE, Plt and PT%. The HA levels and ICG of the patients who had more than 2 segments of the liver resected were below 100 ng/mL and 20%, respectively. In the patients with obstructive jaundice HA levels of the 3 patients with obstructive jaundice who underwent bisegmentectomy were below 100 ng/mL.

Our findings suggest that HA is a useful preoperative liver function test as well as ICGR15%. Preoperative HA levels <100 ng/mL and ICGR15% <20% might be helpful indicators for major liver resection. We also recommend that HA measurement for evaluating liver function in the patients with obstructive jaundice ICG is not helpful.