Two hundred liver hanging maneuvers for major hepatectomy: a single-center experience

To establish the indications of the liver hanging maneuver for major hepatectomy.

The liver hanging maneuver, which is a technique of passing a tape along the retrohepatic avascular space and suspending the liver during parenchymal transection, facilitates anterior approach of major hepatectomy. However, the feasibility and limits of this maneuver have never been established in patients with different clinical backgrounds.

Medical records of 242 consecutive patients considered for major hepatectomy using the hanging maneuver were reviewed.

Among 242 patients, 14 patients (6%) were considered to have contraindication for this maneuver preoperatively because of tumor infiltration to anterior surface of retrohepatic inferior vena cava (IVC). It was successful in 201 patients with overall feasibility of 88%. The feasibility increased significantly in the recent years as compared with the initial years (94% in 2003-2005 vs. 76% in 2000-2002, P < 0.0001). Bleeding during the retrohepatic dissection occurred in 5 patients (2%), which was minor due to injury of hepatic capsule in 3 (1%) and major due to injury of short hepatic vein in 2 (1%). In all cases, bleeding stopped spontaneously. The maneuver was abandoned in 27 patients, including 15 related to severe adhesion between liver and IVC. Univariate analysis showed that adhesion between IVC and liver was the only significant negative predictor affecting the feasibility. Cirrhosis, large tumor, preoperative radiologic treatments did not influence on the feasibility.

The liver hanging maneuver has 94% feasibility in recent years. Absolute contraindication is tumor infiltration to the retrohepatic avascular space. Adhesion between the IVC and liver has a negative impact of the feasibility. According to this indication, the hanging maneuver is easily achievable without risk of the major bleeding during the retrohepatic dissection.