Liver function alterations after laparoscopy-assisted gastrectomy for gastric cancer and its clinical significance

To evaluate the factors associated with liver function alterations after laparoscopy-assisted gastrectomy (LAG) for gastric cancer.

We collected the data of gastrectomy patients with gastric cancer and divided them into 2 groups: open gastrectomy (OG) and LAG. We also collected the data of patients with colon cancer to evaluate the effect of liver manipulations during surgery on liver function alterations. Serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), total bilirubin, and alkaline phosphatase were measured on the preoperative day and postoperative day 1 (POD1), POD3, POD5, and POD7.

No changes in liver function were observed after the operation in patients with colon cancer (n = 121). However, in gastric cancer patients (n = 215), AST and ALT levels increased until POD5 compared to those in colon cancer patients and these findings were observed both in the LAG and OG without a significant difference except at POD1. The mean hepatic enzyme levels at POD1 in the LAG group were significantly higher than those in the OG group (P = 0.047 for AST and P = 0.039 for ALT). The factors associated with elevated ALT on POD1 in patients with gastric cancer were body mass index (P < 0.001), operation time (P < 0.001), intraoperative hepatic injury (P = 0.048), and ligation of an aberrant left hepatic artery (P = 0.052) but not type of operation (OG vs LAG, P = 0.094).

We conclude that the liver function alteration after LAG may have been caused by direct liver manipulation or aberrant hepatic artery ligation rather than the CO₂ pneumoperitoneum.