Liver resection and metabolic disorders: an undescribed mechanism leading to postoperative mortality

To investigate the mechanism leading to perioperative mortality in patients undergoing major liver resection and presenting with metabolic disorders.

The link between Metabolic Syndrome and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is currently demonstrated. Various metabolic disorders and the Metabolic Syndrome (the association of ≥ 3 metabolic disorders) have been recently described as a risk factor of perioperative mortality in major liver resection. Patients who passed away during perioperative course of major liver resection and presenting with the association of ≥ 2 metabolic disorders without any other known cause of liver disorders were reviewed.

From January 2001 to May 2010 in a tertiary centre, ten patients presenting with ≥ 2 metabolic disorders without any other known cause of liver disorders died during perioperative course of major liver resection. The same four-consecutive-steps sequence of events occurred, including jaundice. The analysis of this series suggested a rapidly deteriorating congestive liver resulting in an increased portal hypertension leading to hepatorenal syndrome and lately to multiorgan failure (mimicking septic collapse) as the mechanism leading to exitus. The acute portal hypertension is mainly related to the surgical procedure. The chronic portal hypertension is indeterminate. Patients with ≥ 2 metabolic disorders should be considered as potentially presenting with portal hypertension possibly evolving towards hepatorenal syndrome; thus, they should be considered as having a high perioperative risk and should be carefully evaluated before undergoing major liver resection.

As fibrosis was not present or marginal in liver specimens, the real cause of portal hypertension in patients with multiple metabolic disorders should be investigated with further studies.