Left hepatectomy combined with hepatic artery resection for hilar cholangiocarcinoma: A retrospective cohort study

To investigate the efficacy of our technique and policy on left hepatectomy (LH) with hepatic artery resection but without arterial reconstruction (HAR) in selected patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma.

From May 2005 to May 2012, 61 patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma underwent left hepatectomy. These patients were divided into two groups: the LH with HAR group (n = 26) and the LH alone group (n = 35), based on whether hepatic artery resection was performed. We evaluated the serum total and direct bilirubin on postoperative day 7, length of hospital stay after surgery, postoperative complications, long-term postoperative survival and disease-free survival.

The improvement in jaundice after surgery was comparable between the two groups (P = 0.837). There were no significant differences in the rates of postoperative complications or mortality between the LH with HAR group and the LH group (P = 0.654 and no assessment, respectively). The cumulative 1-, 2-, 3- and 5-year survival rates were 61.5%, 49%, 40.8% and 30.6% and 71.4%, 58.7%, 51.3% and 38.5%, respectively, in the LH with HAR group and the LH group (P = 0.383, including perioperative deaths). The cumulative 1-, 2-, 3- and 5-year disease-free survival rates were 61.9%, 41.6%, 29.7% and 14.8% and 58.2%, 50.7%, 44.3% and 23.6% in the LH with HAR group and the LH group, respectively (P = 0.695, including perioperative deaths). The postoperative complication rate was higher in patients with severe jaundice than those with non-severe jaundice, but no significant difference was detected (56.3% (9/16) vs. 46.7% (46.7%), P = 0.804). Similarly, 18.8% (3/16) postoperative mortality was found in patients with severe jaundice, compared to 4.4% (2/45) in those with non-severe jaundice. The difference was not significant (P = 0.139). For the cumulative 1-, 2-, 3- and 5-year survival and cumulative 1-, 2-, 3- and 5-year disease-free survival rates, patients with severe jaundice had poorer outcomes than those with non-severe jaundice (56.3%, 43.8%, 35% and 26.3% vs. 66.7%, 58.8%, 52.2% and 41.8%, P = 0.317; 50%, 42.9%, 35.7% and 13.4% vs. 63.8%, 54%, 35.6% and 21.3%, P = 0.753).

Left hepatectomy combined with hepatic artery resection and no reconstruction for hilar cholangiocarcinoma is recommended when the following conditions are satisfied: 1) Bismuth-Corlette I, II, or IIIb hilar cholangiocarcinoma; 2) the tumor has infiltrated the hepatic artery with disappearance or markedly reduced arterial flow as detected by intraoperative ultrasound; 3) the color of the liver by visual observation does not change when the hepatic artery has been blocked for 5 min; and 4) removal of the tumor-infiltrated hepatic artery increases the probability of R0 resection for hilar cholangiocarcinoma. For obstructive jaundice from hilar cholangiocarcinoma, we recommend bile duct drainage before resection in patients with elevated preoperative serum TB.