Early mortality in 100 consecutive liver resections in 96 patients with benign and malignant liver tumours

This report describes the mortality in 100 liver resections performed in 96 patients for seven benign and 93 malignant liver tumours. Repeat hepatectomy was performed in four patients who developed recurrences after the first liver resection. Two patients died within 30 days. The first was a 67-year-old man who died on the 2nd postoperative day from cardiac failure. The second was a 69-year-old man who died on the 4th postoperative day with liver failure caused by hepatic vascular ischaemia. There were four other hospital deaths at days 33, 40, 45 and 50. A 65-year-old lady died on day 40 from sepsis caused by small bowel infarction. A 30-year-old man died on the 33rd postoperative day owing to liver failure from accelerated hepatic lymphoma spread. A 71-year-old diabetic lady died on the 45th postoperative day from sepsis caused by an untreated subphrenic abscess. A 65-year-old lady died on day 50 from systemic candidiasis after adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Further reduction in operative mortality could be achieved by better patient selection. Liver resection still remains a major operation, but has become a safe surgical procedure.