Surgical and anesthetic management of patients undergoing major hepatectomy using total vascular exclusion

Total vascular exclusion (TVE) of the liver is accomplished by complete occlusion of inflow and outflow of the liver during hepatectomy. It affords the opportunity for bloodless, anatomically precise parenchymal transection but has not been widely used in this country. TVE should make it possible to treat large or unfavorably located lesions safely. To evaluate the benefit of this modality, we have examined the results of TVE in 49 major resections. Forty-nine patients with liver tumors (mean age, 50 +/- 17 years; range 3 to 75 years) were treated by the authors over 5 years with a mean age of 50 +/- 17 years (range 3-75). Thirty-five (71%) patients were females and 38 (78%) had malignant tumors (hepatocellular CA n = 15, liver metastases n = 20, other n = 3), whereas 11 (22%) had benign tumors (hemangiomas n = 7 other n = 4). Six (12%) had histological cirrhosis but normal liver function test results. Twenty two (45%) had previous surgery. Forty-seven (96%) underwent total or extended lobectomies. Two patients had segmental resection of benign tumors (one in segment 4 and one in segment 8). Mean surgical time was 4.7 hours (2.5-8.3 hours) and mean red blood cell requirement was 2.2 U (0 to 11). Twenty-two (45%) procedures were performed without transfusions. Hospital mortality rates were 0%. The mean postoperative hospital duration was 11 days (5 to 41 years). Complications occurred in 18 (36%), requiring reoperation in 1 case for wound debridement and in another for lysis of postoperative adhesions. Hepatic insufficiency occurred transiently in 2 patients with prolongation of protime and cholestasis and resolved within 4 days in 1 patient and 10 days in the other (with cirrhosis). The perception of hepatic resection as a prohibitive undertaking with high mortality rate may limit the use of resection in patients who might benefit from this modality. Our data document the effectiveness and safety of major hepatectomy even in cirrhotic patients using TVE. Expanded use of TVE and other advances in liver surgery should be considered to decrease the morbidity rate of resection and make the benefits of this therapy more widely available.