Perioperative safety and prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma patients with impaired liver function.
BACKGROUND
The benefits of liver resection for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with concomitant impaired liver function were often considered questionable because of poor postoperative prognosis. This study will clarify whether an acceptable operative risk exists and whether limited resection will compromise the outcomes of these patients.


METHODS
Between July 1991 and December 1996, a total of 168 patients with HCC who underwent hepatectomies were enrolled and divided into normal (group A) and impaired (group B) liver function groups according to the value of indocyanine green retention rate at 15 minutes. Clinical features, surgical related features, pathologic features, and disease-free and overall survivals were compared between the groups.


RESULTS
Operative morbidity and mortality in group A were 27.3% and 1.6%, and in group B were 40.0% and 2.5%, respectively (p = 0.129 and 0.506). Disease-free survival and overall survival at 5 years in group A were 43.2% and 59.6%, respectively, and in group B they were 30.6% and 56.8%, respectively (p = 0.607 and 0.378).


CONCLUSIONS
Limited liver resection is safe and provides favorable prognosis in HCC patients with concomitant impaired liver function.
Hsia
C Y
CY
Department of Surgery, Veterans General Hospital-Taipei, National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taiwan, Republic of China.
Lui
W Y
WY
Chau
G Y
GY
King
K L
KL
Loong
C C
CC
Wu
C W
CW
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006498:Hepatectomy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007430:Intraoperative Care; D008099:Liver / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D011379:Prognosis; D012449:Safety; D016896:Treatment Outcome