title: Extensive resections for colorectal liver metastases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Mortality and morbidity rates after liver resections have decreased with better surgical techniques and perioperative care. The aim of this study was to evaluate the short- and longterm results in patients who had undergone extensive hepatectomies.
  
  
  METHODS
  From January 1985 to December 2000, 237 patients underwent 275 liver resections for colorectal metastases. Extensive liver resections were defined as follows: technical reasons (extended hepatectomies, associated vascular resections); disease extent (diameter, >>10 cm; number, >>5; associated extrahepatic resection). The total number of extensive liver resections was 74. There were 51 radical resections (68.9%), while in the nonextensive resections group, 152 resections were radical (90.7%; P = 0.1).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Postoperative mortality (60 days) was 1.6% (1.3% in the extensive resections group; P = 0.3), while morbidity was 22.7% (31% in the extensive resections group vs 19% in the nonextensive resections group; P = 0.1). One-, 3-, and 5-year overall actuarial survival rates were 91.8%, 44.9%, and 25.3%. The survival rates of patients who underwent an extensive resection were similar to those in the nonextensive resections group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Technical difficulties and neoplastic extension are not, nowadays, a contraindication for hepatectomy for colorectal liver metastases, unless a radical resection is performed. Mortality and morbidity rates after liver resections have decreased with better surgical techniques and perioperative care. The aim of this study was to evaluate the short- and longterm results in patients who had undergone extensive hepatectomies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Ospedale Mauriziano Umberto I, Largo Turati 62, 10100 Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ferrero
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Polastri
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Muratore
authors.forename: Daria
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zorzi
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Capussotti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006498:Hepatectomy / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D016896:Treatment Outcome