Endocutter no-knife and extraparenchymal control of the main hepatic veins for major hepatectomy.
OBJECTIVE
Extraparenchymal control of the main hepatic veins (ECHV) and use of vascular staplers are now considered as effective methods to prevent intraoperative hemorrhage and duration of hepatic transection. The aim of the present preliminary study was to investigate whether extraparenchymal control of the hepatic veins combined with inflow occlusion and a new articulating linear stapler without a knife (Endocutter no-knife) were effective for major hepatectomy.


METHODS
Twenty patients with hepatic malignant disease underwent major hepatectomies in which 4 or more Couinaud's segments were removed. Extraparenchymal control of the hepatic veins and Endocutter no-knife were used in 7 (Recent group) of the 20 patients after June 2003. Hemihepatic devascularization before hepatic transection, and intermittent hepatic inflow occlusion were also performed in these 7 patients. In the other 13 (Previous group) patients before June 2003, major hepatectomy was performed under only intermittent hepatic inflow occlusion. Intraoperative blood loss volume, transfusion of packed red blood cells, and duration of hepatic transection were compared between the Recent group and Previous group.


RESULTS
Estimated blood loss and number of intraoperative blood transfusion were significantly smaller in the Recent group than in the Previous group. Duration of hepatic transection was also significantly shorter in the Recent group than in the Previous group.


CONCLUSIONS
The present preliminary study showed that extraparenchymal control of the hepatic veins and Endocutter no-knife are useful for major hepatectomy.
Nakano
Hiroshi
H
Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, St Marianna University Hospital, Kawasaki, Japan. nakahiro@marianna-u.ac.jp
Asakura
Takeshi
T
Otsubo
Takehito
T
D000368:Aged; D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004867:Equipment Design; D004869:Equipment Safety; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006488:Hemostasis, Surgical / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D006498:Hepatectomy / Q000379:methods*; D006503:Hepatic Veins / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011336:Probability; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013528:Surgical Staplers; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome