title: A new scoring system for assessment of liver function after successful hepatectomy in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Whether a major liver resection is safe has been judged mainly from the patient's hepatic reserve. However, a safe limit for liver resection does not exist yet. This study aimed to construct a new scoring system as a guide to determine a safe limit for liver resection and avoid liver dysfunction after hepatectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-six patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who had undergone hepatectomy in West China Hospital from March 2007 to June 2010 were reviewed. The patients were classified according to the levels of total bilirubin after hepatectomy and the parameters in the perioperative period were compared. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was made to assess the liver function compensatory (LFC) value to predict liver dysfunction of the patients after hepatectomy. LFC value is defined as the preoperative K(ICG) value x 22.487 + standard remnant liver volume (SRLV) x 0.020.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients were classified into group I (normal group, n=69) and group II (with total bilirubin >85.5 μmol/L for 7 days after hepatectomy, n=17) based on the levels of total bilirubin after hepatectomy. Group II was further divided into two subgroups: recovered subgroup (n=14) and fatal subgroup (n=3). There were no significant differences in preoperative data or intraoperative findings except the indocyanine green test parameters (K(ICG) and ICG R15) and SRLV. ROC analysis showed that the sensitivity and specificity of an LFC value ≤13.01 were 94.1% and 82.6% respectively for predicting liver dysfunction of the patients after hepatectomy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The LFC value appears to be a good predictor of postoperative liver dysfunction in patients who undergo hepatectomy for HCC. An expected LFC value of 13.01 seems to be a safe limit for liver resection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Liver and Vascular Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
authors.forename: Zheng-Gui
authors.initials: ZG
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yong-Gang
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.forename: Xi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Xi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002681:China; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006498:Hepatectomy / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012372:ROC Curve; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D001663:Bilirubin