title: Convergence process of volumetric liver regeneration after living-donor hepatectomy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We investigated the long-term profiles of liver regeneration after living-donor hepatectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-three donors participated in the study. Preoperative and postoperative liver volume was calculated using computed tomography. Volume assessment was repeated at 1 week, 2 weeks, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, and 4 years postoperatively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Donors were divided into the right (n = 23; residual liver volume, 42%) and left (n = 10; residual liver volume, 63%) groups according to the operative procedures. The restoration ratio to the preoperative liver volume (right vs. left groups) were 51%, 57%, 64%, 74%, 77%, 81%, and 88% vs. 69%, 72%, 76%, 79%, 83%, 84%, and 91% at 1 week, 2 weeks, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, and 4 years, respectively; the interindividual variation in the restoration ratio to the preoperative liver volume became narrower with time.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Liver resection in humans resulted in rapid regeneration during the first 3 months, followed by a more moderate rate of regeneration thereafter, in proportion to the amount of liver mass resected. The volume of the regenerating liver appeared to converge towards the individual preoperative volume with time. However, the liver volume was not restored to the preoperative volume at 4 years after the resection.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic and Transplantation Surgery, Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Taku
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Aoki
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Imamura
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Matsuyama
authors.forename: Yoji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kishi
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Yasuhiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sugawara
authors.forename: Masatoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Makuuchi
authors.forename: Norihiro
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kokudo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006498:Hepatectomy; D006801:Humans; D019934:International Normalized Ratio; D008099:Liver / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism; D008115:Liver Regeneration; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D019520:Living Donors; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009929:Organ Size; D011517:Prothrombin Time; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D012709:Serum Albumin; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase