title: Portal vein embolization: what do we know?
abstract: Portal vein embolization (PVE) has been developed to increase the size of the future remnant liver (FRL) left in place after major hepatectomy, thus reducing the risk of postoperative liver insufficiency. PVE consist in embolizing preoperatively portal branches of the segments that will be resected. Indication is based on preoperative measurements of the FRL by computed tomography and its ratio with either the theoretical liver volume or by direct measurement of the functional liver volume. After PVE, the volume and function of the FRL increases in 3 to 6 weeks, permitting extensive resections in patients otherwise contraindicated for liver resection. The PVE technique is variable from one center to another; however n-butyl-cyano-acrylate provides an interesting compromise between hypertrophy rate and procedure risk.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology and Interventional Radiology Unit, Centre Hospitalo Universitaire Vaudois, Lausanne, Switzerland. Alban.Denys@chuv.ch
authors.forename: Alban
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Denys
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Prior
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bize
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Duran
authors.forename: Thierry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: De Baere
authors.forename: Nermin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Halkic
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Demartines
mesh_terms: D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic / Q000379:methods*; D006498:Hepatectomy; D006801:Humans; D008026:Ligation; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D008115:Liver Regeneration; D011169:Portal Vein; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon