One-stage laparoscopic parenchymal sparing liver resection for bilobar colorectal liver metastases: safety, recurrence patterns and oncologic outcomes

Abstract Objective Modern chemotherapy and repeat hepatectomy allow to tailor the surgical strategies for the treatment of colorectal liver metastases (CRLM). This study addresses the hypothesis that parenchymal-sparing hepatectomy reduces postoperative complications while ensuring similar oncologic outcomes compared to the standardized non-parenchymal-sparing procedures. Methods Clinicopathological data of patients who underwent liver resection for CRLM between 2012 and 2019 at a major hepatobiliary center in Switzerland were assessed. Patients were stratified according to the tumor burden score [TBS2 = (maximum tumor diameter in cm)2 + (number of lesions)2)] and were dichotomized in a lower and a higher tumor burden cohort according to the median TBS. Postoperative outcomes, overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) of patients following parenchymal-sparing resection (PSR) for CRLM were compared with those of patients undergoing non-PSR. Results During the study period, 153 patients underwent liver resection for CRLM with curative intent. PSR was performed in 79 patients with TBS < 4.5, and in 42 patients with TBS ≥ 4.5. In patients with lower tumor burden (TBS < 4.5), PSR was associated with lower complication rate (15.2% vs. 46.2%, p = 0.009), and shorter length of hospital stay (5 vs. 9 days, p = 0.006) in comparison to non-PSR. For TBS < 4.5, PSR resulted in equivalent 5-year OS (48% vs. 39%, p = 0.479) and equivalent 5-year DFS rates (DFS, 44% vs. 29%, p = 0.184) compared to non-PSR. For TBS ≥ 4.5, PSR resulted in lower postoperative complication rate (33.3% vs. 63.2%, p = 0.031), lower length of hospital stay (6 vs. 9 days, p = 0.005), equivalent 5-year OS (29% vs. 22%, p = 0.314), and equivalent 5-year DFS rates (29% vs. 22%, p = 0.896) compared to non-PSR. Among all patients treated with PSR, patients undergoing minimal-invasive hepatectomy had equivalent 5-year OS (42% vs. 37%, p = 0.261) and equivalent 5-year DFS (34% vs. 34%, p = 0.613) rates compared to patients undergoing open hepatectomy. Conclusion PSR for CRLM is associated with lower postoperative morbidity, shorter length of hospital stay, and equivalent oncologic outcomes compared to non-PSR independently from tumor burden. Our findings suggest that minimal-invasive PSR should be considered as the preferred method for the treatment of curatively resectable CRLM if allowed by tumor size and location.

Download Full-text

Radiofrequency ablation of colorectal liver metastases

Perspectives in Surgery ◽

10.33699/pis.2019.98.10.399-403 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 98 (10) ◽

Keyword(s):

Radiofrequency Ablation ◽

Liver Resection ◽

Liver Metastases ◽

Colorectal Liver Metastases ◽

Survival Rates ◽

Postoperative Mortality ◽

Disease Free Survival ◽

Female Ratio ◽

Liver Resections ◽

Multi Stage

Introduction: Radical liver resection is the only method for the treatment of patients with colorectal liver metastases (CLM); however, only 20–30% of patients with CLMs can be radically treated. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is one of the possible methods of palliative treatment in such patients. Methods: RFA was performed in 381 patients with CLMs between 01 Jan 2001 and 31 Dec 2018. The mean age of the patients was 65.2±8.7 years. The male to female ratio was 2:1. Open laparotomy was done in 238 (62.5%) patients and the CT-navigated transcutaneous approach was used in 143 (37.5%) patients. CLMs <5 cm (usually <3 cm) in diameter were the indication for RFA. We used RFA as the only method in 334 (87.6%) patients; RFA in combination with resection was used in 36 (9.4%), and with multi-stage resection in 11 (3%) patients. We performed RFA in a solitary CLM in 170 (44.6%) patients, and in 2−5 CLMs in 211 (55.6%) patients. We performed computed tomography in each patient 48 hours after procedure. Results: The 30-day postoperative mortality was zero. Complications were present in 4.8% of transcutaneous and in 14.2% of open procedures, respectively, in the 30-day postoperative period. One-, 3-, 5- and 10-year overall survival rates were 94.8, 66.8, 43.9 and 16.6%, respectively, in patients undergoing RFA, and 90.6, 69.1, 52.8 and 39.2%, respectively, in patients with liver resections. Disease free survival was 63.2, 30.1, 18.4 and 13.1%, respectively, in the same patients after RFA, and 71.1, 33.3, 22.8 and 15.5%, respectively, after liver resections. Conclusion: RFA is a palliative thermal ablation method, which is one of therapeutic options in patients with radically non-resectable CLMs. RFA is useful especially in a non-resectable, or resectable (but for the price of large liver resection) solitary CLM <3 cm in diameter and in CLM relapses. RFA is also part of multi-stage liver procedures.

Download Full-text