Comparative Study of Portal Vein Embolization Versus Portal Vein Ligation for Induction of Hypertrophy of the Future Liver Remnant Using a Mini-Pig Model

Selective portal vein embolization (PVE) before extended liver surgery is an accepted method to stimulate growth of the future liver remnant. Portal vein thrombosis (PVT) of the main stem and the non-targeted branches to the future liver remnant is a rare but major complication of PVE, requiring immediate revascularization. Without revascularization, curative liver surgery is not possible, resulting in a potentially life-threatening situation. We here present a new surgical technique to revascularize the portal vein after PVT by combining a surgical thrombectomy with catheter-based thrombolysis via the surgically reopened umbilical vein. This technique was successfully applied in a patient who developed thrombosis of the portal vein main stem, as well as the left portal vein and its branches to the left lateral segments after selective right-sided PVE in preparation for an extended right hemihepatectomy. The advantage of this technique is the avoidance of an exploration of hepatoduodenal ligament and a venotomy of the portal vein. The minimal surgical trauma facilitates additional intravascular thrombolytic therapy as well as the future right extended hemihepatectomy. We recommend this technique in patients with extensive PVT in which percutaneous less invasive therapies have been proven unsuccessful.

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Associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy versus portal vein embolization in staged hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma: A randomized comparative study.

Journal of Clinical Oncology ◽

10.1200/jco.2020.38.15_suppl.4578 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 38 (15_suppl) ◽

pp. 4578-4578

Author(s):

Gang Huang

Keyword(s):

Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽

Overall Survival ◽

Portal Vein ◽

Comparative Study ◽

Risk Ratio ◽

Portal Vein Embolization ◽

Portal Vein Ligation ◽

Liver Remnant ◽

Staged Hepatectomy

4578 Background: Both Portal Vein Embolization (PVE) and Associating Liver Partition and Portal vein ligation for Staged hepatectomy (ALPPS) have been used in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) due to insufficient volumes in future liver remnant (FLR). But it remains unclear for which thetapy has better long-term overall survival. Methods: This study was a single-center, prospective randomized comparative study. Patients were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to the 2 groups. The primary endpoints was three-year overall survival rates. Results: Between November 2014 to June 2016, 76 patients with unresectable HCC due to inadequate volume of FLR were randomly assigned to ALPPS groups (n = 38) and PVE groups (n = 38). Thirty-seven patients (97.4%) in the ALPPS Group compared with 25 patients (65.8%) in the PVE Group were able to undergo staged hepatectomy (risk ratio 1.48, 95% CI 1.17-1.87, p < 0.001). The three-year overall survival (OS) rate of the ALPPS group (65.8%) (95% CI 50.7-80.9) was significantly better than the PVE Group (42.1%) (95% CI 26.4-57.8), (HR 0.50, 95% CI 0.26-0.98, two-sided p = 0.036). Major postoperative complications rates after the stage-2 hepatectomy were 54.1% in the ALPPS group and 20.0% in the PVE group ((risk ratio 2.70, 95% CI 1.17-6.25, p = 0.007). Conclusions: ALPPS resulted in significantly better long-term overall survival outcomes, at the expenses of a significantly higher perioperative morbidity rate compared with PVE in patients who had initially unresectable HCC. Clinical trial information: ChiCTR-IOC-14005646 .

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