[Decreasing morbidity after Associating Liver Partition and Portal vein ligation for Staged hepatectomy (ALPPS) with technical modification and patient selection].

Introduction

Resecability of liver tumors is exclusively depending on the future liver remnant (FLR). The remnant can be hypertrophised using portal vein occlusion techniques. The latest hypertrophising method is Associating Liver Partition and Portal vein ligation for Staged hepatectomy (ALPPS), which provides the most significant induced hypertrophy in the shortest time. Morbidity and mortality of this procedure were initially unacceptably high. Aim: Reducing complications by better patient selection and modified surgical technique. Method: The First Department of Surgery, Semmelweis University, Budapest, prefers the 'no touch' technique, instead of 'complete mobilization'. For optimizing patient selection, an international registry (including our patients' data) was established. In addition to the surgical, we collected demographic, disease, liver function, histology, morbidity (Clavien-Dindo) and mortality parameters. Volume and function measurements were performed by using CT-volumetry and 99mtechnecium-mebrofenin SPECT/CT. Data were analyzed by multivariate analysis (significance: p<0.05).

Results

We performed 20 ALPPS procedures from 2012 to 2018. The relative volume increment and resectability in our department and among the 320 registry patients were 96% vs. 86% and 95% vs. 98%. Using 'no touch' technique, the Clavien-Dindo III-IV morbidity and mortality rates were significantly lower (22%-0%) than with 'complete mobilization' (63%-36%) (p<0.05). Based on the multivariate analysis of the registry patients, age over 60 years, liver macrosteatosis, non-colorectal liver tumor, >300 minutes operation time, >2 units of red blood cell transfusion, or insufficient FLR function before stage 2 were identified as independent factors influencing mortality (p<0.05).

Conclusion

Mortality and morbidity of ALPPS can be reduced by proper patient selection and 'no touch' surgical technique. Orv Hetil. 2019; 160(32): 1260-1269.