Impact of body mass index in elderly patients treated with laparoscopic liver resection for hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND The impact of obesity on surgical outcomes in elderly patients candidate for liver surgery is still debated.AIM To evaluate the impact of high body mass index(BMI)on perioperative and oncological outcome in elderly patients(>70 years old)treated with laparoscopic liver resection for hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).METHODS Retrospective multicenter study including 224 elderly patients(>70 years old)operated by laparoscopy for HCC(196 with a BMI<30 and 28 with BMI≥30),observed from January 2009 to January 2019.RESULTS After propensity score matching,patients in two groups presented comparable results,in terms of operative time(median range:200 min vs 205 min,P=0.7 respectively in non-obese and obese patients),complications rate(22%vs 26%,P=1.0),length of hospital stay(median range:4.5 d vs 6.0 d,P=0.1).There are no significant differences in terms of short-and long-term postoperative results.CONCLUSION The present study showed that BMI did not impact perioperative and oncologic outcomes in elderly patients treated by laparoscopic resection for HCC.

Peri-operative score for elderly patients with resectable hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND Liver resection is the mainstay for a curative treatment for patients with resectable hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC),also in elderly population.Despite this,the evaluation of patient condition,liver function and extent of disease remains a demanding process with the aim to reduce postoperative morbidity and mortality.AIM To identify new perioperative risk factors that could be associated with higher 90-and 180-d mortality in elderly patients eligible for liver resection for HCC considering traditional perioperative risk scores and to develop a risk score.METHODS A multicentric,retrospective study was performed by reviewing the medical records of patients aged 70 years or older who electively underwent liver resection for HCC;several independent variables correlated with death from all causes at 90 and 180 d were studied.The coefficients of Cox regression proportional-hazards model for sixmonth mortality were rounded to the nearest integer to assign risk factors'weights and derive the scoring algorithm.RESULTS Multivariate analysis found variables(American Society of Anesthesiology score,high rate of comorbidities,Mayo end stage liver disease score and size of biggest lesion)that had independent correlations with increased 90-and 180-d mortality.A clinical risk score was developed with survival profiles.CONCLUSION This score can aid in stratifying this population in order to assess who can benefit from surgical treatment in terms of postoperative mortality.

Vascular complications following liver transplantation:Aliterature review of advances in 2015

Although vascular complications(VCs) following orthotopic liver transplantation(OLT) seldom occur, they are the most feared complications with a high incidence of both graft loss and mortality, as they compromise the blood flow of the transplant(either inflow or outflow). Diagnosis and therapeutic management of VCs constitute a major challenge in terms of increasing the success rate of liver transplantation. While surgical treatment used to be considered the first choice for management, advances in endovascular intervention have increased to make this a viable therapeutic option. Considering VC as a rare but a major and dreadful issue in OLT history, and in view of the continuing and rapid progress in recent years, an update on these uncommon conditions seemed necessary. In this sense, this review comprehensively discusses the important features(epidemiological, clinical, paraclinical, prognostic and therapeutic) of VCs following OLT.

Innovative surgical approaches for hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)is the sixth most common cancer worldwide,with an increasing diffusion in Europe and the United States.The management of such a cancer is continuously progressing and the objective of this paper is to evaluate innovation in the surgical treatment of HCC.In this review,we will analyze the modern concept of preoperative management,the role of laparoscopic and robotic surgery,the intraoperative use of three dimensional models and augmented reality,as well as the potential application of fluorescence.

Radiofrequency ablation vs surgical resection in elderly patients with hepatocellular carcinoma in Milan criteria

BACKGROUND Surgical resection and radiofrequency ablation(RFA)represent two possible strategy in treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)in Milan criteria.AIM To evaluate short-and long-term outcome in elderly patients(>70 years)with HCC in Milan criteria,which underwent liver resection(LR)or RFA.METHODS The study included 594 patients with HCC in Milan criteria(429 in LR group and 165 in RFA group)managed in 10 European centers.Statistical analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method before and after propensity score matching(PSM)and Cox regression.RESULTS After PSM,we compared 136 patients in the LR group with 136 patients in the RFA group.Overall survival at 1,3,and 5 years was 91%,80%,and 76%in the LR group and 97%,67%,and 41%in the RFA group respectively(P=0.001).Diseasefree survival at 1,3,and 5 years was 84%,60%and 44%for the LR group,and 63%,36%,and 25%for the RFA group(P=0.001).Postoperative Clavien-Dindo IIIIV complications were lower in the RFA group(1%vs 11%,P=0.001)in association with a shorter length of stay(2 d vs 7 d,P=0.001).In multivariate analysis,Model for End-stage Liver Disease(MELD)score(>10)[odds ratio(OR)=1.89],increased value of international normalized ratio(>1.3)(OR=1.60),treatment with radiofrequency(OR=1.46),and multiple nodules(OR=1.19)were independent predictors of a poor overall survival while a high MELD score(>10)(OR=1.51)and radiofrequency(OR=1.37)were independent factors associated with a higher recurrence rate.CONCLUSION Despite a longer length of stay and a higher rate of severe postoperative complications,surgery provided better results in long-term oncological outcomes as compared to ablation in elderly patients(>70 years)with HCC in Milan criteria.

Short-term and middle-term evaluation of laparoscopic hepatectomies compared with open hepatectomies: A propensity score matching analysis

AIM To compare short-term results between laparoscopic hepatectomy and open hepatectomy using a propensity score matching. METHODS A patient in the laparoscopic liver resection(LLR) groupwas randomly matched with another patient in the open liver resection(OLR) group using a 1:1 allocated ratio with the nearest estimated propensity score. Patients of the LLR group without matches were excluded. Matching criteria included age, gender, body mass index, American Society of Anesthesiologists score, potential co-morbidities, hepatopathies, size and number of nodules, preoperative chemotherapy, minor or major liver re-sections. Intraoperative and postoperative data were compared in both groups.RESULTS From January 2012 to January 2015, a total of 241 hepa-tectomies were consecutively performed, of which 169 in the OLR group(70.1%) and 72 in the LLR group(29.9%). The conversion rate was 9.7%(n = 7). The mortality rate was 4.2% in the OLR group and 0% in the LLR group. Prior to and after propensity score matching, there was a statistically significant difference favorable to the LLR group regarding shorter operative times(185 min vs 247.5 min; P = 0.002), less blood loss(100 m L vs 300 m L; P = 0.002), a shorter hospital stay(7 d vs 9 d; P = 0.004), and a significantly lower rate of medical complications(4.3% vs 26.4%; P < 0.001). CONCLUSION Laparoscopic liver resections seem to yield better short-term and mid-term results as compared to open hepatectomies and could well be considered a privileged approach and become the gold standard in carefully selected patients.

Management of biliary complications after liver transplantation

Biliary complications(BC) currently represent a major source of morbidity after liver transplantation. Although refinements in surgical technique and medical therapy have had a positive influence on the reduction of postoperative morbidity, BC affect 5% to 25% of transplanted patients. Bile leak and anastomotic strictures represent the most common complications. Nowadays, a multidisciplinary approach is required to manage such complications in order to prevent liver failure and retransplantation.

Liver resection vs radiofrequency ablation in single hepatocellular carcinoma of posterosuperior segments in elderly patients

BACKGROUND Liver resection and radiofrequency ablation are considered curative options for hepatocellular carcinoma.The choice between these techniques is still controversial especially in cases of hepatocellular carcinoma affecting posterosuperior segments in elderly patients.AIM To compare post-operative outcomes between liver resection and radiofrequency ablation in elderly with single hepatocellular carcinoma located in posterosuperior segments.METHODS A retrospective multicentric study was performed enrolling 77 patients age≥70-years-old with single hepatocellular carcinoma(≤30 mm),located in posterosuperior segments(4a,7,8).Patients were divided into liver resection and radiofrequency ablation groups and preoperative,peri-operative and long-term outcomes were retrospectively analyzed and compared using a 1:1 propensity score matching.RESULTS After propensity score matching,twenty-six patients were included in each group.Operative time and overall postoperative complications were higher in the resection group compared to the ablation group(165 min vs 20 min,P<0.01;54%vs 19%P=0.02 respectively).A median hospital stay was significantly longer in the resection group than in the ablation group(7.5 d vs 3 d,P<0.01).Ninety-day mortality was comparable between the two groups.There were no significant differences between resection and ablation group in terms of overall survival and disease free survival at 1,3,and 5 years.CONCLUSION Radiofrequency ablation in posterosuperior segments in elderly is safe and feasible and ensures a short hospital stay,better quality of life and does not modify the overall and disease-free survival.

Comment on:oncologic outcomes after robotic pancreatic resections are not inferior to open surgery

We read with interest the recently published article of Girgis et al.(1).The paper is a non-inferiority study regarding robotic versus open approach in the pancreatic resection for pancreatic adenocarcinoma(PDAC).The authors examined post-surgical complications,overall survival(OS)and the effect of surgical approach for the access to adjuvant chemotherapy(aCHT).According to the majority of scientific literature,aCHT improves the rate of survival in patients after resected PDAC.After a pancreatectomy,post-surgical complications limit the access to aCHT and,consequently,they reduce the OS(2).