Surgical Outcomes for the Ruptured Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Multicenter Analysis with a Case-Controlled Study

A pathologic scoring system for predicting postoperative prognosis in patients with ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

The accuracy of pathological factors to predict the prognosis of patients with ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma (rHCC) is unclear. We aimed to develop and validate a novel scoring system based on pathological factors to predict the postoperative survival of patients with rHCC.

METHOD

Patients with rHCC who underwent hepatectomy were recruited from three hospitals and allocated to the training (n = 221) and validation (n = 194) cohorts. A new scoring system, namely the MSE (microvascular invasion-satellite foci-Edmondson Steiner) score, was established based on three pathological factors using univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analyses, including microvascular invasion, satellite foci, and differentiation grade. Finally, patients were stratified into three groups based on their risk of prognosis (low, intermediate, or high) according to their MSE score. We also constructed MSE score-based nomograms. The performance of the nomograms was assessed by receiver operating characteristic and calibration curve analyses and validated using the validation cohort.

RESULTS

Three pathological factors were significantly correlated with overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS), three of which were included in the MSE score. The score can clearly stratify rHCC patients after hepatectomy (P < 0.05). And we established nomograms based on the MSE score (MSE score, Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage, and alpha-fetoprotein concentration) to predict postoperative OS and RFS in patients with rHCC. The nomograms showed good discrimination, with C-indices over 0.760 for OS and RFS at 1, 3, and 5 years, respectively. The calibration curve showed excellent nomogram calibration, which was also verified in the validation cohort.

CONCLUSION

The clinical MSE score were accurate in predicting OS and RFS in patients with rHCC with resectable lesions after hepatectomy.

Transarterial embolization followed by staged hepatectomy versus emergency hepatectomy for ruptured HCC: a meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

To compare the efficacy and safety between emergency hepatectomy (EH) and emergency transarterial embolization (TAE) followed by staged hepatectomy (SH) in the treatment of spontaneous ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma (rHCC).

METHODS

Databases (PubMed, EMBASE, Web of science, Cochrane Library, ClinicalTrial.gov, CNKI, Wanfang and VIP) were searched for all relevant comparative studies from January 2000 to October 2020. Odds ratio (OR) and mean difference (MD) with 95% confidence interval (CI) were pooled for dichotomous and continuous variables, respectively. Subgroup analyses based on the kind of embolization were conducted. RevMan 5.3 software was adopted for meta-analysis.

RESULTS

Eighteen studies with 871 patients were finally included in this meta-analysis, 448 in EH group and 423 in TAE + SH group. No significant difference was observed in successful hemostasis (P = 0.42), postoperative hospital stay (P = 0.12), complication rate (P = 0.08) between EH and TAE + SH group. However, TAE + SH group was associated with shorter operating time (P < 0.00001), fewer perioperative blood loss (P = 0.007), fewer blood transfusion (P = 0.003), lower in-hospital mortality (P < 0.00001) and higher 1-year survival as well as 3-year survival (P < 0.0001; P = 0.003) compared with EH group.

CONCLUSION

Compared with EH, TAE + SH could reduce perioperative operating time, blood loss, blood transfusion, mortality rate and increase the long-term survival rate of the rHCC patients, which may be a better treatment for resectable rHCC.

Nomogram for Estimation of Acute Liver Failure Risk in Spontaneous Ruptured Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Purpose

Acute liver failure (ALF) is a severe complication of spontaneous ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma (SRHCC) that requires accurate prediction for effective treatment strategies. We aimed to develop a predictive nomogram to estimate the risk of ALF in patients with SRHCC undergoing treatment.

Patients and Methods

We performed a retrospective analysis of historical data from 284 patients diagnosed with SRHCC at the First Hospital of Jilin University over the past decade. Variables were selected through univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses, and a predictive nomogram was constructed. We evaluated its predictive accuracy against the Child-Pugh Score, R.MELD, and ALBI by assessing discrimination, calibration, and net clinical benefit.

Results

Among the 284 patients, 65 developed ALF. The risk factors identified for model development included largest tumor size (LTS), platelet counts, prolonged prothrombin time, and elevated serum α-fetoprotein levels. The nomogram exhibited high accuracy in predicting ALF risk with a C-index of 0.91 (0.87-0.95). The Delong test showed a significant difference between the nomogram and the other three models (p<0.05). The calibration curve for the nomogram fit well, and the decision curve analysis revealed superior net benefit. The optimal cut-off point for the nomogram was determined to be 40, yielding sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of 83.10%, 87.20%, 65.90% and 94.60%, respectively.

Conclusion

The nomogram we developed provides an optimized tool for predicting ALF in SRHCC patients. Its application can help determine individual patient's risk of ALF, enabling more rational and personalized treatment strategies.

Meta-analysis of Prognostic Factors for Overall Survival Among Resected Patients with Spontaneous Ruptured Hepatocellular Carcinoma

OBJECTIVE

Our meta-analysis was performed to explore the prognostic factors for overall survival among post-hepatectomy patients with spontaneous ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma (SRHCC).

METHODS

PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science were all searched up for relevant studies regarding prognostic factors with SRHCC. RevMan5.3 software and Stata 14.0 software were used for statistical analysis.

RESULTS

A total of nineteen studies with 1876 resected SRHCC patients were finally identified. Pooled results indicated that preoperative AFP (high vs low) (P = 0.003), concurrent liver cirrhosis (yes vs no) (P = 0.02), preoperative liver function (child A vs non-child A) (P = 0.0007), tumor size (large vs small) (P < 0.00001), tumor number (solitary vs multiple) (P = 0.002), satellite foci (yes vs no) (P = 0.0006), micro-vascular invasion (yes vs no) (P < 0.00001), type of hepatectomy (major or minor) (P = 0.04), surgical margin (R + vs R -) (P < 0.00001), and type of hepatectomy (emergency hepatectomy vs staged hepatectomy) (P = 0.005) were prognostic factors for overall survival among post-hepatectomy SRHCC patients.

CONCLUSION

Apart from some conventional prognostic factors identified in resected patients with SRHCC, numerous prognostic factors have also been unmasked, which might provide clinical reference to stratify patients with different therapeutic regimes.

Prognosis of spontaneously ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma: a propensity score matching study

PURPOSE

Spontaneous rupture is a fatal complication of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study compared the prognosis of spontaneously ruptured HCC (srHCC) with that of non-ruptured HCC (nrHCC).

METHODS

A total of 185 srHCC patients and 1085 nrHCC patients treated by hepatectomy between February 2005 and December 2017 at Zhongshan Hospital were retrospectively reviewed and enrolled. The overall survival (OS) and time to recurrence (TTR) were evaluated. A 1:2 propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was performed using the nearest neighbor matching with a caliper of 0.2.

RESULTS

Before PSM, patients with srHCC who underwent hepatectomy (n = 185) had a poorer prognosis than those with nrHCC (n = 1085; 5-year OS, 39.1% vs 59.2%, P < 0.001; 5-year TTR, 83.8% vs 54.9%, P < 0.001). After PSM, patients with srHCC (n = 156) had higher 5-year TTR (83.2% vs 69.0%, P < 0.001) but comparable 5-year OS with those with nrHCC (n = 312, 44.0% vs 46.0%, P = 0.600). Univariate and multivariate analyses demonstrated spontaneous rupture as an independent risk factor for TTR (hazard ratio [HR], 1.681; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.326-2.132; P < 0.001), but not for OS (HR: 1.074; 95% CI 0.823-1.401; P = 0.600). Further analysis revealed that srHCC was not appropriate to be assigned as T4 stage in American Joint Committee on Cancer classification.

CONCLUSION

Spontaneous rupture of HCC is not a risk factor for survival. If resected eventually, srHCC may achieve comparable survival with nrHCC.

Emergency open drainage of massive hemoperitoneum and early stage left hepatectomy for abdominal compartment syndrome due to hepatocellular carcinoma rupture: a case report

Background

Spontaneous rupture is one of the most life-threatening complications of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) effectively achieves hemostasis in patients with hemodynamic instability. However, there have been no reports of abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS) caused by massive intra-abdominal hematoma after TAE. We report emergency open drainage of a massive hematoma for abdominal decompression and early stage left hepatectomy at the same time.

Case presentation

A 75-year-old woman was transported to our emergency department with hypovolemic shock. Dynamic contrast-enhanced computed tomography revealed extravasation of contrast medium from a HCC lesion in the medial segment of the liver and a large amount of high-density ascites. TAE was immediately performed to achieve hemostasis. Three hours after the first TAE, we decided to perform a second TAE for recurrent bleeding. After the second TAE, the patient’s intra-abdominal pressure increased to 35 mmHg, her blood pressure gradually decreased, and she had anuria. Thus, she was diagnosed with ACS due to spontaneous HCC rupture. Twenty-seven hours after her arrival to the hospital, we decided to perform open drainage of the massive hematoma and left hepatectomy for ACS relief, prevention of re-bleeding, tumor resection, and intraperitoneal lavage. The operative duration was 225 min, and the blood loss volume was 4626 g. Postoperative complications included pleural effusion and grade B liver failure. She was discharged on postoperative day 33. The patient survived for more than 3 years without functional deterioration.

Conclusions

Even after hemostasis is achieved by TAE for hemorrhagic shock due to spontaneous rupture of HCC, massive hemoperitoneum may lead to ACS, particularly in cases of re-bleeding. Considering the subsequent possibility of ACS and the recurrence of bleeding, early stage hepatectomy and removal of intra-abdominal hematoma after hemodynamic stabilization could be a treatment option for HCC rupture.

Propensity score matching study of 325 patients with spontaneous rupture of hepatocellular carcinoma

Background

This study aims to find out the possible optimal therapy and assess the prognosis properly for patient with spontaneous rupture of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods

Propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was used to study the data from 325 patients with ruptured HCC (RHCC) and 2,291 patients with non-RHCC.

Results

The incidence and hospital mortality of RHCC were 5.1% and 0.8% respectively, with a median overall survival (OS) time of 17 months. There was no difference between ruptured and non-RHCC patients undergoing conservation treatment in terms of OS. Trans-arterial embolization (TAE) was carried out in 69 (21.2%) cases with RHCC, with a median OS of 7 months, which was no difference from that of non-RHCC (pre- and post-PSM). One hundred and sixty-nine (52.0%) RHCC cases underwent one-stage hepatectomy, with a median OS and disease-free survival (DFS) of 30 and 6 months respectively, which were shorter than that of non-RHCC (post-PSM). TAE plus two-stage hepatectomy was performed in 30 RHCC cases, with a median OS and DFS of 28 and 10 months respectively; these outcomes were better than that from RHCC patients undergoing TAE alone or one-stage hepatectomy (post-PSM), which were no difference from that of non-RHCC patients undergoing hepatectomy. The risk of death for RHCC patient undergoing one-stage hepatectomy is 1.545 times higher than that of one undergoing TAE + two-stage hepatectomy.

Conclusions

TAE plus two-stage hepatectomy might be the optimal treatment for RHCC patient. Under the premise of the same pathological properties, there is no difference in prognosis between ruptured and non-RHCC patients if the therapy is appropriate.

Survival of Patients Subjected to Hepatectomy After Spontaneous Rupture of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Meta-analysis of High-quality Propensity Score Matching Studies

Background

The spontaneous rupture of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is associated with high mortality rates, and liver resection can provide better outcomes than other available treatments. However, the survival length of patients subjected to hepatectomy after spontaneous rupture of hepatocellular carcinoma remains controversial.

Method

Articles reporting the comparison of the survival outcome between patients with rupture HCC (rHCC) and non-rupture HCC (nrHCC) from the inception until December 31, 2021 by PubMed, Web of Science, OVID, and the Cochrane Library databases were included. The high-quality propensity score matching analysis was used to investigate the impact of rupture on disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) between the rHCC and nrHCC group with no heterogeneity.

Result

A total of 606 patients from six cohort studies were included. The major baseline characteristics of the eligible patients were well balanced between rHCC and nrHCC group. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year hazard ratios of DFS were 3.45 (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.54–4.68), 3.63 (95% CI 2.87–4.60), and 3.72 (95% CI 2.93–4.72), respectively. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year hazard ratios of OS were 5.01 (95% CI 3.26–7.69), 5.49 (95% CI 4.08–7.39), and 4.20 (95% CI 3.20–5.51), respectively.

Conclusion

The present meta-analysis demonstrated that the DSF and OS were significantly shorter in the rHCC group than in the nrHCC group, thus revealing that spontaneous HCC rupture was a predictor of poor survival.

Prognostic Analysis of Postoperative Survival for Ruptured Hepatocellular Carcinoma with or without Cirrhosis

Background and Aims

Conflicting results are often observed in the prognosis of patients with ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma (rHCC), and there are currently very few studies on the long-term postoperative outcomes of ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma patients. This study aimed to distinguish between the postoperative prognosis of rHCC patients with cirrhosis (rHCC-C) and those without cirrhosis (rHCC-NC) using some serum markers.

Methods

We collected the data of 151 rHCC patients treated at our centers from January 2010 to March 2021. 62 had no cirrhosis, and 89 had cirrhosis. The prognosis of rHCC-C and rHCC-NC groups was compared using the Kaplan-Meier method. We used multivariate Cox regression to analyze prognostic factors in rHCC patients, and subgroup analysis was performed on the two groups of patients.

Results

The long-term prognosis of rHCC-NC patients was better than that of rHCC-C patients. Tumor diameter, Barcelona clinic liver cancer (BCLC) stage, HBsAg, positive Hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibodies, elevated creatinine, and elevated T-bilirubin were prognostic factors for overall survival (OS) in rHCC-C patients. However, only alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) > 92 ng/mL was a prognostic factor for OS in rHCC-NC patients. In noncirrhotic patients, HBsAg positivity was only associated with OS. Similarly, the presence or absence of microvascular invasion (MVI) also had different results in the two groups.

Conclusions

There are differences in serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels, the presence of microvascular invasion (MVI), and HBsAg positivity between rHCC-C and rHCC-NC patients, indicating that the analysis of these prognostic factors may help improve the management of rHCC patients and provide a direction for future treatment options.

Prognostic Influence of Spontaneous Tumor Rupture in Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma After Hepatectomy: A Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies

Objective: This study aims to comprehensively analyze the influence of spontaneous tumor rupture on the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma patients following hepatic resection.

Methods: We systematically searched four online electronic databases, including PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library, for eligible studies published from inception to March 2021. The main endpoints were overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS).

Results: This meta-analysis included 21 observational articles with 57,241 cases. The results revealed that spontaneous tumor rupture was associated with worse OS (hazard ratio (HR), 1.65; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.33–2.05) and DFS (HR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.12–1.80) in resectable hepatocellular carcinoma patients. This phenomenon was observed in most subgroups, which were classified by recorded survival time, age, country, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) concentration, liver cirrhosis, and microvascular invasion. However, in subgroups of macrovascular invasion positive, spontaneous tumor rupture was not a risk factor for OS (HR, 1.55; 95% CI, 0.99–2.42) and DFS (HR, 1.23; 95% CI, 0.91–1.65) in hepatocellular carcinoma patients after hepatectomy. For macrovascular invasion negative, compared with non-ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma patients, ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma patients exhibited worse prognosis for OS (HR, 1.55; 95% CI, 0.99–2.42) and DFS (HR, 1.23; 95% CI, 0.91–1.65) following hepatectomy.

Conclusions: Spontaneous tumor rupture was a prognostic risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma patients after hepatic resection. However, in macrovascular invasion patients, spontaneous tumor rupture was not a prognostic risk factor.

Transarterial embolization with hepatectomy for ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma: a meta-analysis

PURPOSE

To compare the clinical effectiveness between transarterial embolization (TAE) with staged hepatectomy (SH) and emergency hepatectomy (EH) for ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Pubmed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases were screened for eligible publications from the inception of the databases till February 2021.

RESULTS

This meta-analysis included seven studies comprising 162 patients who underwent TAE with SH and 266 patients who underwent EH. The pooled intraoperative blood loss was less in the TAE with SH cohort, as compared to the EH cohort without significant difference (p = .20). The pooled blood transfer rate (p<.00001), blood transfer volume (p = .002), and 30-day patient death (p = .04) were all markedly reduced in the TAE with SH cohort versus the EH cohort. No significant differences in surgery duration (p = .27), hospital stay period (p = .81), complication rate (p = 0.92), disease-free survival (DFS) (p = .79), and overall survival (OS) (p = 0.28) were found between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared with EH for ruptured HCC, TAE with SH could effectively decrease intraoperative blood loss and 30-day mortality. However, the long-term DFS and OS might not be beneficial to preoperative TAE.

Surgical Outcomes of Spontaneously Ruptured Hepatocellular Carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Surgical and oncological outcomes in ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are not well known. The objective of this study was to review and compare survival outcomes and recurrence rates between ruptured and unruptured HCC.

METHODS

Data of patients with ruptured HCC who underwent curative surgical resection between January 2000 and December 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. To compare survival outcomes between ruptured and unruptured HCC, 1:2 individual matching was conducted.

RESULTS

The 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival (OS) rates were 88.8%, 67.0%, and 51.9%, respectively. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) rates were 51.7%, 32.8%, and 25.0%, respectively. OS and DFS rates were significantly lower in the ruptured HCC group than the matched unruptured HCC group. HCC recurred in 63 patients (70.8%), 33 (52.4%) of whom presented with both intrahepatic and extrahepatic recurrences. Mean recurrence interval was 12.6 ± 13.8 months. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates after recurrence were 61.6%, 40.2%, and 33.6%, respectively. Mean survival time after recurrence was 26.4 ± 29.5 months. Incidence of peritoneal seeding (PS) was 18.0%, and eight of them demonstrated solitary lesion. Mean recurrence interval was 5.9 ± 8.2 months. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS rates after recurrence were significantly lower in patients with PS (49.7%, 18.7%, and 9.3%, respectively) than in patients without PS.

CONCLUSIONS

Hepatectomy in ruptured HCC did show worse survival outcome compared with unruptured HCC and bear a high risk of PS. However, surgical resection combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization could help in achieving acceptable oncological outcomes.

Multimodality Management of Ruptured Large Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Its Recurrence: Rupture at Presentation Should Not Rupture Hope of Long-Term Survival

A 59-year-old gentleman with a history of aortic valve replacement presented with spontaneously ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma in right lobe of a hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related chronic liver disease with hemoperitoneum. This acute emergency was managed by transarterial embolization. Right trisectionectomy with preservation of segment IVB after augmentation of future liver remnant by transarterial chemoembolization followed by portal vein embolization was subsequently performed. Sustained virological response to HCV was attained after surgery using sofosbuvir-based regimen. He had a delayed operative bed recurrence 1.5 years later with pulmonary metastatic disease which was managed by operative bed metastasectomy with mesh reconstruction of diaphragm and sorafenib. He is on sorafenib since past 3 years and doing well at 4.5-years follow-up since the first presentation, with significant regression of pulmonary disease and no other disease elsewhere, which highlights that where there is hope, there is a way.

Liver Transplantation After Downstagings of Ruptured Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Cirrhotic Liver: Is It Advisable? A Case Report

Spontaneous rupture of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), defined as T4 in TNM stage by the American Joint Committee on Cancer (eighth edition), is a serious life-threatening complication. Effective treatment remains challenging because of a high 1-month mortality, a short median survival, and the potential of peritoneal metastasis. We reported on a case that received a living related donor liver transplantation (LDLT) after successful consecutive downstaging therapies. A 63-year-old man with alcohol-related liver cirrhosis and multiple HCC developed spontaneous rupture and hemoperitoneum. He received 3 sessions of transcatheter hepatic arterial chemoembolization and target therapy with sorafenib. Computed tomography scans and magnetic resonance imaging after 11 months of treatment showed that the patient's HCCs fulfilled the Milan criteria and the University of California San Francisco criteria prior to LDLT. The perioperative course was rather smooth. After discharge, interval follow-up computed tomography studies of chest and liver and a whole-body bone scan showed no tumor recurrence or metastasis up to 20 months post-operation. Successful downstaging therapies of ruptured HCC to fulfill Milan criteria to receive liver transplantation is advisable in highly selected patients.

Early experience with laparoscopic liver resection for spontaneously ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma

Introduction

There are limited data to date regarding laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) for spontaneously ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma (srHCC). We performed this study to determine the safety and feasibility of LLR for srHCC.

Materials and Methods

We conducted a retrospective review of all patients who underwent liver resection for srHCC from 2000 to 2018. A total of five patients underwent LLR for srHCC, and they were matched to 10 patients who underwent open liver resection (OLR) for srHCC to perform a 1:2 comparison. A separate cohort of patients who underwent LLR for non-ruptured HCC (nrHCC) was also compared against the laparoscopic group.

Results

The comparison between LLR versus OLR for srHCC demonstrated no significant differences in baseline characteristics between both groups. There was also no significant difference in perioperative outcomes such as median operating time, estimated blood loss (EBL), rate of blood transfusion, post-operative median length of stay (LOS), overall complication rates, major morbidity rates and 90-day mortality rates. Comparison between LLR for srHCC and LLR for nrHCC demonstrated no significant differences in baseline characteristics between both groups. There was also no significant difference in key perioperative outcomes such as median operating time, EBL, rate and volume of blood transfusion, median post-operative LOS, morbidity rates or mortality rates.

Conclusion

LLR may be performed safely in selected cases of srHCC. These patients have comparable perioperative outcomes as those who undergo OLR for srHCC and LLR for nrHCC.

Abandonment of surveillance, followed by emergency surgery for a second spontaneous rupture of hepatocellular carcinoma: A case report and review of the literature

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) develops in the presence of chronic liver disease, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is becoming a frequent cause of HCC in developed regions. Spontaneous rupture of HCC (rHCC) is a potentially life-threatening complication of a tumor. The patient's compliance with surveillance after liver resection is vital for the prevention of rHCC.

Massive hemoperitoneum and upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage following liver rupture secondary to gallbladder perforation: A case report and literature review

RATIONALE

Available literature states that the common reasons for non-traumatic spontaneous liver rupture are hepatocellular carcinoma, macronodular cirrhosis, hemangioma, and other tumors; gallbladder perforation is not cited as a cause.

PATIENT CONCERNS

The patient presented with sudden-onset right upper quadrant pain with tarry stool for 3 days after eating with dysphoria and increasing thirst; gradually, hemorrhagic shock developed. He had no history of trauma, no background of chronic hepatitis, and no cirrhosis.

DIAGNOSIS

Hemorrhage secondary to spontaneous rupture of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

INTERVENTIONS

Left hemihepatectomy, cholecystectomy, and common bile duct exploration were performed.

OUTCOMES

The patient was diagnosed with massive hemoperitoneum accompanying upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage following liver rupture secondary to gallbladder perforation. The postoperative course was uneventful and the patient was discharged after 10 days of hospitalization.

LESSONS

If patients present with non-traumatic spontaneous liver rapture accompanying cholelithiasis and gallbladder hematoma, gallbladder perforation should be considered as a differential diagnosis. Misdiagnosis can lead to incorrect treatment.

Recurrence rate and overall survival of operated ruptured hepatocellular carcinomas

OBJECTIVE

Hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC) can infrequently rupture and cause hemorrhage. Little is known on recurrence rate (RR) and overall survival (OS) in case of ruptured HCC. This study aimed to assess RR, time to recurrence, and OS of operated ruptured HCC.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

All operated patients with HCC (1999-2015) were reviewed. Patient demographics, perioperative details, and postoperative outcomes of ruptured HCC were recorded. RR, time to recurrence, and OS were calculated. RR and OS of ruptured and non-ruptured HCC were compared.

RESULTS

Among the 140 consecutive patients with HCC operated during the study period, 14 presented with rupture. Eleven patients had cirrhosis (all Child-Pugh A). At presentation, median α-fetoprotein and hemoglobin levels were 23 µg/l (interquartile range: 5-883) and 127 g/l (118-148), respectively. All but one patient felt abdominal pain, and two were in hemorrhagic shock. Preoperative embolization with staged hepatectomy was performed in seven patients. Five patients were first treated conservatively and then had an elective hepatectomy, whereas two patients had upfront surgery (one packing and one segmentectomy). Major hepatectomy was performed in eight cases. Median intraoperative blood loss was 1000 ml (500-2100). Overall complication rate was 36%. Eight patients presented a recurrence (57%; median time to recurrence: 8 months; interquartile range: 6-19). Median OS was 44 months, and 5-year OS was 41%. The 126 operated patients with non-ruptured HCC had a RR of 59/126 (47%; P=0.576) and a 5-year OS of 61% (P=0.448).

CONCLUSION

RR between ruptured and non-ruptured HCC were similar. Moreover, HCC rupture did not impair OS compared with HCC without rupture.

Laparoscopic Left Hepatectomy for Ruptured Hepatocellular Carcinoma Controlled After Transcatheter Arterial Embolization: Case Report and Review of the Literature

BACKGROUND

Although spontaneous tumour rupture is a life-threatening complication of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), staged hepatectomy for HCC controlled after transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) could provide a better prognosis. Laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) has been accepted worldwide and has been expanded from minor resection to anatomical major resection. We herein report the first case of pure laparoscopic left hepatectomy for ruptured HCC controlled after TAE.

CASE REPORT

A 66-year-old man was transferred to our Institute because of abdominal pain and decreased consciousness. Ruptured HCC in segment IV and massive intra-abdominal haemorrhage were diagnosed. Emergency TAE was performed, achieving haemostasis. Reduction of intra-abdominal haemorrhage was confirmed at the 3-month follow-up, and no intrahepatic metastasis or peritoneal dissemination was present. Therefore, we performed elective laparoscopic left hepatectomy for the remaining HCC 110 days after TAE. Although dense adhesion was found in the upper right peritoneal cavity and greater omentum enveloping the remaining haemorrhage on the underside of the liver, there was no disseminated involvement in the peritoneal cavity. The operative time was 194 minutes, and intraoperative blood loss was 100 g. The postoperative course was uneventful, and the patient was discharged on postoperative day 6.

CONCLUSION

Major LLR may be an option for staged hepatectomy in patients with ruptured HCC controlled after TAE.

Safety and efficacy of dehydrated ethanol soaking of the operative field in the treatment of spontaneous hepatocellular carcinoma rupture

Background

The aim of our study was to evaluate the clinical safety and value of ethanol surgical field infiltration (ESFI), combined with distilled water peritoneal lavage (DWPL), after hepatectomy in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) rupture.

Methods

Rat liver tissue samples were soaked in dehydrated ethanol for different soaking times, and 18 rats were assigned to three groups that underwent different soaking methods of the hepatectomy cut surface. We retrospectively reviewed 45 patients who underwent hepatectomy for treatment of ruptured HCC. Among these, EFSI combined with DWPL was used in 21 patients (DAW group), with only DWPL used in the other 24 patients (DW group). Clinical outcomes were compared between the two groups.

Results

For in vitro experiments, the depth of coagulation degeneration and necrosis increased with the duration of soaking. For in vivo experiments, rats in all three groups survived until postoperative day 7 without significant postoperative complication. In patients, the rate of post-operation complication was comparable between the two groups (P = 0.398), with no between-group differences in liver function levels. The incidence of peritoneal dissemination was significantly higher for DW than DAW group (P = 0.037). Kaplan–Meier test identified dehydrated ethanol treatment as a significant factor of disease-free survival (DFS) (P = 0.036). On univariate analysis, dehydrated ethanol treatment was associated with better prognostic outcomes, although it was not retained as an independent factor of patient outcome.

Conclusions

Dehydrated ethanol soaking of the cut surface of the hepatectomy could potentially lower the risk of metastasis and improve the effect of hepatectomy for ruptured HCC as well as showed potential therapeutic value for intraoperative iatrogenic rupture of HCC.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12957-018-1390-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for bleeding hepatocellular carcinoma in HBV cirrhosis: a safety strategy

The incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) spontaneous tumor rupture varies between 3% and 26%. For resectable HCC ruptures, emergency hepatectomy or staged hepatectomy after transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) are life-saving procedures, and efficient therapeutic methods. We report a multimodal therapy including TAE, associating liver partition and portal vein ligation (ALPPS) and immunoglobuline infusion for a huge bleeding HCC with portal vein tumor thrombosis (PVTT) in hepatitis B virus (HBV) cirrhosis. ALPPS first step began with an abdominal toilette due to the massive hemoperitoneum and a portal vein incision at the bifurcation of the right and left portal veins was performed. A freely floating left part of the thrombus was extracted from the left portal vein in order to restore the left portal vein. The right portal vein with complete thrombosis was closed. Liver partition was then performed. The second step was performed without complications. A HCC Edmondson grade 4 (pT3b) and a cirrhotic liver parenchyma were described. Postoperative ascites decompensation was treated and patient was discharged in postoperative day 21. The reported triple strategy allowed us to prolong patient live. A multimodal therapy including TAE, ALPPS and immunoglobuline is a good option for a life treatment in case of huge bleeding hepatocellular carcinoma with PVTT in HBV cirrhosis.

Ruptured focal nodular hyperplasia observed during follow-up: a case report

BACKGROUND

Focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH) is the second most common benign hepatic tumor and is very rarely complicated by hemorrhage or rupture. Although thought to be extremely rare, there have been several reports of hemorrhage caused by ruptured FNH. Herein, we report the case of a patient with ruptured FNH, who subsequently developed hemorrhage during follow-up.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 32-year-old man was admitted to our department for an asymptomatic hepatic tumor in segments 4 and 5 (S4/5), which measured 8 cm in diameter and observed to project from the liver. Imaging and pathologic examination of a biopsy specimen confirmed the diagnosis of FNH. Three years after the diagnosis, the patient was readmitted to our hospital because of sudden onset of upper abdominal pain. Dynamic abdominal computed tomography revealed ascites around the tumor with high-density areas that were considered to represent hematoma caused by ruptured FNH. Transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) was performed to stop the hemorrhage. One month after TAE, S4/5 of the liver was resected; macroscopic findings revealed that a large part of the tumor was composed of necrotic tissue and hematoma. Pathological examination using hematoxylin-eosin staining and immunohistochemical examination indicated a final diagnosis of FNH rupture and hemorrhage.

CONCLUSION

Although a well-established diagnosis of FNH usually requires no treatment or surveillance, careful examination remains necessary when the FNH is large and projects from the liver because of the possibility of rupture and hemorrhage.