Hepatic artery reconstruction first for the treatment of hilar cholangiocarcinoma bismuth type IIIB with contralateral arterial invasion: a novel technical strategy

Vascular surgery in liver resection

Vascular surgery in liver resection is a standard part of liver transplantation, but is also used in oncological liver surgery. Malignant liver tumors with vascular involvement have a poor prognosis without resection. Surgery is currently the only treatment to provide long-term survival in advanced hepatic malignancy. Even though extended liver resections are increasingly performed, vascular involvement with need of vascular reconstruction is still considered a contraindication for surgery in many institutions. However, vascular resection and reconstruction in liver surgery-despite being complex procedures-are safely performed in specialized centers. The improvements of the postoperative results with reduced postoperative morbidity and mortality are a result of rising surgical and anesthesiological experience and advancements in multimodal treatment concepts with preconditioning measures regarding liver function and systemic treatment options. This review focuses on vascular surgery in oncological liver resections. Even though many surgical techniques were developed and are also used during liver transplantation, this special procedure is not particularly covered within this review article. We provide a summary of vascular reconstruction techniques in oncological liver surgery according to the literature and present also our own experience. We aim to outline the current advances and standards in extended surgical procedures for liver tumors with vascular involvement established in specialized centers, since curative resection improves long-term survival and shifts palliative concepts to curative therapy.

Vascular Resection in Perihilar Cholangiocarcinoma

Among the cholangiocarcinomas, the most common type is perihilar (phCC), accounting for approximately 60% of cases, after which are the distal and then intrahepatic forms. There is no staging system that allows for a comparison of all series and extraction of conclusions that increase the long-term survival rate of this dismal disease. The extension of the resection, which theoretically depends on the type of phCC, is not a closed subject. As surgery is the only known way to achieve a cure, many aggressive approaches have been adopted. Despite extended liver resections and even vascular resections, margins are positive in around one third of patients. In the past two decades, with advances in diagnostic and surgical techniques, surgical outcomes and survival rates have gradually improved, although variability is the rule, with morbidity and mortality rates ranging from 14% to 76% and from 0% to 19%, respectively. Extended hepatectomies and portal vein resection, or even right hepatic artery reconstruction for the left side tumors are frequently needed. Salvage procedures when arterial reconstruction is not feasible, as well as hepatopancreatoduodenectomy, are still under evaluation too. In this article, we discuss the aggressive surgical approach to phCC focused on vascular resection. Disparate results on the surgical treatment of phCC made it impossible to reach clear-cut conclusions.

Vascular Involvements in Cholangiocarcinoma: Tips and Tricks

Simple Summary

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is the second most common liver primary malignancy and its gold-standard treatment is surgery. Unfortunately, CCA is seldom amenable to curative resection due to late-stage diagnosis and frequent major vascular invasion. Major vascular invasion has historically been considered a contraindication to resection, but lately aggressive surgeries for CCA with vascular involvement have been shown to improve outcomes. The purpose of this review is to provide a comprehensive and up to date summary of the strategies for CCA resection, focusing on the surgical techniques and results of complex procedures with tumour vascular involvements. The current review shows that satisfactory results can be achieved in patients with CCA and tumoral vascular invasion by aggressive surgical resection and challenging vascular reconstruction, ensuring a meticulous evaluation of patients in a multidisciplinary setting by experienced hepatobiliary surgeons.

Abstract

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is an aggressive malignancy of the biliary tract. To date, surgical treatment remains the only hope for definitive cure of CCA patients. Involvement of major vascular structures was traditionally considered a contraindication for resection. Nowadays, selected cases of CCA with vascular involvement can be successfully approached. Intrahepatic CCA often involves the major hepatic veins or the inferior vena cava and might necessitate complete vascular exclusion, in situ hypothermic perfusion, ex situ surgery and reconstruction with autologous, heterologous or synthetic grafts. Hilar CCA more frequently involves the portal vein and hepatic artery. Resection and reconstruction of the portal vein is now considered a relatively safe and beneficial technique, and it is accepted as a standard option either with direct anastomosis or jump grafts. However, hepatic artery resection remains controversial; despite accumulating positive reports, the procedure remains technically challenging with increased rates of morbidity. When arterial reconstruction is not possible, arterio-portal shunting may offer salvage, while sometimes an efficient collateral system could bypass the need for arterial reconstructions. Keys to achieve success are represented by accurate selection of patients in high-volume referral centres, adequate technical skills and eclectic knowledge of the various possibilities for vascular reconstruction.

Surgical Considerations of Hilar Cholangiocarcinoma

Cholangiocarcinoma is an aggressive malignancy of the extrahepatic bile ducts. Hilar lesions are most common. Patients present with obstructive jaundice and intrahepatic bile duct dilation. Cross-sectional imaging reveals local, regional, and distant extent of disease, with direct cholangiography providing tissue for diagnosis. The consensus of a multidisciplinary committee dictates treatment. Resection of the extrahepatic bile duct and ipsilateral hepatic lobe with or without vascular resection and transplantation after neoadjuvant protocol are options for curative treatment. The goal of surgery is to remove the tumor with negative margins. Patients with inoperable tumors or metastatic disease are best served with palliative chemoradiotherapy.

An accessory right hepatic artery derived from the superior mesenteric artery for anterior right liver lobe supply: a case report

PURPOSE

During the last decades, it has been established that there are numerous individual anatomical variations of the arterial blood supply in human liver. In the present study, we examined the liver vascularization of an intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma patient.

METHODS

For surgical planning, an enhanced CT scan was performed and a three-dimensional model of liver vascularization constructed.

RESULTS

The patient was diagnosed as a Michel's type VII hepatic artery variation. An accessory right hepatic artery arose from the superior mesenteric artery and had distributed into the right anterior liver to provide the blood supply of segments V and VIII, which was more medial than the territory of the right hepatic artery coming from the proper hepatic artery. At the same time, an accessory left hepatic artery originated from the left gastric artery.

CONCLUSION

We present a case in which an accessory right hepatic artery provided a territory more medial than a right hepatic artery coming from the proper right artery.

Extending resectability of hilar cholangiocarcinomas: how can it be assessed and improved?

Until the 1980's, Klatskin tumors were considered 'desperate cases' and most of them were not resected; almost no oncologic concept was available. After many improvements, today, extended hepatectomy, including caudate lobe resection and lymphoadenectomy, have become a standard of care for oncologicaly radical resection of Klatskin tumors. Portal vein en bloc resection, if necessary, is a diffused standard assuring R0-resection without any improvement of survival in most series. Arterial resection remains episodical and controversial in its oncologic impact. Arterial resection-reconstruction was demonstrated to be feasible with many different technical possibilities. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy, refinement of associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy and liver transplantations are some possible future resources for treatment of those aggressive tumors that could be able to expand the pool of treatable patients.

Hepatic Artery Resection for Bismuth Type III and IV Hilar Cholangiocarcinoma: Is Reconstruction Always Required?

OBJECTIVE

The objective of the study is to examine the feasibility of hepatic artery resection (HAR) without subsequent reconstruction (RCS) in specified patients of Bismuth type III and IV hilar cholangiocarcinoma.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed 63 patients who underwent hepatic artery resection for Bismuth type III and IV hilar cholangiocarcinoma. These patients were subsequently enrolled into two groups based on whether the artery reconstruction was conducted. Postoperative morbidity and mortality, and long-term survival outcome were compared between the two groups.

RESULTS

There were 29 patients in HAR group and 34 patients in the HAR + RCS group. Patients with hepatic artery reconstruction tended to have longer operative time (545.6 ± 143.1 min vs. 656.3 ± 192.8 min; P = 0.013) and smaller tumor size (3.0 ± 1.1 cm vs. 2.5 ± 0.9 cm; P = 0.036). The R0 resection margin was comparable between the HAR group and HAR + RCS group (86.2 vs. 85.3%; P > 0.05). Twelve patients (41.4%) with 24 complications in HAR group and 13 patients (38.2%) with 25 complications in HAR + RCS group were recorded (P = 0.799). The postoperative hepatic failure rate (13.8 vs. 5.9%) and postoperative mortality rate (3.4% vs. 2.9%) were also comparable between the two groups. In the HAR group, the overall 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates were 72, 41, and 19%, respectively; while in the HAR + RCS group, the overall 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates were 79, 45, and 25%, respectively (P = 0.928).

CONCLUSIONS

Hepatic artery resection without reconstruction is also a safe and feasible surgical procedure for highly selected cases of Bismuth type III and IV hilar cholangiocarcinoma.

Vascular Reconstruction in Hepatic Malignancy

With surgery for hepatic malignancy, there are poor options for chemotherapy; many patients are deemed unresectable because of vascular involvement or location of tumors. Over the past few decades, advances in surgical technique have allowed resection of these tumors with vascular reconstruction to achieve negative margins and improve chances for survival. This article reviews those reconstruction techniques and outcomes in detail, including in situ perfusion and ex vivo liver surgery, and provides a discussion of implications and operative planning for patients with hepatic malignancy in order to provide surgeons with better understanding of these complicated operations.

Left hepatectomy combined with hepatic artery resection for hilar cholangiocarcinoma: A retrospective cohort study

AIMS

To investigate the efficacy of our technique and policy on left hepatectomy (LH) with hepatic artery resection but without arterial reconstruction (HAR) in selected patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma.

METHODS

From May 2005 to May 2012, 61 patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma underwent left hepatectomy. These patients were divided into two groups: the LH with HAR group (n = 26) and the LH alone group (n = 35), based on whether hepatic artery resection was performed. We evaluated the serum total and direct bilirubin on postoperative day 7, length of hospital stay after surgery, postoperative complications, long-term postoperative survival and disease-free survival.

RESULTS

The improvement in jaundice after surgery was comparable between the two groups (P = 0.837). There were no significant differences in the rates of postoperative complications or mortality between the LH with HAR group and the LH group (P = 0.654 and no assessment, respectively). The cumulative 1-, 2-, 3- and 5-year survival rates were 61.5%, 49%, 40.8% and 30.6% and 71.4%, 58.7%, 51.3% and 38.5%, respectively, in the LH with HAR group and the LH group (P = 0.383, including perioperative deaths). The cumulative 1-, 2-, 3- and 5-year disease-free survival rates were 61.9%, 41.6%, 29.7% and 14.8% and 58.2%, 50.7%, 44.3% and 23.6% in the LH with HAR group and the LH group, respectively (P = 0.695, including perioperative deaths). The postoperative complication rate was higher in patients with severe jaundice than those with non-severe jaundice, but no significant difference was detected (56.3% (9/16) vs. 46.7% (46.7%), P = 0.804). Similarly, 18.8% (3/16) postoperative mortality was found in patients with severe jaundice, compared to 4.4% (2/45) in those with non-severe jaundice. The difference was not significant (P = 0.139). For the cumulative 1-, 2-, 3- and 5-year survival and cumulative 1-, 2-, 3- and 5-year disease-free survival rates, patients with severe jaundice had poorer outcomes than those with non-severe jaundice (56.3%, 43.8%, 35% and 26.3% vs. 66.7%, 58.8%, 52.2% and 41.8%, P = 0.317; 50%, 42.9%, 35.7% and 13.4% vs. 63.8%, 54%, 35.6% and 21.3%, P = 0.753).

CONCLUSION

Left hepatectomy combined with hepatic artery resection and no reconstruction for hilar cholangiocarcinoma is recommended when the following conditions are satisfied: 1) Bismuth-Corlette I, II, or IIIb hilar cholangiocarcinoma; 2) the tumor has infiltrated the hepatic artery with disappearance or markedly reduced arterial flow as detected by intraoperative ultrasound; 3) the color of the liver by visual observation does not change when the hepatic artery has been blocked for 5 min; and 4) removal of the tumor-infiltrated hepatic artery increases the probability of R0 resection for hilar cholangiocarcinoma. For obstructive jaundice from hilar cholangiocarcinoma, we recommend bile duct drainage before resection in patients with elevated preoperative serum TB.

Risk factors, management, and prognosis for liver abscess after radical resection of hilar cholangiocarcinoma

OBJECTIVES

Pyogenic liver abscess (PLA) is a rare but potentially lethal infectious complication after radical surgical resection of hilar cholangiocarcinoma (HC), this study is aimed to identify the risk factors, management and prognosis of PLA after curative surgical resection of HC.

METHODS

Between January 2003 and October 2013, 95 patients who underwent surgical resection of HC at a tertiary center were included in this study. The risk factors pertaining to PLA formation were identified by exact logistic regression.

RESULTS

PLA developed in 8 of 95 patients. The median duration of PLA formation following surgical procedure was 145 days (range, 16-295 days) and the most commonly isolated microorganism was Escherichia coli (4/8). Though most patients who developed PLA after surgery were successfully managed with antibiotics and invasive therapy, the overall survival was statistically poorer than those without PLA formation (median, 16.9 vs. 34.2 months, P=0.048). Univariate analysis revealed that coexisting biliary disorders (37.5% vs. 8.0%, P=0.036), vascular reconstruction (37.5% vs. 9.2%, P=0.041) and margin status (62.5% vs. 21.8%, P=0.023) were associated with PLA formation, whereas only vascular reconstruction (odds ratio (OR), 10.31; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.03-142.73; P=0.047) and margin status (OR, 8.45; 95% CI, 1.13-109.38; P=0.035) were identified as independent risk factors by multivariate analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Intraoperative vascular reconstruction and positive margin status pose greater risks for PLA formation after radical resection of HC. For patients with high risk factors, careful follow-up is needed for early detection and management of this infrequent complication.

[Perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (Klatskin tumor)]

Perihilar cholangiocarcinoma or Klatskin tumors are a rare entity arising from the extrahepatic bile duct bifurcation. Considering the close anatomical relationship of the bile duct bifurcation with the portal vein bifurcation and hepatic arteries, surgical treatment is demanding. With an incidence of only 2-4 cases/100,000 population/year patients should be referred to a specialized center. The tumors are usually poorly differentiated adenocarcinomas growing diffusely along the duct and also the perineural sheath. Only radical surgery offers a curative option and currently surgical strategy usually consists of en bloc resection of the bile duct, extended liver resection and portal vein resection. Proximal and lateral safety margin R0 resections are technically very demanding procedures because of the local anatomy.