Risk factors and long-term implications of unplanned conversion during laparoscopic liver resection for hepatocellular carcinoma located in anterolateral liver segments

Association between Unplanned Conversion and Patient Survival after Laparoscopic Liver Resection for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Propensity Score Matched Analysis

Unplanned conversion (UPC) is considered to be a predictor of poor postoperative outcomes. However, the effects of UPC on the survival of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain controversial. The aim of this study is to compare the outcomes between patients who underwent laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) and those who underwent UPC for HCC. Among 1029 patients with HCC who underwent hepatectomy between 2004 and 2021, 251 were eligible for the study. Of 251 patients who underwent hepatectomy for HCC in PS segments, 29 (26.0%) required UPC, and 222 underwent LLR. After 1:5 PSM, 25 patients were selected for the UPC group and 125 for the LLR group. Blood loss, transfusion rate, hospital stay, and postoperative complication were higher in the UPC group. Regarding oncologic outcomes, although the 5-year overall survival rate was similar in both groups (p = 0.544), the recurrence-free survival rate was lower in the UPC group (p < 0.001). UPC was associated with poor short-term as well as inferior long-term outcomes compared with LLR for HCC in PS segments. Therefore, surgeons must carefully select patients and consider early conversion if unexpected bleeding occurs to maintain safety and oncologic outcomes.

Nationwide analysis of unplanned conversion during minimally invasive distal pancreatectomy for pancreatic adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

Utilization of minimally-invasive distal pancreatectomy (MIDP) for pancreatic adenocarcinoma has increased. While unplanned conversion to an open procedure during MIDP is associated with inferior short-term outcomes, the long-term consequences of conversion have not been adequately examined.

METHODS

Patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma undergoing MIDP were selected from the National Cancer Database (2010-2015) and subdivided based on the occurrence of unplanned conversion. Post-operative outcomes and overall survival (OS) were examined. Conversion was additionally compared to a matched group of planned open resections.

RESULTS

Among 592 patients undergoing attempted MIDP, unplanned conversion occurred in 23.1%. Despite increased 90-day mortality among patients experiencing conversion, there was no difference in median OS between groups (25.0 vs 27.8 months, p = 0.095). For patients undergoing conversion, post-operative outcomes and long-term survival were similar when compared to a propensity-matched group of patients undergoing planned open resection. On multivariable analysis, treatment at an academic facility (OR 0.63) and a robotic approach (OR 0.50) were both significantly associated with completed MIDP.

CONCLUSION

Despite inferior post-operative outcomes compared to successful MIDP, unplanned conversion did not result in significantly reduced long term survival. MIDP can be attempted selectively but treatment at experienced centers via a robotic approach should be considered.

Risk Factors and Long-Term Implications of Unplanned Conversion During Laparoscopic Liver Resection for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Background: Laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) has become a widely used standardized operation for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the field of hepatic surgery. However, the risk factors and long-term implications associated with unplanned conversion to an open procedure during the LLR have not been adequately studied. Methods: The study incorporated 96 patients with HCC. Risk factors of conversion and their prognosis were analyzed by comparing patients who successfully underwent LLR with those who required unplanned conversion. Results: In this study, the unplanned conversion rate for laparoscopic hepatectomy was 42.7%. Patients who underwent conversion had longer length of stay (8 versus 7 days, P < .001), longer operation time (297.73 versus 194.03 minutes, P = .000), a higher transfusion rate (29.3% versus 5.5%, P < .001), and more postoperative complications compared with patients who successfully underwent LLR. The two surgical maneuvers did not show substantial disparities in terms of total survival and disease-free survival rates. Risk factors of unplanned conversion contained tumor location (odds ratio [OR], 3.129; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.214-8.066; P = 0.018) and tumor size (OR, 2.652; 95% CI: 1.039-6.767; P = 0.041). Conclusions: The unplanned conversion during LLR for HCC was linked to unfavorable short-term prognosis, yet it did not influence long-term oncologic outcomes. Moreover, preoperative evaluation of tumor size and location may effectively reduce the probability of unplanned conversion during LLR.

Conversion of Minimally Invasive Liver Resection for HCC in Advanced Cirrhosis: Clinical Impact and Role of Difficulty Scoring Systems

BACKGROUND

Minimally invasive liver resections (MILRs) in cirrhosis are at risk of conversion since cirrhosis and complexity, which can be estimated by scoring systems, are both independent factors for. We aimed to investigate the consequence of conversion of MILR for hepatocellular carcinoma in advanced cirrhosis.

METHODS

After retrospective review, MILRs for HCC were divided into preserved liver function (Cohort-A) and advanced cirrhosis cohorts (Cohort-B). Completed and converted MILRs were compared (Compl-A vs. Conv-A and Compl-B vs. Conv-B); then, converted patients were compared (Conv-A vs. Conv-B) as whole cohorts and after stratification for MILR difficulty using Iwate criteria.

RESULTS

637 MILRs were studied (474 Cohort-A, 163 Cohort-B). Conv-A MILRs had worse outcomes than Compl-A: more blood loss; higher incidence of transfusions, morbidity, grade 2 complications, ascites, liver failure and longer hospitalization. Conv-B MILRs exhibited the same worse perioperative outcomes than Compl-B and also higher incidence of grade 1 complications. Conv-A and Conv-B outcomes of low difficulty MILRs resulted in similar perioperative outcomes, whereas the comparison of more difficult converted MILRs (intermediate/advanced/expert) resulted in several worse perioperative outcomes for patients with advanced cirrhosis. However, Conv-A and Conv-B outcomes were not significantly different in the whole cohort where "advanced/expert" MILRs were 33.1% and 5.5% in Cohort A and B.

CONCLUSIONS

Conversion in the setting of advanced cirrhosis can be associated with non-inferior outcomes compared to compensated cirrhosis, provided careful patient selection is applied (patients elected to low difficulty MILRs). Difficulty scoring systems may help in identifying the most appropriate candidates.

Long-term effect of anesthesia choice on patients with hepatocellular carcinoma undergoing open liver resection

Clinical and experimental evidence suggested that anesthesia choice can influence cancer progression and patients' outcomes by modulating tumor microenvironment and tumorigenic pathways. Curative resection is the mainstay of therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which is an intractable disease due to high recurrence and poor prognosis. However, different anesthetics may play different roles in alleviating surgery-induced stress response and inflammatory cytokines release that are considered to be closely associated with proliferation, invasion and metastasis of tumor cells. Propofol, sevoflurane, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and local anesthetics have shown to exert anti-tumor effect on HCC mainly through regulating microRNAs or signaling pathways, while other inhalational agents, dexmedetomidine and opioids have the potential to promote tumor growth. In terms of anesthetic methods and analgesia strategies, propofol based total intravenous anesthesia and thoracic epidural analgesia could be preferred for HCC patients undergoing open liver resection rather than inhalational anesthesia. Local anesthesia techniques have great potential to attenuate perioperative stress response, hence they may contribute to more favorable outcomes. This review summarized the relations between different anesthesia choices and HCC patients' long-term outcomes as well as their underlying mechanisms. Due to the complexity of molecules interactions and signaling pathways, further studies are warranted to confirm these results so as to optimize anesthesia strategy for HCC patients.

How to minimize conversion to open surgery during laparoscopic liver resection: the point of view of hemostasis

It has been 30 years since laparoscopic liver resection was first introduced, and, in the beginning, wedge resection or nonanatomical liver resection was mainly performed. With the development of surgical techniques and instruments, many centers are currently performing major liver resections and even difficult anatomical liver resections such as segment VI, VII, and VIII and caudate segment. However, laparoscopic surgery has limitations in instrument manipulation, and due to the nature of liver resection surgery, massive bleeding may occur. Therefore, it is necessary to make efforts to minimize the bleeding and reduce the conversion to laparotomy due to bleeding.