Portal Hypertension: Contraindication to Liver Surgery?

• Published in: World journal of surgery 2006-06, Vol.30 (6), p.992-999
• Main Authors: Capussotti, Lorenzo, Ferrero, Alessandro, Viganò, Luca, Muratore, Andrea, Polastri, Roberto, Bouzari, Hedayat
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Biological and medical sciences; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - complications; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - surgery; Cirrhotic Patient; Contraindications; Esophageal and Gastric Varices - complications; Esophageal Varix; Female; Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen; General aspects; Hepatectomy - adverse effects; Hepatectomy - mortality; Humans; Hypertension, Portal - complications; Liver Cirrhosis - complications; Liver Neoplasms - complications; Liver Neoplasms - surgery; Liver Resection; Liver. Biliary tract. Portal circulation. Exocrine pancreas; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Other diseases. Semiology; Portal Hypertension; Portal Vein Thrombosis; Survival Rate
• ISSN: 0364-2313; 1432-2323
• DOI: 10.1007/s00268-005-0524-9

Introduction In recent decades liver resection has become a safe procedure, mainly because of better patient selection. Despite this progress, however, outcomes of hepatectomy in cirrhotic patients with portal hypertension are still uncertain. The aim of this study was to elucidate early and long‐term outcomes of liver resection in these patients. Methods Between 1985 and 2003, a total of 245 cirrhotic patients underwent hepatectomy for HCC. Altogether, 217 patients were eligible for this analysis and were divided into two groups according to the presence of portal hypertension at the time of surgery: 99 patients with portal hypertension and 118 without it. Results Patients with portal hypertension had worse preoperative liver function (Child‐Pugh A class patients: 66.7% vs. 94.9%; P < 0.0001). No differences were encountered in terms of intraoperative and pathology data. Operative mortality was similar (11.1% vs. 5.1%; P = 0.100), but patients with portal hypertension had higher morbidity (43.4% vs. 30.5%; P = 0.049) and received a higher rate of blood and plasma transfusions (51.5% vs. 32.2%, P = 0.004; 77.8% vs. 57.6%, P = 0.0017). Considering only Child‐Pugh A patients, short‐term results were similar in the two groups in terms of mortality, morbidity, and transfusion rates. The 5‐year survival rate was significantly higher in patients without portal hypertension (39.8% vs. 28.9%; P = 0.020), although when considering only Child‐Pugh A patients no difference of survival was encountered. Multivariate analysis identified Child‐Pugh classification, tumor diameter, and vascular invasion as independent predicting factors for survival. Conclusions Portal hypertension should not be considered an absolute contraindication to hepatectomy in cirrhotic patients. Child‐Pugh A patients with portal hypertension have short‐ and long‐term results similar to patients with normal portal pressure.