Background: Posthepatectomy liver failure (PHLF) is one of the most serious complications after major liver resections and an important factor in terms of perioperative morbidity and mortality. Despite many advances in the understanding and grading of PHLF, the definitions found in literature are very heterogeneous, which complicates the identification of high-risk patients. In this study we analysed the results of extended liver resections and potential risk factors for PHLF based on patient data derived from our tertiary referral centre. The aim of the study was to gain an overview of the essential aspects in the prevention of PHLF combined with key intraoperative issues and postoperative treatment strategies.
Methods: We analysed data from 202 patients who underwent extended elective liver resections at our centre between April 1989 and September 2009 (135 right hemihepatectomies, 39 left hemihepatectomies, 28 right trisectionectomies). According to Balzan's "50/50 criteria", PHLF was defined as prothrombin time (PT) < 50 % combined with serum bilirubin (SB) > 50 micromol/L on postoperative day (POD) 5 or as death due to primary or secondary liver failure.
Results: Thirty-day mortality and overall in-hospital mortality were 4.95 and 8.91 %, respectively. Twenty-eight (14 %) patients developed PHLF and 16 (57 %) patients died. Compared to patients with normal postoperative liver function, several significant pre- and intraoperative factors for PHLF were identified, e.g. primary malignant liver tumour (p < 0.001), extended liver resection (p < 0.001), time of surgery (p < 0.001) and intraoperative transfusion of packed RBC (p < 0.02) or FFP (p < 0.001).
Conclusion: Although progress has been made in hepatobiliary surgery, PHLF remains a serious complication, especially after extended liver resections. Careful, optimised preoperative risk stratification is required to identify patients at risk for PHLF.
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.