Associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy in Qatar: Initial experience with two case series and review of the literature

Introduction: Associating Liver Partition and Portal Vein Ligation for Staged -hepatectomy (ALPPS) is an evolving procedure that allows rapid hypertrophy of the future liver remnant (FLR). We describe the first two cases performed in Qatar.

Case presentations: Case 1: A 53 -year old male with sarcoma metastases to the liver 8 years after resection of an abdominal wall tumor, requiring an extended right hepatectomy but with in an inadequate FLR. ALPPS was done and he achieved 147% increase in the volume of the FLR within 6 days (from 15.9%-34.2%). The second stage was completed successfully on day 7. Case 2: A 59-year old male patient had colorectal liver metastases that required an extended right liver resection and had inadequate FLR of 19.8%. Seven days after the first stage, the FLR hypertrophied to 37.7% (90.2% increase in volume) and the second stage was completed successfully on day 8. Both patients had uneventful recovery and no recurrence or complications on follow up.

Discussion: ALPPS allows large liver resections while circumventing the long delay in the conventional two staged hepatectomy and portal vein ligation/embolization. The reported morbidity and mortality in earlier series was high, but recent selection criteria and technique refinements reduce this morbidity. Many variations are still being reported.

Conclusion: ALPPS is an evolving technique that adds to the armamentarium of the liver surgeon to allow larger liver resections in a timely manner. It is feasible and safe to be performed with careful selection.