OBJECTIVETo improve the resection rate and increase operation safety for large centrally located liver tumors.

METHODSClinical data from 133 patients with large centrally located liver tumors confirmed by surgery were analyzed retrospectively. Selective and timely regional hepatic vascular occlusion was used during the operation procedure.

RESULTSThe resection rate was 100%. Perioperative death occurred in one patient. During operations, Forty-four patients underwent regional hepatic inflow occlusion ranging from 12 to 33 minutes. Twenty-three patients underwent left and right inflow occlusion, respectively, ranging from 8 to 50 minutes. One patient had right half-hepatic vascular exclusion for 40 minutes. The blood loss of 132 patients was (665 ± 424) ml (one patient experienced diffuse blood oozing and died in the next day). Among them, the blood loss of patients with liver cirrhosis was (723 ± 479) ml. On the contrary, those without liver cirrhosis was (458 ± 223) ml (P < 0.01). Liver function in 92.4% (122/132) patients recovered to Child-Pugh A within one week. No liver failure occurred. After operation, 3 patients presented ascites. Among them, two patients had liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular jaundice, one patient was accepted for transcatheter arterial chemoembolization preoperatively. Four patients had biliary fistula, one patient had gastroparesis, one patient had thrombus in the superior mesenteric vein and portal vein, and five patients had right pleural effusion. The 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rates of 112 patients were 89.1%, 57.7% and 36.9%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONSSelective and timely regional hepatic vascular occlusion is useful for the resection of large centrally located liver tumors. This kind of procedure can effectively control the blood loss during the operation and shorten the ischemic reperfusion time, beneficial for protecting the liver cell function. This procedure is a safe hepatic flow occlusion method.