Full laparoscopic vascular reconstruction for portal tumoral invasion during a right hepatectomy using the caudal approach

Background: Laparoscopic liver surgery has progressively evolved. Consequently, liver procedures are increasingly performed laparoscopically, particularly in experienced centers. However, vascular resection and reconstruction still are considered a limitation for laparoscopy1 due to the risk of bleeding and the technical difficulty. Methods: A 72-year-old woman with a history of colorectal cancer had a 10 cm metastasis diagnosed in the right hemiliver with tumoral invasion of the right portal branch and tumor thrombus advancing to the portal confluence. After adjuvant chemotherapy and with stable disease, surgical resection was planned.2,3 Tips to avoid portal stenosis were carefully followed. Results: The operation was performed with a fully laparoscopic procedure. To minimize manipulation, an in situ right hepatectomy was performed.4 The right hepatic artery was dissected and ligated. The liver transection was guided with a caudal approach of the middle hepatic vein.5 The right biliary duct was then divided, achieving an excellent exposure of the portal bifurcation. The main and left portal trunks were occluded with vascular clamps, and the right portal vein was sharply divided with scissors. The stump was sutured to minimize backflow bleeding and to cover the tumor thrombus. Then, the portal opening was transversally sutured with a 5/0 running suture. The clamps were released, and the authors observed no bleeding and an adequate caliber with no stenosis. The procedure was completed in the standard fashion. The postoperative course was uneventful, and the woman was discharged on postoperative day 3. No early or late complications were observed.6 CONCLUSIONS: In selected cases, patients who require vascular resection and reconstruction during hepatectomies can benefit from the advantages of a laparoscopic approach

Neck Circumference for NAFLD Assessment during a 2-Year Nutritional Intervention: The FLiO Study

Neck circumference (NC) and its relationship to height (NHtR) and weight (NWtR) appear to be good candidates for the non-invasive management of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This study aimed to evaluate the ability of routine variables to assess and manage NAFLD in 98 obese subjects with NAFLD included in a 2-year nutritional intervention program. Different measurements were performed at baseline, 6, 12 and 24 months. The nutritional intervention significantly improved the anthropometric, metabolic and imaging variables. NC was significantly associated with the steatosis degree at baseline (r = 0.29), 6 m (r = 0.22), 12 m (r = 0.25), and 24 m (r = 0.39) (all p p < 0.05). NC and neck ratios combined with ALT levels and HOMA-IR showed a good prediction ability for hepatic fat content and hepatic steatosis (at all time-points) in a ROC analysis. The model improved when weight loss was included in the panel (NC-ROC: 0.982 for steatosis degree). NC and ratios combined with ALT and HOMA-IR showed a good prediction ability for hepatic fat during the intervention. Thus, their application in clinical practice could improve the prevention and management of NAFLD

Neck circumference for NAFLD assessment during a 2-year nutritional intervention: the FLiO study

Neck circumference (NC) and its relationship to height (NHtR) and weight (NWtR) appear to be good candidates for the non-invasive management of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This study aimed to evaluate the ability of routine variables to assess and manage NAFLD in 98 obese subjects with NAFLD included in a 2-year nutritional intervention program. Different measurements were performed at baseline, 6, 12 and 24 months. The nutritional intervention significantly improved the anthropometric, metabolic and imaging variables. NC was significantly associated with the steatosis degree at baseline (r = 0.29), 6 m (r = 0.22), 12 m (r = 0.25), and 24 m (r = 0.39) (all p < 0.05). NC was also significantly associated with visceral adipose tissue at all the study time-points (basal r = 0.78; 6 m r = 0.65; 12 m r = 0.71; 24 m r = 0.77; all p < 0.05). NC and neck ratios combined with ALT levels and HOMA-IR showed a good prediction ability for hepatic fat content and hepatic steatosis (at all time-points) in a ROC analysis. The model improved when weight loss was included in the panel (NC-ROC: 0.982 for steatosis degree). NC and ratios combined with ALT and HOMA-IR showed a good prediction ability for hepatic fat during the intervention. Thus, their application in clinical practice could improve the prevention and management of NAFLD

Pure laparoscopic major liver resection after yttrium90 radioembolization: a case-matched series analysis of feasibility and outcomes

Background: Liver surgery after radioembolization (RE) entails highly demanding and challenging procedures due to the frequent combination of large tumors, severe RE-related adhesions, and the necessity of conducting major hepatectomies. Laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) and its associated advantages could provide benefits, as yet unreported, to these patients. The current study evaluated feasibility, morbidity, mortality, and survival outcomes for major laparoscopic liver resection after radioembolization. Material and methods: In this retrospective, single-center study patients diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma, intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma or metastases from colorectal cancer undergoing major laparoscopic hepatectomy after RE were identified from institutional databases. They were matched (1:2) on several pre-operative characteristics to a group of patients that underwent major LLR for the same malignancies during the same period but without previous RE. Results: From March 2011 to November 2020, 9 patients underwent a major LLR after RE. No differences were observed in intraoperative blood loss (50 vs. 150 ml; p: 0.621), operative time (478 vs. 407 min; p: 0.135) or pedicle clamping time (90.5 vs 74 min; p: 0.133) between the post-RE LLR and the matched group. Similarly, no differences were observed on hospital stay (median 3 vs. 4 days; p = 0.300), Clavien-Dindo ≥ III complications (2 vs. 1 cases; p: 0.250), specific liver morbidity (1 vs. 1 case p: 1.000), or 90 day mortality (0 vs. 0; p: 1.000). Conclusion: The laparoscopic approach for post radioembolization patients may be a feasible and safe procedure with excellent surgical and oncological outcomes and meets the current standards for laparoscopic liver resections. Further studies with larger series are needed to confirm the results herein presented