Background The extent of liver resection for tumours is limited by the expected functional reserve of the future liver remnant (FRL), so hypertrophy may be induced by portal vein embolization (PVE), taking 6 weeks or longer for growth. This study assessed the hypothesis that simultaneous embolization of portal and hepatic veins (PVE/HVE) accelerates hypertrophy and improves resectability. Methods All centres of the international DRAGON trials study collaborative were asked to provide data on patients who had PVE/HVE or PVE on 2016–2019 (more than 5 PVE/HVE procedures was a requirement). Liver volumetry was performed using OsiriX MD software. Multivariable analysis was performed for the endpoints of resectability rate, FLR hypertrophy and major complications using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) statistics, regression, and Kaplan–Meier analysis. Results In total, 39 patients had undergone PVE/HVE and 160 had PVE alone. The PVE/HVE group had better hypertrophy than the PVE group (59 versus 48 per cent respectively; P = 0.020) and resectability (90 versus 68 per cent; P = 0.007). Major complications (26 versus 34 per cent; P = 0.550) and 90-day mortality (3 versus 16 per cent respectively, P = 0.065) were comparable. Multivariable analysis confirmed that these effects were independent of confounders. Conclusion PVE/HVE achieved better FLR hypertrophy and resectability than PVE in this collaborative experience.

Liver resection for HCA is safe. Presentation with hemorrhage was associated with larger tumor size. In males with a HCA >10 cm, a HCC should be suspected. In such situation, a preoperative biopsy is preferable and an oncological liver resection should be considered.

AIMTo assess the role of laparoscopic ultrasound (LUS) as a substitute for intraoperative cholangiography (IOC) during cholecystectomy.METHODSWe present a MEDLINE and PubMed literature search, having used the key-words “laparoscopic intraoperative ultrasound” and “laparoscopic cholecystectomy”. All relevant English language publications from 2000 to 2016 were identified, with data extracted for the role of LUS in the anatomical delineation of the biliary tract, detection of common bile duct stones (CBDS), prevention or early detection of biliary duct injury (BDI), and incidental findings during laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Data for the role of LUS vs IOC in complex situations (i.e., inflammatory disease/fibrosis) were specifically analyzed.RESULTSWe report data from eighteen reports, 13 prospective non-randomized trials, 5 retrospective trials, and two meta-analyses assessing diagnostic accuracy, with one analysis also assessing costs, duration of the examination, and anatomical mapping. Overall, LUS was shown to provide highly sensitive mapping of the extra-pancreatic biliary anatomy in 92%-100% of patients, with more difficulty encountered in delineation of the intra-pancreatic segment of the biliary tract (73.8%-98%). Identification of vascular and biliary variations has been documented in two studies. Although inflammatory disease hampered accuracy, LUS was still advantageous vs IOC in patients with obscured anatomy. LUS can be performed before any dissection and repeated at will to guide the surgeon especially when hilar mapping is difficult due to fibrosis and inflammation. In two studies LUS prevented conversion in 91% of patients with difficult scenarios. Considering CBDS detection, LUS sensitivity and specificity were 76%-100% and 96.2%-100%, respectively. LUS allowed the diagnosis/treatment of incidental findings of adjacent organs. No valuable data for BDI prevention or detection could be retrieved, even if no BDI was documented in the reports analyzed. Literature analysis proved LUS as a safe, quick, non-irradiating, cost-effective technique, which is comparatively well known although largely under-utilized, probably due to the perception of a difficult learning curve.CONCLUSIONWe highlight the advantages and limitations of laparoscopic ultrasound during cholecystectomy, and underline its value in difficult scenarios when the anatomy is obscured.

Portal hyperperfusion and “dearterialization” of the liver remnant are the main pathogenic mechanisms for Small For Size syndrome (SFSS). Associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy (ALPPS) induces rapid remnant hypertrophy. We hypothesized a similar increase in portal pressure/flow into the future liver remnant in ALPPS and SFSS‐setting hepatectomies. In a rodent model, ALPPS was compared to SFSS‐setting hepatectomy. We assessed mortality, remnant hypertrophy, hepatocyte proliferation, portal and hepatic artery flow, hypoxia‐induced response, and liver sinusoidal morphology. SFSS‐hepatectomy rats were subjected to local (hepatic artery ligation) or systemic (Dimethyloxalylglycine) hypoxia. ALLPS prevented mortality in SFSS‐setting hepatectomies. Portal hyperperfusion per liver mass was similar in ALLPS and SFSS. Compared to SFSS, efficient arterial perfusion of the remnant was significantly lower in ALPPS causing pronounced hypoxia confirmed by pimonidazole immunostaining, activation of hypoxia sensors and upregulation of neo‐angiogenic genes. Liver sinusoids, larger in ALPPS, collapsed in SFSS. Induction of hypoxia in SFSS reduced mortality. Hypoxia had no impact on hepatocyte proliferation but contributed to the integrity of sinusoidal morphology. ALPPS hemodynamically differ from SFSS by a much lower arterial flow in ALPPS's FLR. We show that the ensuing hypoxic response is essential for the function of the regenerating liver by preserving sinusoidal morphology.