Hepatectomy is a complicated operative procedure because of its anatomical complexity, vascular variability, and impaired hepatic function due to associated hepatitis or cirrhosis. Thus preoperative detailed topography and precise liver resection volume measurements should be obtained for a curative hepatectomy. The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility and accuracy of a novel three-dimensional (3D) virtual hepatectomy simulation software in patients who underwent liver resection or living donor liver transplantation. We developed the hepatectomy simulation software, which was programmed to analyze detailed 3D vascular structure and to predict liver resection volume and margins. In 72 patients receiving hepatectomy, the predicted liver resection volumes and margins revealed a significant correlation with the actual value with a mean difference of 9.3 mL (P < .0001) and 1.6 mm (P < .01), respectively. The drainage area by hepatic veins was quantified to achieve reconstruction of the corresponding venous branch. In conclusion, this hepatectomy simulation software reliably predicted an accurate liver resection volume, the cancer-free margin, and the drainage volume of hepatic vein branches. This software may promote curative hepatectomy and may be used for other interventional therapies in the treatment of liver disease. (HEPATOLOGY 2005;41:1297-1304

Hepatectomy simulation in 3D predicted segmental liver volume and the resection margin accurately. This virtual method should contribute to preoperative planning to achieve safe, curative resection in HCC patients, whose hepatic function is compromised.

(Groups II and IV) was 10 years younger than that of the HBsAg negative patients (Groups I and III). First Department of Surgery, Hyogo College of Medicine, Nishinomiya, Japan. RESULTS.The male-to-female ratio was higher in HCVAb negative groups (II and III). The HCVAb positive groups (I and IV) had a significantly poorer hepatic reserve and smaller resections than the HCVAb negative groups. Because the tumors were more advanced (as determined by TNM staging) in Group II, the 3-year crude and disease free survival rates were lower in Group II than in Group I. However, HCVAb negative groups (II and III), when compared at 5 years with the limited subsets of patients who had tumors at earlier stages or a curative resection, had significantly better crude and disease free 5-year survival rates than the HCVAb positive group (I). CONCLUSIONS. Clinicopathologic features differ from one another in accordancewith the viral seromarkers in HCC patients. Significantly better crude and disease free survival after complete resection were promising results for patients with non-HCV-related HCC. By comparison, for patients with HCV-related HCC, the risk of intrahepatic recurrences never subsided even in later years after complete resection. Therefore, posthepatectomy follow-up management should be individualized depending on the viral serologic status of HCC patients. quency of carcinogenesis between HCV-related and hepatitis B virus (HBV) -related liver diseases. With regard to surgery, it is also im-

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Three-dimensional simulation revealed three types of portal vein ramification of the RAS. Parenchyma-preserving hepatectomy based on the precise portal ramification may contribute to safe and curative hepatectomy in selected cases with liver neoplasm involving the RAS.