The purpose of this report is to describe some unusual manifestations that followed a very extensive hepatectomy (85 to 90 per cent) and to comment about the less than complete degree of regeneration that occurred postoperatively.
Case ReportA nineteen year old girl had undergone exploration one week prior to admission because of a huge mass that occupied all of the upper abdomen and which, as indicated by liver scan ( Figure 1, left), replaced much of the liver. Tissue diagnosis of a well differentiated hepatoma was made from the previous exploration. Measurement of alpha fetoprotein was negative. For some months she had had severe abdominal pain that was eventually demonstrated to be due to hemorrhage into the tumor. A selective celiac arteriogram demonstrated a single hepatic artery. (Figure 1, right.) Although the entire arterial blood supply appeared to be involved in tumor, an attempt at resection was decided on.The procedure was carried out May 10, 1972, through a bilateral subcostal incision. The right hepatic artery, portal vein, and hepatic duct were ligated and divided. Branches of the left main hilar structures passing to the medial segment of the left lobe were cut, leaving only the lateral segment connected. The right and middle hepatic veins and all the small hepatic veins entering the inferior vena cava from the caudate lobe were sacrificed so that only the left hepatic vein remained. The lateral segment of the left lobe was smaller than usual, constituting approximately 15 per cent of the normal liver mass. Part of this segment had to be excised to remove the tumor, which extended to the left of the falciform ligament. The remaining hepatic fragment was thought to represent between 10 and 15 per cent of a normal liver. The excised specimen weighed 2,100 gm and had areas of hemorrhage within the tumor. It was examined histologically in five university departments of pathology noted for their special interest in liver disease. All consultants described the well-differentiated features of the neoplasm. Two diagnoses of hepatocellular adenoma were made, but three of the consultants classified the lesion as a hepatoma (hepatocarcinoma).After resection was completed, the residual fragment felt tense, a condition that was aggravated by efforts to cover the raw liver edge with the falciform ligament or omentum. Consequently, the raw surface was left open. The large right subphrenic cavity was extensively drained. The operation required nine hours and 5,500 ml of blood. Postoperative ventilatory support was provided for the first five hours. The patient was completely disoriented for three days but then suddenly became lucid.Requests for reprints should be addressed to Thomas E. Starzl, MD. Department of Surgery, University of Colorado Medical Center, 4200 East Ninth Avenue, Denver, Colorado 80220.
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Author ManuscriptAm J Surg. Author manuscript; available in PMC 2010 October 25. Serious abnormalities in liver function, including jaundice, did not clear until the third week. (Figure 2) A...