How to cite this article: Fung AKY, Chong CCN, Lee KF, Wong J, Cheung YS, Fong AKW, Lai PBS. Outcomes of emergency and interval hepatectomy for ruptured resectable hepatocellular carcinoma: a single tertiary referral centre experience. Hepatoma Res 2017;3:196-204. Aim: The short and long term outcomes of patients who underwent emergency and interval hepatectomy for ruptured and resectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) were analysed. Methods: The data of patients with ruptured HCC presenting between April 2004 and October 2015 were analysed. Emergency hepatectomy was defined as hepatectomy within 48 h of the clinico-radiological diagnosis of HCC rupture. Results: Thirty patients underwent hepatectomy for ruptured HCC. Nine (30%) patients underwent emergency hepatectomy. The median age was 56 and 54 years (P = 0.13) with a similar gender distribution. The mean HCC size (10.5 vs. 8.3 cm, P = 0.17), total blood loss (3,000 vs. 850 mL, P = 0.002) and total units of red blood cell transfusion (1.9 vs. 0.5 units, P = 0.27) were greater in the emergency hepatectomy group. The complication rate was 44% and 38% (P = 0.53), with median length of hospital stay of 10 and 12 days (P = 0.07) in the emergency and interval hepatectomy groups, respectively, and no 30-day mortality in both groups. The median overall survival was 29 and 15.7 months (P = 0.25), with survival rates of 78%, 45%, 0% and 85%, 43% and 5% at 1, 3 and 5 years in the emergency and interval hepatectomy groups, respectively. Conclusion: Hepatectomy should be considered for ruptured HCC provided the patient could tolerate curative resection.
Key words:Hepatocellular carcinoma, rupture, hepatectomy
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