Safety and feasibility of laparoscopic liver resection for hepatocellular carcinoma with clinically significant portal hypertension: a propensity score-matched study

Background The presence of clinically significant portal hypertension (CSPH) remains a relative contraindication to liver resection for patients with resectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The goal of this study was to explore whether a laparoscopic approach could extend the indications for hepatectomy to patients with PH. Method Patients who underwent laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) from February 2016 to September 2019 performed by a single medical team were included in this study. We analyzed the surgical and oncological outcomes between groups with and without CSPH before and after propensity score matching (PSM). Result We enrolled 156 patients divided into two groups according to the presence (CSPH,n = 26) or absence (non-CSPH,n = 130) of CSPH. CSPH group was associated with more clinical signs of liver dysfunction (p < 0.05). After PSM (n = 48 patients), the CSPH group tended to have a longer postoperative hospital stay (p = 0.054); however, there was no difference in operation time (p = 0.329), blood loss volume (p = 0.392), transfusion rates (p = 0.701), rate of conversion to open surgery (p = 0.666), surgical margin (p = 0.306), surgical mortality (n = 0), or comprehensive complication index (p = 0.844) between the two groups. The median follow-up time for the entire cohort was 19.6 months (range 0.2-40.6 months). The 3-year overall survival rate was 62.9% in the CSPH group and 84.3% in the non-CSPH group (p = 0.1090), and results were similar after PSM (p = 0.5734). Conclusions LLR is safe and feasible for HCC with PH. The introduction of minimally invasive surgery, represented by LLR, can appropriately expand the indications for hepatectomy.

Automated summary

The study shows that laparoscopic liver resection is safe and feasible for HCC patients with clinically significant portal hypertension, expanding the indications for hepatectomy. Patients with portal hypertension may have a longer postoperative hospital stay, but there were no significant differences in operation time, blood loss volume, transfusion rates, etc. between the portal hypertension and non-portal hypertension groups.