Study: International Multicentric Minimally Invasive Liver Resection for Colorectal Liver Metastases (SIMMILR-CRLM)

Simple Summary This is study of an international multicentric cohort after minimally invasive liver resection (SIMMILR) from six international centers evaluating short-term outcomes after minimally invasive liver resection for patients with three or fewer colorectal liver metastases that measure less than or equal to 3 cm, or a solitary tumor less than or equal to 5 cm (Milan Criteria). Propensity score matching was done to reduce bias. Comparisons were done between open, laparoscopic and robotic liver resections. Laparoscopic and robotic approaches may have short-term benefits when compared to open hepatectomy. Future studies will include an analysis of overall and recurrence-free survival curves by stage and type of neoadjuvant treatments received. (1) Background: Here we report on a retrospective study of an international multicentric cohort after minimally invasive liver resection (SIMMILR) of colorectal liver metastases (CRLM) from six centers. (2) Methods: Resections were divided by the approach used: open liver resection (OLR), laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) and robotic liver resection (RLR). Patients with macrovascular invasion, more than three metastases measuring more than 3 cm or a solitary metastasis more than 5 cm were excluded, and any remaining heterogeneity found was further analyzed after propensity score matching (PSM) to decrease any potential bias. (3) Results: Prior to matching, 566 patients underwent OLR, 462 LLR and 36 RLR for CRLM. After PSM, 142 patients were in each group of the OLR vs. LLR group and 22 in the OLR vs. RLR and 21 in the LLR vs. RLR groups. Blood loss, hospital stay, and morbidity rates were all highly statistically significantly increased in the OLR compared to the LLR group, 636 mL vs. 353 mL, 9 vs. 5 days and 25% vs. 6%, respectively (p < 0.001). Only blood loss was significantly decreased when RLR was compared to OLR and LLR, 250 mL vs. 597 mL, and 224 mL vs. 778 mL, p < 0.008 and p < 0.04, respectively. (4) Conclusions: SIMMILR indicates that minimally invasive approaches for CRLM that follow the Milan criteria may have short term advantages. Notably, larger studies with long-term follow-up comparing robotic resections to both OLR and LLR are still needed.

Automated summary

This study examined the short-term outcomes of minimally invasive liver resection for patients with colorectal liver metastases. The results suggest that laparoscopic and robotic approaches may have advantages over open hepatectomy in terms of blood loss, hospital stay, and morbidity rates.