Death data of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma after liver resection in the perioperative period of liver transplantation: an analysis of 10 cases

Objective To analyze death data of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma after liver resection in the perioperative period of liver transplantation(LT) so as to summary the clinical experience. Methods The clinical data of 81 liver transplant recipients with hepatocellular carcinoma after liver resection from October 2003 to October 2008 in the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University were analyzed retrospectively. The death data of 10 patients in the perioperative period of LT were analyzed. Results The overall mortality of liver transplant recipients with hepatocellular carcinoma after liver resection was 12.3% (10/81). The mortality of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma after liver resection for primary LT(≤30d)was 12.7% (9/71). The mortality of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma after repeated liver resection for LT(≤30d)was 10%(1/10). The mortality of patients for salvage LT (≤30d)was 10%(4/40). The mortality of patients beyond salvage LT (≤30d)was 16.1%(5/31). Pulmonary infection (6/10) and intraoperative massive abdominal bleeding (5/10) were major causes of death in the perioperative period of liver transplantation. The surgical related mortality in the perioperative period of liver transplantation was 5/10. The volume of five patients with intraoperative massive abdominal bleeding was more than 10 000 mL. Conclusion The mortality of liver transplant recipients with hepatocellular carcinoma after liver resection remains higher. Pulmonary infection and intraoperative massive abdominal bleeding are the main death causes for patients who underwent liver transplantation after liver resection for HCC.