Retrograde hepatectomy for liver cancer patients: experience in 178 cases

Objective To sum up the experience of difficult hepatectomy for liver cancer. MethodsRetrograde hepatectomy combined with vascular surgical technology was carried out in 178 patients with huge liver cancer, poor exposure, or involvement of IVC and adjacent organs (group A). During the same period classic hepatectomy was performed in 31 patients with similar local difficuties as control (group B). Results There was no perioperative mortality. Intraoperative blood loss was significantly less in group A than that in group B (1?336±994?ml vs. 2?286±1?363?ml, P 0 01). The postoperative complications rates were lower in group A than in group B ( P 0 01). Concluion The retrograde hepatectomy combined with surgical skill are safe and suitable for difficult hepatectomy in liver cancer.