The use of the right hepatic pedicle to guide classification of liver neoplasms on medical imaging and precise liver resection

Objective To explore the use of the right hepatic pedicle to guide classification of liver neoplasms on medical imaging and the type of liver resection.Methods From January 2009 to December 2012,32 patients with a single liver neoplasm surrounding the right hepatic pedicle,including 17 patients with primary liver cancer and 15 patients with cavernous hemangioma of liver,were recruited into this study in our hospital.Using the position of the neoplasm in relation to the right hepatic pedicle on CT or MRI,these liver neoplasms were divided into 4 types:type A neoplasms which infiltrated or surrounded the right hepatic pedicle; type B neoplasms which were in the front of the right hepatic pedicle; type C neoplasms which were at the back of the right hepatic pedicle,and type D neoplasms which were between the two branches of the right hepatic pedicle.Before surgery,a simulated plan was designed on the different hepatic vascular inflow obstruction and types of hepatectomy based on the classification in medical imaging.Results The locations of the liver neoplasm were completely in line with the preoperative imaging classification.Boththe vascular flow obstruction and the types of hepatectomy correlated with the preoperative surgery simulation planning.Five patients with type A neoplasms underwent right hemihepatectomy or extended right hepatectomy; 8 with type B tumors underwent right anterior sectionectomy or mesohepatectomy; 9 with type C neoplasms underwent segment Ⅴ,Ⅵ resection; 10 with type D tumors underwent right anterior or right posterior sectionectomy.Pringle maneuver,total hepatic blood inflow obstruction and selective right hepatic blood inflow obstruction were applied according to the operation and the regional anatomical structures.All operations were smoothly carried out with an average operation time of 145 min.The average blood loss was 320 ml and 18 patients required intraoperative blood transfusion with an average blood transfusion amount of 460 ml.Postoperative complications included bile leakage (n =3),right pleural effusion (n =2) and hemorrhage (n =1).They all responded to conservative treatment.Conclusion This classification using preoperative medical imaging of the right hepatic pedical could provide important information for liver resection,and it is helpful for formulating more refined operation scheme. Key words: Liver neoplasm;  Imaging classification;  Precise liver resection;  Hepatic blood inflow blockage;  Right hepatic pedicle