Portal vein embolization with ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer for contralateral lobe hypertrophy before liver resection: safety, feasibility and initial experience.

Background: To report our preliminary experience with preoperative portal vein embolization (PVE) using liquid ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH) copolymer.

Methods: Retrospectively review of patients with primary or secondary liver malignancies scheduled for extensive hepatectomy after the induction of future liver remnant (FLR) hypertrophy by right or left PVE with EVOH as the only embolic agent between 2014 and 2018 at two academic centers. Cross-sectional imaging liver volumetry data obtained before and 3-6 weeks after PVE were used to assess the FLR volume (FLRV) increase, degree of FLR hypertrophy and the FLR kinetic growth rate (KGR).