Concomitant Precise Hemihepatectomy to Improve the Efficacy of Surgical Treatment for Hilar Cholangiocarcinoma: Analysis of 38 Cases.

Unlabelled: Background/Aims: Hilar cholangiocarcinoma (HC) is associated with low rates of resectability and curability, high morbidity and mortality, and poor long-term survival. Radical tumor resection with negative surgical margins provides the only chance of cure and long-term survival. The present study was to investigate the efficacy of concomitant precise hemihepatectomy for HC.

Methodology: The clinical data of 38 patients who underwent surgery for HC with concomitant precise hemihepatectomy at our center from January 2009 to October 2012 were analyzed retrospectively. Survival curves were generated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Univariate and multivariate analysis were performed using the Cox proportional hazards model.

Results: R0 resection was performed in 32 patients (84.2%), R1 resection in 4 (10.5%), and R2 resection in 2 (5.3%). Two patients died during the perioperative period (mortality rate 5.3%). The most common postoperative complications were bile leakage (28.9%, 11/38) and hepatic dysfunction (21.1%, 8/38). The overall 1-, 2-, and 3-year survival rates were 65.8%, 36.8%, and 21.1%, respectively. The median survival time was 22.0 months. There were significant differences in survival between R0 and R1/R2 resection (χ2 = 4.516, P < 0.05) and between N0 and N1/N2 disease (χ2 = 10.397, P < 0.05). Univariate and multivariate analysis identified a positive surgical margin, lymph node metastasis and hepatic artery resection as prognostic indicators.

Conclusions: Concomitant precise hemihepatectomy significantly improves the efficacy of radical surgical resection for HC. Precise liver resection, preservation of the hepatic artery, and selective preoperative biliary drainage are important to minimize postoperative morbidity and mortality.