Background: Little is known about the clinical significance and risk factors for incomplete liver restoration after partial hepatectomy, which is defined by a liver volume restoration of less than 100% of the original volume.
Methods: We retrospectively analyzed patients who underwent hepatic resection for liver tumors at the Kyoto University Hospital between January 2011 and October 2015 and survived without recurrence for more than 3 years. The preoperative and postoperative data, as well as liver and splenic volume after 3 postoperative years, were assessed.
Results: The percentage of resected liver was higher in the incomplete liver restoration group (n = 52, 41.6%) than in the complete liver restoration group (n = 73, 58.4%) (28 [3-78]% vs 14.5 [2-63]%, P = .0226). The percentage of resected liver was also higher in the splenomegaly group (defined by spleen volume increases of more than 35% of the original volume) than in the nonsplenomegaly group (40 [4-63]% vs 16.5 [2-78]%, P = .0002). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that the percentage of resected liver was a significant predictor of incomplete liver restoration (odds ratio = 9.75, P = .0043) and splenomegaly (odds ratio = 74.4, P = .0006). Incomplete liver restoration 3 years after hepatectomy was associated with lower serum albumin levels (4.0 [2.4-4.7] g/dL compared with 4.2 [2.6-4.8] g/dL in the complete liver restoration group, P = .0032). Splenomegaly was associated with a lower platelet count (109.9 ± 49.8 x103/μL vs 163 ± 58.1 × 103/μL,P = .0007) and lower serum albumin level (3.6 [2.6-4.4] g/dL vs 4.1 [2.4-4.8] g/dL, P = .0002).
Conclusion: An extensive resection of the liver parenchyma results in an increased risk for incomplete liver restoration and splenomegaly long after hepatectomy, which is associated with the clinical consequences of hypoalbuminemia and thrombocytopenia.
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