Prediction of the safe limits of hepatectomy by combined volumetric and functional measurements in patients with impaired hepatic function.

By use of computed tomography measurements, preoperative estimations of the safe limits of hepatic resection have been attempted in 38 patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma who underwent hepatectomies of varying degrees. Twenty eight (73.7%) of these 38 patients had cirrhosis. Preoperative computed tomography estimations of volume of liver and hepatocellular carcinoma have been compared with measured volume of the resected specimens. The average differences between the estimated and actual volumes of resected liver and hepatocellular carcinoma were within 10% and 7%, respectively. To quantify the extent of hepatectomy, the "parenchymal hepatic resection rate" (formula: see text) was provided. As an indicator of functional impairment of the liver, the retention rate 15 minutes after an intravenous injection of indocyanine green dye (ICG) at 0.5 mg/kg (ICG R15) was used. A close correlation was observed between the parenchymal hepatic resection rate and ICG R15 relative to the patients' outcome, indicating their potential use in the prediction of the safe limits of hepatectomy and the probable development of posthepatectomy liver failure.