Purpose: To evaluate whether preoperative portal vein embolization (PVE) with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) particles and coils is safe and effective for inducing lobar hypertrophy in patients with hepatobiliary malignancy.
Materials and methods: PVE was performed in 26 patients. All patients had malignancy: metastases (n = 11), cholangiocarcinoma (n = 9), hepatocellular carcinoma (n = 5), and gallbladder carcinoma (n = 1). One patient had underlying liver disease caused by hepatitis. PVE was performed if the future liver remnant (FLR) was estimated to be less than 25% of the total liver volume. PVE was performed with a percutaneous transhepatic approach (right, 25 patients; left, one patient). PVA particles and coils were used to occlude the right portal system and veins supplying segment IV to promote FLR hypertrophy (segments I-III +/- IV). FLR hypertrophy was assessed with comparison of computed tomographic scans obtained before and 2-4 weeks after PVE. Effectiveness evaluation was based on changes in absolute FLR size and ratio of FLR to total estimated liver volume (TELV). Safety of PVE and hepatic resection was determined with postprocedure complication rate and median hospital stay.
Results: Sixteen patients underwent hepatic resection (right trisegmentectomy [n = 13], right lobectomy [n = 3]) without mortality. Ten patients did not undergo resection (complete remission after medical therapy [n = 1], lack of regeneration [n = 2], extrahepatic disease undetected prior to PVE [n = 7]). Six patients had biliary obstruction; five were treated percutaneously before PVE. No patient developed postembolization syndrome or signs of fulminant hepatic insufficiency after PVE or resection. Two patients had complications after PVE that did not preclude successful resection. Median hospital stays were 1 day (PVE) and 7 days (liver resection). Mean absolute FLR increased from 325.0 to 458.6 cm3 (increase, 41.1%). Mean TELV was 1,784.8 cm3. FLR/TELV ratio increase was 8%.
Conclusion: Preoperative PVE with PVA particles and coils is safe and effective for inducing lobar hypertrophy in patients with advanced hepatobiliary malignancy.