Surgical treatment for colorectal liver metastases involving the paracaval portion of the caudate lobe

BACKGROUND: Hepatic neoplasms in the paracaval portion of the caudate lobe (S1r) are usually difficult to treat surgically because such neoplasms often invade the hepatic veins and/or inferior vena cava (IVC). We reevaluated resected cases of colorectal liver metastases involving S1r to confirm the significance of aggressive surgical treatments. METHODS: Between July 1977 and December 2002, 95 consecutive patients with colorectal liver metastases underwent hepatic resection. Seven patients with liver metastases involving the S1r underwent resection. RESULTS: The surgical procedures for liver metastases comprised 3 isolated caudate lobectomies, 2 right hepatectomies, and 2 right hepatic trisectionectomies with caudate lobectomy. Combined resections included partial resection of the hepatic vein in 2 patients, wedge resection of the IVC in 3, and segmental resection of the IVC in 1. Six of the 7 patients with S1r metastasis had recurrent disease in liver and/or lung. A second hepatectomy was carried out in 4 patients and a partial lung resection in 2 patients. Four of the 7 patients survived more than 5 years, but 2 of them died of recurrent disease at 61 and 95 months after initial hepatectomy. The remaining 2 patients are alive 72 and 118 months without any sign of recurrence. The median survival time of the 7 patients was 60 months. CONCLUSION: Liver metastases involving the S1r could be resected radically with en bloc resection of the major hepatic veins and/or the inferior vena cava. An aggressive surgical approach with combined resection of the adjacent major vessels may offer a better chance of long-term survival in selected patients with caudate lobe metastasis from colorectal cancer.