Hepatic resection in 128 patients: a 24-year experience

The records of 128 patients who underwent hepatic resection at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation between 1960 and 1984 were reviewed. Sixty patients (47%) had major resections and 68 patients (53%) had wedge or segmental resections. One hundred five patients had malignant tumors; 29 were primary liver tumors and 78 were metastatic (61 from a colorectal primary). Twenty-three patients had benign hepatic tumors. The overall operative mortality rate was 7% (7.6% for malignant tumors and 4.3% for benign lesions). Survival rate after resection of a hepatocellular carcinoma (22 patients) at 3, 5, and 10 years was 50%, 33%, and 12%. Survival rate after resection of colorectal metastases at 3, 5, and 10 years was 44%, 28%, and 21%. Overall survival was better for patients who were less than 56 years of age (p = 0.003) and for patients with no tumor at the line of resection (p less than 0.001). In patients with colorectal metastases, survival after wedge or segmental resection was better than after a major anatomic resection (p = 0.004). In these patients, the number or size of the metastases, the time interval between resection of the primary tumor and of the hepatic metastases, and/or the presence of mesenteric lymph node metastases were not significant. Most patients with primary malignant tumors require major hepatic resection. Patients with benign tumors and metastatic colorectal carcinomas require resection only to the extent that the tumor is sufficiently encompassed.