Increased future liver function after modified associating liver partition and portal vein ligation/embolization for staged hepatectomy.

Background: The increasing ratio of functional future liver remnant (functional %FLR) after modified associating liver partition and portal vein ligation/embolization for staged hepatectomy (modified-ALPPS) compared with portal vein embolization (PVE) has not been comprehensively evaluated.

Purpose: To compare the increasing ratio of functional %FLR between modified-ALPPS and PVE via technetium-99 m-galactosyl human serum albumin single-photon emission computed tomography (99m Tc-GSA SPECT/CT) fusion imaging.

Material and Methods: Seven and six patients underwent modified-ALPPS (modified-ALPPS group) and PVE (PVE group) from 2015 to 2019. The functional %FLR on 99 mTc-GSA SPECT/CT fusion imaging was assessed before and 1 week (modified-ALPPS group) and 3 weeks (PVE group) after each procedure. The increasing ratio of functional %FLR (functional %FLR ratio) was calculated and compared between the two groups. Moreover, the hypertrophy ratio of future liver remnant volume (FLRV ratio) and atrophy ratio of embolized liver volume (.ELV ratio) were evaluated.

Results: The mean functional %FLR ratios of the modified-ALPPS group (1.47 ± 0.15) and the PVE group (1.49 ± 0.20) were comparable ( p > .05). The median FLRV ratio of modified-ALPPS group (1.48) was higher than that of the PVE group (1.16), the median ELV ratio of the PVE group (0.81) was lower than that of the modified-ALPPS group (0.94), and the results significantly differed between the two groups ( p < .05).

Conclusion: The increasing ratio of functional %FLR was comparable between modified-ALPPS and PVE. Compared with PVE, ALPPS was associated with a higher hypertrophy rate of the remnant liver but a lower atrophy rate of the embolized liver.