Intensive Care Network Podcasts

Hepatic resections are complex surgical procedures harboring a significant risk for complications. In line with the continued development of liver surgery, hepatic resections tend to be more complex and extensive, with to this associated enhanced risk for post-hepatectomy liver failure (PHLF). Despite these improvements in outcome after major liver resection, PHLF remains one of the most serious and fatal complication of major liver resection occurring in up to 8 % of the cases. Multiple factors increase the risk of PHLF but in clinical practice the risk of PHLF is closely associated with the assessment of the pre-operative Future Liver Remnant (FLR). Accordingly the prevention of PHLF is alleged to be affected by the induction of hypertrophy of the liver remnant via portal vein embolization or ligation if the expected functional left remnant in cases where the FLR is judged too small. An alternative therapeutic strategy is to perform a two-stage procedure allowing the FLR to grow after the first non-curativ