Little girl who conquered the "ALPPS

• Published in: World journal of gastroenterology : WJG Vol. 20; no. 29; pp. 10208 - 10211
• Main Authors: Chan, Albert, Chung, Patrick H Y, Poon, Ronnie T P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Baishideng Publishing Group Inc 07-08-2014
• Subjects: and; Associating; Biopsy; Case Report; Cell Proliferation; Child; Female; Hepatectomy - adverse effects; Hepatectomy - methods; Hepatoblastoma - diagnostic imaging; Hepatoblastoma - pathology; Hepatoblastoma - surgery; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; ligati; Ligation; liver; Liver Failure - pathology; Liver Failure - physiopathology; Liver Failure - prevention & control; Liver Neoplasms - diagnostic imaging; Liver Neoplasms - pathology; Liver Neoplasms - surgery; Liver Regeneration; Organ Size; partition; portal; Portal Vein - surgery; Time Factors; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Treatment Outcome; vein; Associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for stage hepatectomy; In-situ split; Portal vein; Hepatoblastoma; Hepatectomy
• ISSN: 1007-9327; 2219-2840
• DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i29.10208

An insufficient future liver remnant(FLR)is associated with post-hepatectomy liver failure.Associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for stage hepatectomy(ALPPS)has been shown to be effective for the induction of rapid FLR hypertrophy so as to improve the resectability in patients with insufficient FLR.We hereby report our experience of this novel approach for a 6-year-old patient with hepatoblastoma.Computed tomography showed a hepatoblastoma measuring12.5 cm×9.9 cm×11.7 cm in the right liver(Couinaud segmentⅣ,ⅤandⅧ).Volumetric assessment of the FLR i.e.,left lateral section was 112.6 mL i.e.,21.2%of the estimated total liver volume.In view of the small-for-size FLR,ALPPS was contemplated.An anterior approach was adopted for the in-situ parenchymal split without mobilisation of the right liver.FLR volumetry on the seventh postoperative day was 160.7 mL,which represented a 46.1%gain in volume,and a FLR/ESLV ratio of 30.2%.A right trisectionectomy was performed on the eighth postoperative day.Postoperative recovery was uneventful.Patient was discharged on day 16 after the first operation.To our knowledge,this was the first report that showed the applicability of ALPPS to a paediatric patient.