Treatment strategy for lymph node metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma using an ICG navigation system: a case report

BACKGROUND: Since indocyanine green (ICG) accumulates selectively in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells, it can be used to detect metastatic lesions. Lymph node metastasis of HCC is rarely observed, both simultaneously and metachronously. Therefore, it is sometimes difficult to identify metachronous lymph nodes during salvage surgery because of prior surgery. Herein, we report a case in which lymph node metastasis of HCC was successfully resected using an ICG navigation system. CASE PRESENTATION: The patient was a 62-year-old man who had undergone radical liver resection for HCC 8 years ago. During surveillance, contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) revealed a mass in the hepatic hilum. Various diagnostic modalities suggested that the patient had a solitary metastatic lymph node of HCC, and extirpation of the tumor was planned. Intraoperative ICG fluorescence imaging allowed surgeons to clearly identify the target lesion. Histopathologically, the tumor was confirmed to be a lymph node metastasis of HCC. The patient’s postoperative course was uneventful, and he remains alive without recurrence 2 years after the second surgery. CONCLUSION: Intraoperative navigation surgery by ICG fluorescence imaging was useful for the safe resection of extrahepatic metastasis of HCC in a complicated situation. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40792-023-01790-w.