Modification of ALPPS to avoid ischemia and congestion after stage 1: a case report

BACKGROUND: Associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy (ALPPS) has been advocated for treating advanced liver tumors, but the devascularized ischemic area resulting from liver parenchymal division can become a nidus for sepsis. We present a patient who underwent ALPPS modified to avoid ischemia and congestion after liver partitioning during stage 1. CASE PRESENTATION: ALPPS was carried out for a patient with multiple bilobar liver metastases from rectosigmoid colon cancer. The 2-stage treatment included 3 partial resections within the left lateral section and parenchymal division at the umbilical fissure with right portal vein ligation as stage 1, followed by right trisectionectomy as stage 2. During parenchymal division at the umbilical fissure, Segment 4 portal pedicles and the middle hepatic vein had to be resected at their roots. To safely accomplish this, combined resection of Segment 4 and the drainage area of the middle hepatic vein was performed after parenchymal partition, aiming to avoid ischemia and congestion within the remnant liver. Successful stage 2 hepatectomy followed later. No ischemia or congestion occurred during stage 1 or 2. CONCLUSIONS: During ALPPS, ischemia and congestion after stage 1 must be avoided to reduce morbidity and mortality. The modification described here should reduce likelihood of severe postoperative complications.