Extracorporeal bypass using a centrifugal pump during resection of malignant liver tumors.

Total hepatic vascular exclusion (THVE) during extracorporeal bypass is used for hepatic resection in patients with malignant liver tumors. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of hepatectomy during total hepatic vascular exclusion using a centrifugal pump (Bio-pump).Fourteen patients with malignant liver tumors who underwent hepatectomy during total hepatic vascular exclusion using the Bio-pump were studied retrospectively.In 3 of 14 patients, insufficient hepatic vascular exclusion was achieved. Six patients underwent tumor resection during total hepatic vascular exclusion, without extracorporeal bypass. In the remaining 5 patients, flow exclusion averaging 1500 ml was achieved with the Bio-pump, and hepatectomy was performed during the procedure. In these 5 patients, the mean operative time and blood loss were 11 hours 38 minutes and 6850 +/- 2451 ml. The Bio-pump bypass time, the excluded blood flow and the mean blood pressure were 82 minutes, 1650 ml and 108/53 mmHg, respectively. The arterial ketone body ratio (AKBR) decreased from a pre-operative value of 1.85-0.32 during total hepatic vascular exclusion.Total hepatic vascular exclusion was useful for hepatectomy in patients with tumor invasion into the hepatic vein and inferior vena cava, or tumor thrombus in the inferior vena cava and right atrium. However, this technique did not decrease blood loss or improve outcome in patients undergoing hepatectomy.