BMC Cancer (Nov 2022)

Optimization of a laparoscopic procedure for advanced intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma based on the concept of “waiting time”: a preliminary report

  • Cheng-Yu Liao,
  • Dan-Feng Wang,
  • Bin-Hua Jiang,
  • Long Huang,
  • Tian-Sheng Lin,
  • Fu-Nan Qiu,
  • Song-Qiang Zhou,
  • Yao-Dong Wang,
  • Xiao-Chun Zheng,
  • Yi-Feng Tian,
  • Shi Chen

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-022-10323-x
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 22, no. 1
pp. 1 – 14

Abstract

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Abstract Introduction Clinicians increasingly perform laparoscopic surgery for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). However, this surgery can be difficult in patients with advanced-stage ICC because of the complicated procedures and difficulty in achieving high-quality results. We compared the effects of a three-step optimized procedure with a traditional procedure for patients with advanced-stage ICC. Methods Forty-two patients with advanced-stage ICC who received optimized laparoscopic hemihepatectomy with lymph node dissection (LND, optimized group) and 84 propensity score-matched patients who received traditional laparoscopic hemihepatectomy plus LND (traditional group) were analyzed. Surgical quality, disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS) were compared. Results The optimized group had a lower surgical bleeding score (P = 0.038) and a higher surgeon satisfaction score (P = 0.001). Blood loss during hepatectomy was less in the optimized group (190 vs. 295 mL, P < 0.001). The optimized group had more harvested LNs (12.0 vs. 8.0, P < 0.001) and more positive LNs (8.0 vs. 5.0, P < 0.001), and a similar rate of adequate LND (88.1% vs. 77.4%, P = 0.149). The optimized group had longer median DFS (9.0 vs. 7.0 months, P = 0.018) and median OS (15.0 vs. 13.0 months, P = 0.046). In addition, the optimized group also had a shorter total operation time (P = 0.001), shorter liver resection time (P = 0.001), shorter LND time (P < 0.001), shorter hospital stay (P < 0.001), and lower incidence of total morbidities (14.3% vs. 36.9%, P = 0.009). Conclusions Our optimization of a three-step laparoscopic procedure for advanced ICC was feasible, improved the quality of liver resection and LND, prolonged survival, and led to better intraoperative and postoperative outcomes.

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