Objective：To compare the impact of the type of resection (anatomic versus non-anatomic) on early mortality in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and to explore factors related to early mortality in patients after resection of hepatic tumor.
Methods：Fifty-two patients with similar clinico-pathologic data were randomaly divided into 2 groups for curative liver resection for HCC, 25 patients underwent anatomic resection of at least one liver segment (group A) and 27 patients underwent non-anatomic resection (group B). We compared the age, gender, HbsAg, preoperative serum albumin, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), postoperative pathologic diagnosis, TNM stage, tumor size, portal vein tumor thrombosis, duration of hospital stay and follow-up in the two groups.
Results：The one year mortality was 20.0% in anatomic resection group and 25.9% in non-anatomic resection group. No significant difference was detected in early mortality and complications between the 2 groups. The blood loss during operation of anatomic resection group was less than that of non-anatomic resection group (P=0.006). Factor contributing to early mortality was presence of portal vein tumor thrombosis (P=0.019).
Conclusions：There is no significant difference in early mortality between anatomic and non-anatomic liver resection. The presence of portal vein tumor thrombosis could be a major factor to predict early mortality.