Efficacy of ABSOLOK™ Clip System-RFP-2021-01 in Open Liver Resection

Over the last two decades, significant advances have been made in hepatectomy because of advancements in surgical techniques and improvement on parenchymal transection. Modern liver surgeon must be equipped with excellent theoretical and clinical skills to perform a safe liver resection. Despite significant technical advancements in the field of liver surgery, bile leakage remains a significant postoperative morbidity. Although the exact post-hepatectomy bile leakage site is not clear, bile leakage reportedly occurs in 3-12% according to the kind of resection.

Recently, in a large multicenter retrospective series, including 13.379 resected patients, the overall incidence of post-operative bile leakage (POBL) is 6%, significantly higher after open versus laparoscopic approach, respectively 9,4% vs 3,1% (p<0.001). POBL was defined according to the 2010 International Study Group of Liver Surgery (ISGLS) and it was categorized in three grades of severity (grade A, B, C) and clinically relevant POBL (CR-POBL) was defined as grade B and C. CR-POBL is associated with increased length of post-operative stay and can be associated with subsequent severe complications such as intra-abdominal abscess, peritonitis, and sepsis. In the case of anatomical liver resection, most of the leakage points are observed around the hilar Glissonean stump and not at the peripheral parenchymal cutting plane, because parenchymal resection is usually performed along the intersegmental plane.

Recently, parenchyma-sparing hepatectomy (PSH) has become a gold standard treatment for colorectal liver metastases (CLM). PSH is associated with better perioperative outcomes without compromising oncological outcomes and given the relatively high incidence of hepatic parenchymal recurrence, the PSH treatment offers a greater opportunity of repeat resection for intrahepatic recurrences.

Anatomic resection (AR) remains the gold standard surgical treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with a well-preserved liver function because postoperative recurrence is usually caused by micrometastases around the tumor therefore resecting the tumor-bearing portal branches and the corresponding liver parenchyma achieving better local control. US-guided limited resection (LR) and AR may be chosen and/or combined by the surgeon for the other surgical indications. Most of the leakage points are observed at the peripheral parenchymal cutting plane despite the liver parenchymal transection was carried out using the ultrasonic dissector and all peripheral glissonian pedicles (≥ 2-3 mm) were separately isolated, clipped or ligated and transected.

The aim of the prospective study is to assess the incidence of POBL using ABSOLOK™ Clip System during parenchymal liver transection, evaluating intra-operative and short-term post-operative results. In addition, the factors that determine the surgeon's peripheral glissonian pedicle closure method and cost results will be tried to be determined.

Inclusion criteria

• Age ≥ 18 years;
• Subject has given his informed consent and signed consent;
• Patients undergoing open liver resection.

Exclusion criteria

• Surgery made in emergency;
• Surgery by laparoscopy;
• Need to perform a bilio-digestive anastomosis;
• Preoperative jaundice (total bilirubin > 3 mg/mL).