Severe liver injury. Surgical treatment of eight consecutive cases.

A series of eight consecutive patients with severe liver injury is presented. Surgical treatment consisted of liver resection in four patients, one hepatic artery ligation and suture and drainage in three patients. Six patients survived. There were about three complications per patient, infection, and bile leakage being the most common. Of three patients who required hemodialysis for renal failure, only one survived. It is strongly recommended that an autotransfusion device should be ready to hand when a patient with severe liver injury is to be operated. In a case of massive bleeding from a lesion of the vena cava or major hepatic vein, autotransfusion could save the patient's life.