Evaluation of partial hepatectomy for primary liver carcinoma.

From 1964 to 1985, 120 cases of primary liver carcinoma had undergone hepatectomy in our hospital. Seven of these cases underwent hepatic lobectomy, 28 cases had palliative hepatic resection, and 85 cases had partial hepatectomy. We introduced different surgical modes and compared the mortality, survival rates, and complications between the hepatic lobectomy and partial hepatectomy groups. The mortality rates of these two groups were 14.3 and 3.5%, respectively, and the 1, 3, and 5 year survival rates were 83.3, 33.3, and 16.7 and 68.8, 48.1, and 20%, respectively. In the palliative hepatectomy group (28 cases), ten cases received combined radiotherapy postoperation. Most of these cases died during the first year postoperation. Primary liver cancer in Asia is commonly associated with hepatic cirrhosis. We suggest that partial hepatectomy is suitable for such patients. The results of the present series showed that the outcomes of the hepatic lobectomy and partial hepatectomy groups did not differ, but in partial hepatectomy, the operative mortality and complications were reduced, bleeding minimized, and operation time also shortened.