Hepatic resection for primary and secondary neoplasms of the liver.

Fifty consecutive major hepatic resections were performed for primary and secondary malignant neoplasms of the liver. There were 7 children and 9 adults with primary neoplasms and 34 patients with secondary neoplasms. The mortality rate was 0 percent and the morbidity rate, 14 percent. Postoperative morbidity correlated with operative blood loss. The 5 year survival rates for children and adults with primary neoplasms were 42 percent and 22 percent, respectively, and the 5 year survival rate for adults with secondary neoplasms was 15 percent. Factors such as disease-free interval, number of metastases, and stage of metastases did not influence the postoperative survival rate. Also, there was no difference in survival rate between patients whose metastases were resected by lobectomy or segmentectomy and those whose metastases were resected by wedge resection.