Hepatectomy with extracorporeal circulation for liver metastasis from colon carcinoma located at the confluence of the major hepatic vein: a case report.

Liver metastasis located at the confluence of the major hepatic veins developed after an operation for sigmoid colon carcinoma in a 63-year-old patient. Curative resection of the tumor was performed by in situ hypothermic perfusion of the liver and extracorporeal circulation. Intra-abdominal bleeding occurred on the first postoperative day, and ligation of the right inferior phrenic artery was performed via an emergency laparotomy. Only mild elevation of ALT and recovery of the arterial ketone body ratio to the "safety zone" was noted on the second postoperative day. Hepatic function gradually deteriorated after the 4th postoperative day with no distinct cause. Diffuse fatty liver was suspected as a cause of liver failure. The patient died on the 31st postoperative day. The problems encountered in this case are discussed in this paper.