Changes in hepatic lobar function after right portal vein embolization. An appraisal by biliary indocyanine green excretion.

OBJECTIVE

The changes in the functional capacity of the hepatic lobe after right portal vein embolization (RPE) were investigated in patients with complete obstruction of the hepatic hilus who had undergone multiple percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage catheterizations.

METHODS

After injection of 0.5 mg/kg of indocyanine green (ICG), bile draining from each hepatic lobe was collected separately for 6 hours. Biliary ICG excretion in each hepatic lobe was estimated and compared with hepatic lobar volume measured by computed tomographic volumetry before and an average of 11 days after RPE.

RESULTS

Right portal vein embolization produced a significant increase in bile volume and biliary ICG concentration in the left lobe, resulting in a significant increase in ICG excretion in the left lobe. The percentage of ICG excretion in the left lobe to the whole-liver excretion showed a mean increase of 20.1%, which was statistically significant. In contrast, the percentage of left lobar volume to the total liver volume increased by only 8.3%.

CONCLUSIONS

Measurement of biliary ICG excretion is useful for estimating changes of hepatic lobar function and has revealed that within 11 days RPE enhances functional capacity in the left lobe compared with volume gain without affecting total liver function.