Effects and limitations of prolonged intermittent ischaemia for hepatic resection of the cirrhotic liver

Intermittent clamping of the hepatic pedicle during hepatectomy may reduce operative bleeding, but its limitations and long-term effects on the cirrhotic liver are unknown. Eighty-three patients with cirrhosis undergoing hepatectomy with repeated clamping for 15 min and declamping for 5 min were divided into three groups based on total clamping duration: group 1 less than 40 min (39 patients); group 2 40-80 min (28); group 3 more than 80 min (16). Larger tumours were associated with longer ischaemia times (P=0.002), longer operating times, greater operative blood loss and increased blood transfusion requirements (P<0.001), and resulted in higher postoperative levels of serum transaminases and lactic dehydrogenase (P<0.001). Operative morbidity and mortality rates, and the late hepatic failure rate, were not affected. The longest total ischaemia time was 204 min but the uppermost time limit for hepatic ischaemia remains to be determined.