During the last 16 years, we have resected small hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) measuring 5 cm or less from 362 patients, 266 of whom also had liver cirrhosis. The operative and hospital mortality rate were 1.7% and 1.9%, respectively. These showed a gradual decrease year by year in parallel with reduction of intraoperative blood loss achieved by the selective vascular occlusion technique and Pringle method. In 1989, 87% of hepatectomy patients were discharged without the need for whole blood transfusion, and 5-year survival was 43.7%. Tumor size, number of tumors, intrahepatic metastasis, vascular invasion, and capsular invasion were significant prognostic factors. Edmondson grade and the operative procedure employed were significantly related to outcome. Our standard policy for selection of operative procedures and perioperative care is described, and the selection of treatment modalities is discussed.

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To evaluate the worth of intra- and postoperative blood transfusion in cirrhotic patients undergoing resection for hepatocellular carcinoma, we compared 13 patients receiving transfusions and 14 matched contemporary patients who did not receive blood. Preoperative hematological and biochemical parameters, the type and extent of liver resection, and the mean blood loss (862 and 870 ml) were similar in the 2 groups. The total volume of intra- and postoperative blood transfused ranged from 400 to 1,800 ml (mean, 1,223 ml) in the patients receiving transfusions. During various postoperative time intervals, the mean values of hematocrit, hemoglobin, serum total bilirubin, and lactic dehydrogenase activity were significantly higher in the patients who were transfused compared to those who were not. Mean serum transaminase activities were similar in the 2 groups at the same times. The mean hematocrit values decreased from 36.8% preoperatively to a postoperative minimum of 27.0% in the transfused group, and from 39.9% to 26.1% in the nontransfused group. Our experience and theoretical reasons have led us to withhold blood transfusion until the hematocrit values fall below 30% during hepatectomy and below 20% in the postoperative period (or unless circulatory instability cannot be corrected otherwise). Fresh frozen plasma is preferred for volume substitution and, if blood has to be given, only up to 60-70% of estimated losses should be replaced by fresh blood.

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In October, 1979, a new operative probe for liver surgery was developed. Since then, 386 patients who received laparotomy for hepatectomy underwent intraoperative ultrasonography. Of these, 245 patients had hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and 152 patients had tumors less than 5 cm in diameter. In these 152 patients, intraoperative sonography detected 198 of a total of 203 small HCC's (sensitivity: 99%), whereas the sensitivity of preoperative ultrasound, angiography, and computed tomography was 89.3%, 84.1%, and 89.6%, respectively. Intraoperative ultrasound had a much higher sensitivity in detecting daughter nodes as well as intraheptic metastasis, but slightly lower specificity in differentiating malignant nodules from benign lesions. Intraoperative sonography revealed 70% of tumor thrombi, while ultrasound and angiography disclosed only 21%. In patients with small HCC associated with liver cirrhosis, 65% had invisible and nonpalpable tumors. Intraoperative ultrasonography led to the development of new liver‐sparing hepatectomy procedures: systematic subsegmentectomy and hepatectomies which preserve the inferior right hepatic vein. Systematic subsegmentectomy was performed on 96 patients. Survival rates after this procedure in 58 patients with small HCC were 53.6±17.7% at 3 years and 47.9±19.1% at 5 years, which was much better than that of patients who received partial hepatectomy. Intraoperative ultrasonography was indispensable in liver surgery, not only for diagnosis of the tumor spread in the liver, but also as a direct guide for hepatectomy.