Results

Thirty patients underwent caudate lobe resection for HCC. The main sites of the tumors were located in the Spiegel lobe, the paracaval portion and caudate process. The surgical margin was tumor negative in all of the patients. The median tumor size was 4.3 cm. The mean operative time was 230±50min and the intraoperative blood loss was 1200±200mL. The hospital morbidity rate was 33%. There was no postoperative mortality. The mean survival rate was 25.3+ 11.7 months. The overall survival rates were 62%, 34% and 11% at 1, 3 and 5 years, respectively. The disease free survival rate after isolated caudate lobectomy was 31% at 3 years. Recurrence was noted in 12 patients (40%). Eleven patients were identified as having intrahepatic recurrences and 1 patient as having peritoneal dissemination.

Conclusions

Isolated caudate lobe resection is a feasible procedure and can be undertaken with low morbidity and nil mortality. Careful technique and detailed anatomic knowledge of the caudate lobe are essential for this procedure.