Objective: To assess the influence of preoperative transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) on liver resection in patients with resectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
Methods: Of 126 patients with resectable HCC, 62 received preoperative TACE (TACE group) and the remaining 64 patients were selected as controls (non-TACE group). Perioperative risk factors including liver function alteration, mean blood loss during operation, mean time of clamping the porta hepatis, length of operation, postoperative abdominal drainage at day 1, 2 and 3, morbidity and mortality were compared between the two groups.
Results: Neither significant difference in liver function alteration nor mortality was observed between the two groups. More severe hepatic cirrhosis, longer operation time, more blood loss and postoperative abdominal drainage were noted in the TACE group than in the non-TACE group. There was no significant difference in postoperative morbidity between the two groups.
Conclusions: Preoperative TACE for resectable HCC increases surgical difficulty and risk, and therefore should be considered prudently according to the individuality of patients.