Predictive factors of 90-day mortality after curative hepatic resection for hepatocellular carcinoma: a western single-center observational study

The aim of this study was to identify predictive risk factors associated with 90-day mortality after hepatic resection (HR) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

All patients undergoing elective resection for HCC from a single- institutional and prospectively maintained database were included. Multivariate regression analysis was conducted to identify pre- and intraoperative as well as histopathological predictive factors of 90-day mortality after elective HR.

Between August 2004 and October 2021, 196 patients were enrolled (148 male /48 female). The median age of the study cohort was 68.5 years (range19-84 years). The rate of major hepatectomy (≥ 3 segments) was 43.88%. Multivariate analysis revealed patient age ≥ 70 years [HR 2.798; (95% CI 1.263–6.198); p = 0.011], preoperative chronic renal insufficiency [HR 3.673; (95% CI 1.598–8.443); p = 0.002], Child–Pugh Score [HR 2.240; (95% CI 1.188–4.224); p = 0.013], V-Stage [HR 2.420; (95% CI 1.187–4.936); p = 0.015], and resected segments ≥ 3 [HR 4.700; (95% 1.926–11.467); p = 0.001] as the major significant determinants of the 90-day mortality.

Advanced patient age, pre-existing chronic renal insufficiency, Child–Pugh Score, extended hepatic resection, and vascular tumor involvement were identified as significant predictive factors of 90-day mortality. Proper patient selection and adjustment of treatment strategies could potentially reduce short-term mortality.