Parenchyma-sparing hepatectomy improves salvageability and survival for solitary small intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

Background: This study aimed to investigate the prognostic impact of parenchyma-sparing hepatectomy (PSH) on solitary small intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). Methods: A total of 184 patients with solitary small ICC (< 5 cm) from 2009 to 2017 were included. Short- and long-term outcomes were compared between PSH and Non-PSH approach. Results: 95 (51.6%) patients underwent PSH and 89 (48.4%) patients underwent Non-PSH for solitary small ICC. PSH was associated with less intraoperative blood loss (212.9 mL versus 363.5 mL, P=0.038), lower transfusion rate (7.4% versus 16.9%, P=0.048), without increasing the frequency of tumor recurrence (60.0% versus 58.4%). No significant differences were observed in overall survival (OS), recurrence-free survival (RFS) and liver RFS (P = 0.627, 0.769 and 0.538, respectively). 109 (59.2%) patients experienced recurrence, of these, 67 (36.4%) were intrahepatic recurrence. Subgroup analysis of patients with liver-only recurrence demonstrated an increased likelihood of repeat hepatectomy for PSH compared to Non-PSH (21.2% versus 2.9%, P = 0.031), thus resulting in improved liver OS (P = 0.016). Conclusion: PSH was associated with improved perioperative outcomes but it did not increase liver recurrence rates. PSH offered an increased rate of salvage hepatectomy for recurrent tumor, thus improving long-term survival in cases in which liver recurrence occurred.