Associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy versus conventional two-stage hepatectomy: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background It is generally accepted that an insufficient future liver remnant is a major limitation of large-scale hepatectomy for patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma. Conventional two-stage hepatectomy (TSH) is commonly considered to accelerate future liver regeneration despite its low regeneration rate. Associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy (ALPPS), which is characterized by a rapid regeneration, has brought new opportunities. Methods Relevant studies were identified by searching the selected databases up to September 2017. Then, a meta-analysis of regeneration efficiency, complication rate, R0 resection ratio, and short-term outcomes was performed. Results Ten studies, comprising 719 patients, were included. The overall analysis showed that ALPPS was associated with a larger hyperplastic volume and a shorter time interval (P