Predictive Value of Intraoperative Indocyanine Green Clearance Measurement on Postoperative Liver Function After Anatomic Major Liver Resection

Background The aim of this study was to evaluate the predictive value of measuring indocyanine green (ICG) clearance during intraoperative partial occlusion of liver lobes to be resected on postoperative liver function following major anatomic liver resection. Methods We prospectively included 46 patients, and 35 patients ultimately underwent anatomic major liver resection. ICG clearance was measured preoperatively and intraoperatively. Intraoperative ICG clearance was measured immediately after selective occlusion of hepatic arterial, portal, and hepatic venous blood flow to the liver lobes to be resected. The albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) grade, albumin-indocyanine green evaluation (ALICE) grade, platelet count, remnant liver volume per kilogram of weight (RLV/kg), and future liver remnant plasma clearance rate of ICG (ICGK-FLR) were measured preoperatively. Results An intraoperative ICG retention at 15 min (I-R15) greater than 13.8% indicates transient posthepatectomy liver failure (PHLF) and Clavien-Dindo > grade I complications. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis revealed that the area under the curve (AUC) for predicting PHLF and Clavien-Dindo > grade I complications was 0.797 and 0.734, respectively ( p = 0.001 and 0.014). Furthermore, an I-R15 greater than 22.7% indicates mid-term PHLF, and the AUC was 0.911 ( p < 0.0001). The I-R15 is a better predictor of PHLF than the ALBI grade, ALICE grade, platelet count, RLV/kg, and ICGK-FLR. Conclusions Intraoperative ICG clearance measurements during partial occlusion of blood flow accurately predict postoperative liver function and could be new criteria for determining the feasibility and safety of anatomic major liver resection.