LIVER

By

Michael Brillantes, MD, FPCS, FPSGS

I. Anatomy

-1/50 of total body weight

-Surgically divided into the right and

left lobe by a line through the IVC and

gallbladder (Cantlie’s line)

-left lobe divided into medial and lateral

segments by falciform ligament

-blood supply hepatic a. - 25%

portal v – 75%

II. Liver function

A.Circulatory function- material absorbed from the GI tract are brought to the liver through the dual blood supply to be used in the metabolic pool

B. Biliary passages- channel of exit for

materials secreted by the liver through the

dual blood supply to be used in the

metabolic pool

C. Reticuloendohelial system- contains

phagocytic Kupffer cells and endothelial

cells

D. Metabolic Activity- anabolic and

catabolic activities

III. Function Tests

a. Albumin – half- life is 21 days; decrease means a chronic liver disease (more than 3 wks)

B. Carbohydrates and Lipids- hepatic

disease causes decrease in glycogenesis

with resultant hyperglycemia

C. Enzymes

1.Alkaline phospatase- increase indicates

an obstructive pathology

2. SGOT and SGPT- increase indicates liver

cellular damage; SGPT more applicable for

hepatic disease

3. Dye excretion

4. Coagulation factors

a. Vit. K dependent clotting factors II, VII, IX, and X

b. Inability to synthesize prothrombin

IV. Special Studies

A. Needle Biopsy- provides pathologic diagnosis

B. Ultrasound, CT scan, MRI

C. Angiography

V. Pathology

A.Trauma- 2nd most commonly injured organ

1. Clinical manifestation- shock, abdominal pain, spasm, and rigidity

2. Diagnostic- CT scan is the most useful

- may also use ultrasound, paracentesis or peritoneal lavage

3. Treatment

a.Correct shock- IVF and blood

b.Surgery

i. Control bleeders- perihepatic packaging, ligation of bleeders, Pringle maneuver

ii.Debridement

iii.External drainage

4. Complications

a.Recurrent bleeding- inadequate homostasis or loss of coagulation factors secondary to massive transfusions

b.Intraabdominal sepsis

C. Hematobilia- free communication between blood vessel and biliary tree

- triad of abdominal pain, GI bleeding, and previous trauma

- jaundice may be present

B. Hepatic Absdess

1. Pyogenic- most commonly due to

cholangitis secondary to CBD obstruction;

septicemia second most common etiology

- Fever with “picket fence” pattern, hepatomegally and tenderness

-organism- usually e. coli

-usually found in the right lobe, solitary or multiple

- Presents with hepatic tenderness and fever

a.Diagnostic

i. CBC- leukocytosis, with count up to 18-20,000

ii. Radiograph- immobility or elevation of right hemidiaphragm

iii. Ultrasound or CT scan

b. Treatment

I .Antibiotics- IV for 2 wks, followed by 1 month oral form

II. Drainage- percutaneous under ultrasound or CT guidance, or open

2. Amebic- reaches the liver via the portal vein from an ulceration in the bowel wall

-organism- e. histolytica

-occurs in the right lobe, usually solitary, with characteristic “anchovy paste”

-Fever and liver pain, assoc. woth tender hepatomegally

-33% with antecedent diarrhea

a.Diagnostic

i. CBC- leukocytosis

ii. Indirect heme agglutinstion test

iii. Ultrasound

iv. Aspiration of trophozoites

b. Complications

i. Secondary bacterial infection

ii. rupture

c. Treatment

i. Amebicidal drugs- Metronidazole 500 mg TID

ii. Surgery – indicated for persistence of abscess, secondary infection

C. Cysts

1. Non- parasitic – usually solitary,

found in the right lobe, watery content,

with low internal pressure

-polycystic liver assoc. with polycystic kiny in 51.6% of cases

-usually presents as a RUQ mass

a.Classification

i. Blood or degenerative

ii.Dermoid

iii.Lymphatic

iv.Endothelial

v.Retention – polycystic liver

vi.Proliferative cysts- cystadenomas

b. Diagnostic – ultrasound, CT scan, arteriography, scintillography, peritoneoscopy

c. Asymptomatic- no treatment

Symptomatic- drainage with unroofing or sclerotherapy

2. Hydatid cysts- caused by Echinococcus granulosus

- with high internal pressure, causing rupture and anaphylactic reaction

- Asymptomatic unless there are pressure symptoms on adjacent organs

a.Diagnostic- radiograph, ultrasound and CT scan

-Casoni’s skin test

b. Treatment

i. small calcified cyst- no treatment

ii. Sterilizationof cyst prior to surgery with hypertonic saline or alcohol followed by surgical removal

D. Benign Tumors

1. Classification

a. Hamartomas- tissues normally found in the organ but arranged in a disorderly manner

b. Adenoma- associated with contraceptive

use; may transform into hepatocellular

carcinoma; high rate of bleeding

c. Focal nodular hyperplasia- reaction to

injury or a response to a preexisting

vascular malformation

d. Hemangioma- most common nodule in the liver

2. Diagnostic- ultrasound, CT scan, angiography

3. Treatment- excision if symptomatic

E. Malignant lesions

1. Primary carcinoma- from Aspergillus flavus, kwashiorkor

A.Classification

i. hepatoblastoma- usually affects children less than 2 years old.

ii. Fibrolamellar carcinoma- adolescent and young adults; large solitary lesion

iii. Hepatocellular carcinoma- most common primary malignancy, usually follows postnecrotic cirrhosis (hepatitis B)

-Manifested by mass, weight loss, abdominal pain, or intraperitoneal hemorrhage

b. Diagnostic

i. Liver function test- alkaline phosphatase

ii. Alpha Feto Protein

iii. Angiography

iv. Ultrasound, intraoperative ultrasound, CT scan, MRI

c. Treatment- curative resection, chemotherapy with direct arterial infusion

2. Other Primary Neoplasms

a.Sacroma- angiosacroma most common

b.Mesenchymoma

c.Infantile hemangioendothelioma

3. Metastatic neoplasms

- most common malignant tumor of the liver

- reach the liver by portal vein, hepatic artery, lymphatics, direct extension

-Symptoms are usually referable to the liver (i.e. pain, ascites, weight loss, anorexia and jaundice

a.Diagnostic

i. alkaline phosphatase

ii. Serum marker referable to the primary carcinoma

iii. SGOT

iv. CT scan, MRI

b. Treatment

i. Control primary tumor

ii.Check for other systemic metastases

iii.Patient should be able to tolerate a major resection

iv.Resection of metastasis should be feasible