Evaluation of liver function before living donor liver transplantation and liver resection

Liver resection is the curative therapeutic option for hepatocellular carcinoma, biliary tumors, metastases of colorectal and other extrahepatic tumors, living donor liver transplantation and other benign liver diseases. Aim of study: To summarize the evaluation methods of liver function before living donor liver transplantation and liver resection. Method: We summarize the literature about the evaluation of liver function. Results: Perioperative mortality is determined mostly by the extent of preoperative evaluation focused on the liver. After resection the remnant liver parenchyma must cope with the challenge caused by increased metabolism, portal overflow, decreased vascular bed and biliary tract and oxidative stress following the operation. If the remnant liver is unable to grow up to this challenge, acute liver failure occurs. This maintains the necessity of determining the hepatic functional reserve and the hepatic remnant volume. Child–Pugh classification is widely spread to predict outcome. Dynamic functional tests such as indocyanin green retention test, galactosyl human serum albumin scintigraphy and aminopyrin breath tests can be used to evaluate hepatic reserve. To determine remnant liver volume modern imaging processes such as CT volumetry and hepatobiliary scintigraphy are available. Conclusion: After the detailed evaluation resection can be limited to an extent which is oncologically radical enough (1% remnant liver tissue/kg) and spares parenchyma which can ensure survival yet. With careful preoperative examination mortality can be reduced even to reach zero.