HPB P16 Impact of Frailty on Short-term Outcomes after Laparoscopic and Open Hepatectomy

Abstract

Abstract Background Although laparoscopic hepatectomy (LH) is associated with improved short-term outcomes compared to open hepatectomy (OH), it is unknown whether frail patients also benefit from LH. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of frailty on postoperative outcomes after LH and OH. Methods Consecutive patients who underwent LH and OH between January 2011 and December 2018 were identified from a prospective database. Frailty was assessed using the modified Frailty Index (mFI), with patients scoring mFI ≥ 1 deemed to be frail. Results Of 1826 patients, 34.7% (N=634) were frail and 18.6% (N=340) were elderly (≥ 75 years). Frail patients had significantly higher 90-day mortality (6.6% vs. 2.9%, p<0.001) and postoperative complications (36.3% vs. 26.1%, p<0.001) than those who were not frail, effects that were independent of patient age on multivariate analysis. For those undergoing minor resections, the benefits of LH vs. OH were similar for frail and non-frail patients. Length of hospital stay was 53% longer in OH (vs. LH) in frail patients, compared to 58% longer in the subgroup of non-frail patients. Conclusions Frailty is independently associated with inferior postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing hepatectomy. However, the benefits of laparoscopic (compared to open) hepatectomy are similar for frail and non-frail patients. Frailty should not be a contraindication to laparoscopic minor hepatectomy in carefully selected patients.