Lactate levels in cirrhotic patients undergoing liver resection

Background/Aims: The role of lactate in liver ischemia-reperfusion injury i n cirrhosis has not been clarified. Methodology: One hundred patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who underwe nt partial liver resection under Pringle's maneuver were included in this s tudy. Blood lactate was measured before the operation, three times during t he surgery and on the first postoperative day to calculate its rate of accu mulation or elimination. Aminotransferase levels were also recorded periope ratively. We calculated the rate of lactate accumulation during the pre-isc hemic and ischemic phases and the elimination rate during the post-ischemic phase, and examined the correlation between these results and the clinical findings. Results: The rate of lactate accumulation during the pre-ischemic and ische mic phases was correlated with the preoperative indocyanine green retention rate (P=0.04 and P=0.004, respectively). The indocyanine green retention r ate tended to be correlated with the rate of lactate elimination during the postischemic phase (P=0.06). Conclusions: The blood lactate profile might be a reliable indicator of liv er function during the perioperative period in cirrhotic patients who under go liver resection with Pringle's maneuver.