Increased Morbidity and Mortality After Hepatectomy for Colorectal Liver Metastases in Frail Patients is Largely Driven by Worse Outcomes After Minor Hepatectomy: It’s Not “Just a Wedge”

Background Frailty is associated with postoperative mortality, but its significance after hepatectomy for colorectal liver metastases (CRLM) is poorly defined. This study evaluated the impact of frailty after hepatectomy for CRLM. Methods The study identified 8477 patients in National Surgical Quality Improvement Program databases from 2014 to 2019 and stratified them by frailty score using the risk analysis index as very frail (>90th percentile), frail (75th–90th percentile), or non-frail (< 75th percentile). Multivariate regression models determined the impact of frailty on perioperative outcomes, including by the extent of hepatectomy. Results The procedures performed were 2752 major hepatectomies (left hepatectomy, right hepatectomy, trisectionectomy) and 5725 minor hepatectomies (≤2 segments) for 870 (10.3%) very frail, 1680 (19.8%) frail, and 5927 (69.9%) non-frail patients. Postoperatively, the very frail and frail patients experienced more complications (very frail [41.8%], frail [35.1%], non-frail [31.0%]), which resulted in a longer hospital stay (very-frail [5.7 days], frail [5.8 days], non-frail [5.1 days]), a higher 30-day mortality (very-frail [2.2%], frail [1.3%], non-frail [0.5%]), and more discharges to a facility (very frail [6.8%], frail [3.7%], non-frail [2.6%]) ( p < 0.05) although they underwent similarly extensive (major vs. minor) hepatectomies. In the multivariate analysis, frailty was independently associated with complications (very-frail [odds ratio {OR}, 1.70], frail [OR, 1.25]) and 30-day mortality (very-frail [OR, 4.24], frail [OR, 2.41]) ( p < 0.05). After minor hepatectomy, the very frail and frail patients had significantly higher rates of complications and 30-day mortality than the non-frail patients, and in the multivariate analysis, frailty was independently associated with complications (very frail [OR, 1.97], frail [OR, 1.27]) and 30-day mortality (very frail [OR, 6.76], frail [OR, 3.47]) ( p < 0.05) after minor hepatectomy. Conclusions Frailty predicted significantly poorer outcomes after hepatectomy for CRLM, even after only a minor hepatectomy.