Addition of Molecular Adsorbent Recirculating System (MARS®) Albumin Dialysis for the Preoperative Management of Jaundiced Patients with Hilar Cholangiocarcinoma

The preoperative management of hilar cholangiocarcinoma (HC) with jaundice focuses on decreasing the total serum bilirubin level (SBL) by performing preoperative biliary drainage (PBD). However, it takes about 6-8 weeks for the SBL to fall at a sufficient extent. The objective of this preliminary study was to evaluate the impact of Molecular Adsorbent Recirculating System (MARS(®)) dialysis (in association with PBD) on SBL decrease. From January 2010 to January 2011, we prospectively selected all jaundiced patients admitted to our university hospital for resectable HC and requiring PBD prior to major hepatectomy. The PBD was followed by 3 sessions of MARS dialysis over a period of 72 h. A total of 10 patients with HC were screened and two of them were included (Bismuth-Corlette stage IIIa, gender ratio 1, median age 68 years). The initial SBL in the two patients was 328 and 242 μmol/l, respectively. After three MARS dialysis sessions, the SBL had fallen by 30 and 52%, respectively. After the end of each session, there was a SBL rebound of about 10 μmol/l. The MARS decreased the serum creatinine level, the platelet count and the prothrombin index, but did not modify the serum albumin level. Pruritus disappeared after one and two sessions, respectively. MARS-related morbidity included hypotension (n = 1), tachycardia (n = 1), thrombocytopenia (n = 2) and anaemia (n = 1). When combined with PBD, MARS dialysis appears to accelerate the decrease in SBL and thus may enable earlier surgery. This hypothesis must be validated in a larger study.