High Fat Content Linked to Poor Outcomes in Liver Surgery Patients

Patients with high intramuscular fat content (IMFC) or high visceral-to-subcutaneous fat tissue ratio (VSR) undergoing hepatectomy or liver transplantation had significantly worse overall survival, recurrence-free survival, and higher major complication rates. A meta-analysis of 29 articles including 6,435 patients revealed that IMFC was associated with inferior outcomes and a higher risk of complications, while VSR was linked to poorer survival and increased complications. These findings suggest that preoperative IMFC and VSR may serve as prognostic indicators for patients undergoing liver surgery.