Table 1.

Summary of the most important definitions of posthepatectomy liver failure

Definition (original publication)	Description	Predictive value (original publication)	Study population	Validation studies
ISGLS criteria (Rahbari et al.3)	Severity grading (PHLF grade A, B and C) based on clinical and laboratory parameters on or after postoperative day 5	Grade A–C: perioperative (30-day) fatalities OR 13.80; 95% c.i. 4.27–44.61; 99% sensitivity and 91% specificity for detection of fatalities	Definition based on literature review and consensus of ISGLS members. Original publication refers to data from single-centre experience, 835 patients, year 2002–2010, 9% cirrhosis	Calthorpe et al.10 Sultana et al.16 Skrzypczyk et al.219 Rahbari et al.15
50:50, Balzan criteria (Balzan et al.8)	Bilirubin and PT on postoperative day 5	If bilirubin >50 μmol/l and PT <50% on postoperative day 5: Relative risk of death 66 (95% c.i. 30,147) 59% 60-day fatalities	Single-centre, 775 patients, years 1998–2002, 12% cirrhosis	Calthorpe et al.10 Sultana et al.16 Skrzypczyk et al.219
Mullen, peak bilirubin criteria (Mullen et al.9)	Postoperative peak serum bilirubin concentration more than 7 mg/dl	Prediction of liver-related death: sensitivity 93%; specificity 94% 90-day mortality (OR 10.8), 90-day liver-related fatalities (OR 250)	Three centres, 1059 non-cirrhotic patients, years 1995–2005	Calthorpe et al.10 Skrzypczyk et al.219 Sultana et al.16

ISGLS, International Study Group of Liver Surgery; PT, prothrombin time.