Brief Article
Copyright ©2009 The WJG Press and Baishideng. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Dec 7, 2009; 15(45): 5727-5731
Published online Dec 7, 2009. doi: 10.3748/wjg.15.5727
Total laparoscopic liver resection in 78 patients
Lei Zhang, Ya-Jin Chen, Chang-Zhen Shang, Hong-Wei Zhang, Ze-Jian Huang
Lei Zhang, Ya-Jin Chen, Chang-Zhen Shang, Hong-Wei Zhang, Ze-Jian Huang, Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510120, Guangdong Province, China
Author contributions: Zhang L and Chen YJ contributed equally to this work; Zhang L wrote the paper; Shang CZ, Zhang HW, Huang ZJ took part in the research work.
Correspondence to: Ya-Jin Chen, Professor, Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510120, Guangdong Province, China. zhanglei646@126.com
Telephone: +86-20-34071169 Fax: +86-20-34071192
Received: September 2, 2009
Revised: October 14, 2009
Accepted: October 21, 2009
Published online: December 7, 2009
Abstract

AIM: To summarize the clinical experience of laparoscopic hepatectomy at a single center.

METHODS: Between November 2003 and March 2009, 78 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (n = 39), metastatic liver carcinoma (n = 10), and benign liver neoplasms (n = 29) underwent laparoscopic hepatectomy in our unit. A retrospective analysis was done on the clinical outcomes of the 78 patients.

RESULTS: The lesions were located in segments I (n = 3), II (n = 16), III (n = 24), IV (n = 11), V (n = 11), VI (n = 9), and VIII (n = 4). The lesion sizes ranged from 0.8 to 15 cm. The number of lesions was three (n = 4), two (n = 8) and one (n = 66) in the study cohort. The surgical procedures included left hemi-hepatectomy (n = 7), left lateral lobectomy (n = 14), segmentectomy (n = 11), local resection (n = 39), and resection of metastatic liver lesions during laparoscopic surgery for rectal cancer (n = 7). Laparoscopic liver resection was successful in all patients, with no conversion to open procedures. Only four patients received blood transfusion (400-800 mL). There were no perioperative complications, such as bleeding and biliary leakage. The liver function of all patients recovered within 1 wk, and no liver failure occurred.

CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic hepatectomy is a safe and feasible operation with minimal surgical trauma. It should be performed by a surgeon with sufficient experience in open hepatic resection and who is proficient in laparoscopy.

Keywords: Hepatectomy; Laparoscopy; Liver neoplasms