Case Report
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World J Gastroenterol. Sep 21, 2013; 19(35): 5929-5932
Published online Sep 21, 2013. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v19.i35.5929
Totally laparoscopic left hepatectomy using the Torsional Ultrasonic Scalpel
Georgios C Sotiropoulos, Paraskevas Stamopoulos, Petros Charalampoudis, Ernesto P Molmenti, Athanasios Voutsarakis, Gregory Kouraklis
Georgios C Sotiropoulos, Paraskevas Stamopoulos, Petros Charalampoudis, Athanasios Voutsarakis, Gregory Kouraklis, 2nd Department of Propedeutic Surgery, University of Athens Medical School, 11527 Athens, Greece
Ernesto P Molmenti, Department of Surgery, North Shore University Hospital, Manhasset, NY 11030, United States
Author contributions: Sotiropoulos GC performed the operation and wrote the paper; Stamopoulos P collected the data and prepared the paper; Charalampoudis P, Molmenti EP and Voutsarakis A collected and analyzed the data; Kouraklis G designed and revised the paper; all authors approved the final version of the paper.
Correspondence to: Georgios C Sotiropoulos, MD, PhD, FACS, FEBS, 2nd Department of Propedeutic Surgery, University of Athens Medical School, University Hospital Laikon, 17 Ag. Thoma Street, 11527 Athens, Greece. georgios.sotiropoulos@uni-due.de
Telephone: +30-210-7456372 Fax: +30-210-7456972
Received: January 22, 2013
Revised: April 24, 2013
Accepted: May 22, 2013
Published online: September 21, 2013
Processing time: 242 Days and 5.1 Hours
Abstract

Minimal invasive techniques have allowed for major surgical advances. We report our initial experience of performing total laparoscopic left hepatectomy (segments II-IV) with the Lotus (laparoscopic operation by torsional ultrasound) Ultrasonic Scalpel. The perioperative and postoperative courses of the young female patient were uneventful and she is in a good general condition without complaints 18 mo after surgery. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first total laparoscopic hemihepatectomy to be performed in Greece, as well as the first laparoscopic liver resection using Lotus shears.

Keywords: Laparoscopic surgery; Liver resection; Minimally invasive surgery; Hepatectomy; Bloodless surgery; Ultrasonic Scalpel; Ultrasonic dissector; Parenchyma transection; Liver adenoma; Focal nodular hyperplasia

Core tip: This report describes the first total laparoscopic hemihepatectomy performed in Greece, as well as the first laparoscopic liver resection using Lotus shears. The effectiveness of the Lotus Ultrasonic Scalpel highlights the importance of surgical innovation in making minimally invasive procedures available to all surgical specialties.