title: Laparoscopic partial hepatectomy: animal experiments.
abstract: As a first step in firmly establishing laparoscopic hepatectomy, we introduce a porcine model of laparoscopic partial hepatectomy. This procedure has been successfully performed under the normal-pressure or low-pressure pneumoperitoneum condition supported by the full-thickness abdominal wall lifting technique. An ultrasonic dissector combined with electrocautery, newly developed by Olympus Optical Corporation (Japan) was effectively utilized in facilitating safe and smooth incisions into the liver parenchyma. Although indications for this procedure seem to be limited only to peripheral lesions and not to central lesions, clinical application of this method may be useful for some patients in the near future.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Surgery Tokyo Medical and Dental University 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku Tokyo 113 Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Goseki
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Izumi
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takeshita
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Endo