title: Laparoscopic left lateral liver sectionectomy: a safe, efficient, reproducible technique.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Laparoscopic left lateral sectionectomy (LLLS) is procedure with potential for future transformation into a primarily laparoscopic procedure where surgeons can safely develop laparoscopic experience and gain proficiency.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between August 2004 and December 2007, 80 patients underwent laparoscopic liver resections in our unit, 30 of these were left lateral sectionectomies. The indications for surgery were both oncological and non-oncological.
  
  
  RESULTS
  30 LLLS were performed. Median operative time and median postoperative hospital stay group were 180 (40-340) min and 4 (1-6) days, respectively, and were noted to fall significantly between the first (15 patients) and second parts of this series. The median free resection margin was 11 (1.5-30) mm and median perioperative blood loss was 80 (25-800) ml. Two minor complications were observed with no mortality and no conversions to open.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  LLLS is a feasible, safe and efficient procedure, associated with a quick, smooth learning curve. We report our technique illustrating methods and particulars which would be of great help to surgeons developing new laparoscopic liver services.
authors.affiliation: Hepatobiliary-Pancreatic and Laparoscopic Surgical Unit, Southampton University Hospital, Southampton, UK. abu_hlal@yahoo.com
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abu Hilal
authors.forename: N W
authors.initials: NW
authors.lastname: Pearce
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006498:Hepatectomy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies