Hand-assisted laparoscopic hepatectomy for tumors located in posterior segment.
OBJECTIVE
In spite of recent advances in laparoscopic surgery, laparoscopic approach is still not a standard option for the tumors located in the posterior segment of the right hepatic lobe mainly due to its technical difficulties and the risk for injuring major adjacent vessels.


METHODS
In order to evaluate the feasibility of laparoscopic posterior segment hepatectomy (LPSH) compared to open posterior segment hepatectomy (OPSH), we retrospectively reviewed a total of 46 laparoscopic hepatectomies and 169 open hepatectomies. Among them, three patients underwent LPSH and seven patients underwent OPSH for tumors located in the posterior segment of the right hepatic lobe.


RESULTS
Although duration of operation showed a trend toward being longer in LPSH, LPSH was not accompanied by significant increase of blood loss. Furthermore, LPSH had a trend to result in earlier recovery of the patients, including shorter hospital stay and earlier start of walking or meal.


CONCLUSIONS
In conclusion, our data suggested that LPSH could be as safe and feasible as OPSH for tumors located in the posterior segment.
Inagaki
Hitoshi
H
Department of Surgery, Yokoyama Hospital for Gasroenterological Diseases, 3-11-20 Chiyoda, Naka-ku, Nagoya-shi, Aichi 460-0012, Japan. h.inagaki@yokoyama-hospital.or.jp
Kurokawa
Tsuyoshi
T
Yokoyama
Tadashi
T
Konishi
Tsuyoshi
T
Kikuchi
Manabu
M
Yokoyama
Yasuhisa
Y
Nonami
Toshiaki
T
D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006225:Hand; D006498:Hepatectomy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged