title: [Laparoscopic hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To discuss the value of laparoscopic hepatectomy (LH) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
  
  
  METHODS
  From April 2002 to December 2007, 123 cases of HCC, included 82 males and 41 females, with a mean age of 53.8 years (range 31 - 69 years) underwent LH.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ninety-three cases underwent total laparoscopic hepatectomies (included regular hepatectomies in 52 cases). Twenty-six cases underwent laparoscopy assisted hepatectomies (included regular hepatectomies in 12 cases). Four cases converted to open hepatectomies because of massive bleeding of hepatic vein. The operative time was (205.5 +/- 92.5) min (range 115 - 290 min). The median intraoperative blood loss was 250 ml (rang 100 - 1500 ml). The postoperative hospital stay was (5.8 +/- 1.6) days (range 3 - 15 days). The biggest size of the resections was 18 cm x 16 cm x 12 cm. One patient died of gas embolism during the operation. Biliary fistula occurred in 5 cases and ascites in 8 cases postoperatively, which were cured for several days. By 4 - 61 months of follow up, recurrence in liver occurred in 5 cases. There was no peritoneum and port metastasis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  LH is a safe and feasible method for the treatment of HCC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, the People's Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China.
authors.forename: Ming-Gen
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Rong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Luo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006498:Hepatectomy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome