Total laparoscopic liver resection in 78 patients.
OBJECTIVE
To summarize the clinical experience of laparoscopic hepatectomy at a single center.


METHODS
Between November 2003 and March 2009, 78 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (n = 39), metastatic liver carcinoma (n = 10), and benign liver neoplasms (n = 29) underwent laparoscopic hepatectomy in our unit. A retrospective analysis was done on the clinical outcomes of the 78 patients.


RESULTS
The lesions were located in segments I (n = 3), II (n = 16), III (n = 24), IV (n = 11), V (n = 11), VI (n = 9), and VIII (n = 4). The lesion sizes ranged from 0.8 to 15 cm. The number of lesions was three (n = 4), two (n = 8) and one (n = 66) in the study cohort. The surgical procedures included left hemi-hepatectomy (n = 7), left lateral lobectomy (n = 14), segmentectomy (n = 11), local resection (n = 39), and resection of metastatic liver lesions during laparoscopic surgery for rectal cancer (n = 7). Laparoscopic liver resection was successful in all patients, with no conversion to open procedures. Only four patients received blood transfusion (400-800 mL). There were no perioperative complications, such as bleeding and biliary leakage. The liver function of all patients recovered within 1 wk, and no liver failure occurred.


CONCLUSIONS
Laparoscopic hepatectomy is a safe and feasible operation with minimal surgical trauma. It should be performed by a surgeon with sufficient experience in open hepatic resection and who is proficient in laparoscopy.
Zhang
Lei
L
Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China. zhanglei646@126.com
Chen
Ya-Jin
YJ
Shang
Chang-Zhen
CZ
Zhang
Hong-Wei
HW
Huang
Ze-Jian
ZJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006498:Hepatectomy; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult