title: Retroperitoneal laparoscopic hepatectomy:  a novel approach.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Retroperitoneal laparoscopic surgery has been widely used for kidney and adrenal gland resection. However, there have not been any reports of laparoscopic hepatectomy performed using a retroperitoneal approach. Herein, we report on a successful case of laparoscopic hepatectomy using a retroperitoneal approach. Further, we discuss the key technical points, feasibility, and indications of this method.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 48-year-old male patient with multiple hepatic metastases of the left lateral and right posterior segments of the liver following radical colon carcinoma resection underwent laparoscopic partial hepatectomy of the right posterior segment using a retroperitoneal approach, followed by laparoscopic hepatic left-lateral segmentectomy using a transabdominal approach.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The operation time was 120 minutes and the blood loss volume was 150 mL. The patient was discharged at nine days post-surgery. There were no complications, including hemorrhage and bile leakage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this case study provide evidence that a retroperitoneal approach is a novel, rapid, and safe method for laparoscopic hepatectomy that can be applied to the partial resection of small and superficial tumors of the right posterior segment of the liver.
authors: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Chinese PLA (People's Liberation Army) General Hospital, FuXing Road, Beijing, China.
authors: Minggen
authors: M
authors: Hu
authors: Guodong
authors: G
authors: Zhao
authors: Dabin
authors: D
authors: Xu
authors: Xin
authors: X
authors: Ma
authors: Rong
authors: R
authors: Liu
mesh_terms: D002277:Carcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery*; D003113:Colonoscopy; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006498:Hepatectomy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D012187:Retroperitoneal Space / Q000601:surgery*; D012811:Sigmoid Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed