title: Is Laparoscopic Hepatectomy a Safe, Feasible Procedure in Patients with a Previous Upper Abdominal Surgery?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Laparoscopic liver resection has become an accepted treatment for liver tumors or intrahepatic bile duct stones, but its application in patients with previous upper abdominal surgery is controversial. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and safety of laparoscopic hepatectomy in these patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hundred and thirty-six patients who underwent laparoscopic hepatectomy at our hospital from March 2012 to June 2015 were enrolled in the retrospective study. They were divided into two groups: Those with previous upper abdominal surgery (PS group, n = 42) and a control group with no previous upper abdominal surgery (NS group, n = 294). Short-term outcomes including operating time, blood loss, hospital stay, morbidity, and mortality were compared among the groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no significant difference in median operative duration between the PS group and the NS group (180 min vs. 160 min, P = 0.869). Median intraoperative blood loss was same between the PS group and the control group (200 ml vs. 200 ml, P = 0.907). The overall complication rate was significantly lower in the NS group than in the PS group (17.0% vs. 31.0%, P = 0.030). Mortality and other short-term outcomes did not differ significantly between groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study showed no significant difference between the PS group and NS group in term of short-term outcomes. Laparoscopic hepatectomy is a feasible and safe procedure for patients with previous upper abdominal surgery.
authors.forename: Liu-Xin
authors.initials: LX
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Yi-Fan
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Xiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Yue-Long
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310016, China.
authors.forename: Xiu-Jun
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Cai
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen / Q000601:surgery*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006498:Hepatectomy / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies