Other Techniques for Laparoscopic Hepatectomy

Abstract

The laparoscopic approach allows patients a rapid return to daily activity and has been adopted almost worldwide. Laparoscopic hepatectomy has developed for two decades, but it is still a developing procedure and is performed only in a few institutes in the world. The liver has rich blood supply, and most intraoperative bleeding could not be effectively managed in a laparoscopic condition which is the major reason hindering the development of laparoscopic liver resection. A technique which could avoid intraoperative bleeding or could significantly decrease the occurrence rate of intraoperative bleeding was highly demanded by surgeons. Until now, the majority of techniques available for laparoscopic liver resection initiated from open procedures. Major changes include the minimization and elongation of instruments to fit laparoscopic manipulation, the modification of surgical procedures, and finally establishing special techniques.