Liver resection is the surgical removal of part of the liver. The extent can range from a small wedge resection to segmentectomy or major hepatectomy.
When is it considered?
Primary liver cancers, liver metastases and selected benign or parasitic diseases may require liver resection. Not every liver lesion needs resection.
Preoperative planning
Planning considers lesion location, relationships with major vessels and bile ducts, the future liver remnant and underlying liver disease.
General principle of the operation
Resection may follow anatomical segments or be performed as a non-anatomical removal around a lesion. Open or minimally invasive access is chosen according to disease, anatomy and surgical safety.
General postoperative course
Recovery depends on the extent of resection and overall health. Monitoring includes liver function, bleeding, bile leakage, infection and other postoperative complications.
Possible risks and complications
Potential risks include bleeding, bile leakage, infection, liver failure, thromboembolic events and general surgical/anesthetic complications.
Selected academic work
These publications demonstrate academic work related to the topic; they are not the sole source of current treatment standards.
- PUB-2010-01 — 2010 — Surgery for isolated liver metastasis of ovarian cancer. — https://doi.org/10.1016/s1015-9584(10)60014-0
