The value of microsurgery in liver research

The use of an operating microscope in rat liver surgery makes it possible to obtain new experimental models and improve the already existing macrosurgical models. Thus, microsurgery could be a very valuable technique to improve experimental models of hepatic insufficiency. In the current review, we present the microsurgical techniques most frequently used in the rat, such as the portacaval shunt, the extrahepatic biliary tract resection, partial and total hepatectomies and heterotopic and orthotopic liver transplantation. Hence, reducing surgical complications allows for perfecting the resulting experimental models. Thus, liver atrophy related to portacaval shunt, prehepatic portal hypertension secondary to partial portal vein ligation, cholestasis by resection of the extrahepatic biliary tract, hepatic regeneration after partial hepatectomies, acute liver failure associated with subtotal or total hepatectomy and finally complications derived from preservation or rejection in orthotopic and heterotopic liver transplantation can be studied in more standardized experimental models. The results obtained are therefore more reliable and facilitates the flow of knowledge from the bench to the bedside. Some of these microsurgical techniques, because of their simplicity, can be performed by researchers without any prior surgical training. Other more complex microsurgical techniques require in-depth surgical training. These techniques are ideal for achieving a complete surgical training and more select microsurgical models for hepatology research.