[Surgical treatment of liver trauma: resection--when and how?]

Liver resection as an emergency procedure in patients with liver injury due to abdominal trauma has become a rare procedure. In most cases liver trauma can be managed conservatively. Currently surgery is only indicated in hemodynamically instable patients and in cases of progredient haematoma where the main aim is control of bleeding. Anatomical liver resection should be avoided and may only be performed in cases of total vascular avulsion. Debridement of devascularized tissue can also be carried out in terms of an atypical liver resection. This article elucidates the current indications for liver resection after traumatic liver injury.