Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 23, 2026

Three-dimensional Location Approach with Silk Thread Guided Laparoscopic Segmentectomy for Liver Tumor
Published on: May 23, 2025
Precise local resection for hepatocellular carcinoma based on tumor-surrounding vascular anatomy revealed by 3D
Yi Wang1, Youlei Zhang, Heinz-Otto Peitgen
1Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Shanghai, PR China. wangyi-ehbh@163.com
Insights
Precise local resection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is feasible using 3D vascular analysis. This technique enhances accuracy and safety in HCC tumor removal.
Area of Science:
- Hepatobiliary Surgery
- Surgical Oncology
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Traditional local resection for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) often lacks anatomical precision.
- Non-anatomical resection can lead to suboptimal outcomes and potential complications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the feasibility of precise local resection for HCC guided by three-dimensional (3D) analysis of tumor-surrounding vasculature.
- To determine if 3D analysis can improve the accuracy and safety of HCC local resection.
Main Methods:
- Three-dimensional (3D) CT analysis of liver datasets to identify tumor-feeding and draining vessels.
- Virtual resection simulation to define optimal liver division planes based on vascular anatomy.
- Performance of actual local HCC resections guided by the preoperative 3D simulations.
Main Results:
- Precise local resection was successfully performed in 13 HCC patients.
- Resection margins and volumes closely matched preoperative 3D simulation predictions.
- No ischemia or congestion in remnant livers; all patients achieved adequate margins with no local recurrence after 18 months median follow-up.
Conclusions:
- Three-dimensional (3D) analysis of tumor-surrounding vascular anatomy enables precise local resection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
- This image-guided approach improves the accuracy and safety of traditional HCC local resection techniques.
- The findings support the integration of 3D vascular analysis into surgical planning for HCC.
Purposes:
Local resection for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has been traditionally performed non-anatomically. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of precise local resection of HCC according to the anatomy of tumor-surrounding vessels revealed by three-dimensional (3D) analysis technique.
Methods:
The CT datasets of the livers of the patients with HCC were analyzed three-dimensionally. The tumor-bearing vessels were identified and virtually resected, and the depending parenchymal volume was calculated for definition of an optimal liver division plane. The actual local resections were then carried out according to the simulations.
Results:
Precise local resection based on tumor-surrounding vascular anatomy was performed in 13 HCC patients. Both resection margin and volume were significantly correlated with those predicted by preoperative simulations. After precise local resection, neither ischemia nor congestion was observed in the remnant livers. All patients obtained adequate resection margins, without recurrences in the resection sites after a median follow-up time of 18 months.
Conclusions:
Local resection for HCC can be carried out precisely according to the anatomy of tumor-surrounding vessels when guided by a 3D analysis. This precise procedure will enhance both the accuracy and safety of traditional local resection.
