[The surgical technique of laparoscopic right hemihepatectomy. Technical aspects and results]

This study compared the technical aspects and results for two different techniques of total laparoscopic anatomical right hemihepatectomy.

From September 2010 to February 2013 a total of 16 patients underwent total laparoscopic right hemihepatectomy at the University Hospital of Freiburg. Of the patients 8 received an intraglissonian approach (IGA) and the other 8 patients an extraglissonian approach (EGA). In the patients of the IGA group, vascular inflow control of the right liver was accomplished by dissection and dividing the right hepatic artery, the right portal vein and the right bile duct separately before parenchymal dissection. In contrast, vascular control for patients in the EGA group was performed by enclosure and transsection of the whole right pedicle using a vascular linear stapler.

Indications for right hemihepatectomy were benign tumors in 2 and malignancies in 14 cases. The average maximum tumor diameter was 5.5 cm (range 1.5-10.0 cm). Adequate tumor-free surgical margins (R0) were confirmed in all patients with malignancies. The perioperative mortality rate was 0 %, surgical complications according to Clavien's classification were grade I (n = 1 trocar site superficial wound infection), grade II (n = 2 cholangitis) and grade IIIb (n = 1 wound dehiscence after conversion to open procedure). The median operating time was 366 min (range 265-422 min) and 313 min (range 247-417 min) in the IGA and EGA groups, respectively. Conversion from laparoscopic to open minimal access procedure was necessary in three patients in the IGA group and two patients in the EGA group. Mean intraoperative blood loss was 644 ml (200-1000 ml) and 518 ml (200-1500 ml) in the IGA and EGA groups, respectively. Transfusion of two units of packed red blood cells was necessary for one patient in group EGA. No patient in either group needed a Pringle maneuver. Mean postoperative hospital stay was 11 days (range 7-23 days) and 13 days (range 7-31 days) in the IGA and EGA groups, respectively.

Total laparoscopic anatomical right hemihepatectomy is a feasible procedure. The extraglissonian technique can provide shorter operating times by correctly facilitating vascular control of the right liver.