Laparoscopic Liver Resection: A South American Experience with 2887 Cases

Area of Science:

• Hepatobiliary Surgery
• Minimally Invasive Surgery
• Surgical Outcomes Research

Background:

• Laparoscopic liver resections (LLR) are increasingly adopted globally, yet South American data are limited.
• Existing evidence primarily originates from North America, Europe, and Asia.
• Multicenter studies on LLR in South America are lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the current experience and outcomes of laparoscopic liver resections (LLR) in South American centers.
• To provide a comprehensive overview of LLR adoption and practice patterns in the region.

Main Methods:

• A survey was distributed to 61 hepatobiliary centers across South America from February to November 2019.
• The survey comprised 20 questions covering center demographics, surgical procedures, and perioperative outcomes.
• Fifty-one centers (83.6%) from seven countries participated, reporting on 2887 LLR procedures.

Main Results:

• The majority of LLR programs (60.7%) were initiated after 2010, indicating recent growth.
• Laparoscopic liver resections constituted 28.4% of all liver resections performed.
• The overall morbidity rate was 13%, with a conversion rate of 9.7% and a mortality rate of 0.7%.

Conclusions:

• This study represents the largest assessment of laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) dissemination and outcomes in South America.
• The findings demonstrate a growing number of centers performing LLR, with perioperative results comparable to international benchmarks.
• LLR adoption in South America is increasing, yielding promising outcomes.