Laparoscopic Anterior Right Hepatectomy: A Single-Center Experience

Laparoscopic anterior right hepatectomy (LARH) has been used in some hospitals. However, data on the feasibility and safety of this procedure are still limited, due to the demanding technical requirements. The primary objective of this study was to compare the clinical outcomes of LARH with those of laparoscopic conventional right hepatectomy (LCRH) in patients with large right hepatocellular carcinoma, as well as to confirm the safety and feasibility of LARH. Furthermore, the article presents a step-by-step description of the surgical procedures for LARH to help perform this surgery in the clinic. The principle of LARH is to first prioritize the hepatic inlet duct separation while separating the right hepatic perihepatic ligament after transecting the liver. From December 2015 to June 2022, 82 patients with large right hepatocellular carcinoma (maximum tumor diameter ≥ 5 cm), were recruited for the study. In this cohort, 54 and 28 patients underwent LARH and LCRH, respectively. The perioperative clinical data and survival outcomes of the two groups were compared. Compared with LCRH, LARH exhibited the advantages of less contact and extrusion, thereby leading to the achievement of superior results. Thus, we propose that LARH is the optimal choice for patients with large right hepatocellular carcinoma.