Advances in minimally invasive liver surgery

Area of Science:

• Surgical Oncology
• Minimally Invasive Surgery
• Hepatobiliary Surgery

Background:

• Minimally invasive surgical techniques are increasingly adopted in hepatobiliary surgery.
• Robotic and laparoscopic methods are prominent in current research and clinical practice.
• These techniques offer advantages over traditional open surgery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent findings and evidence on minimally invasive hepatobiliary surgery.
• To evaluate the benefits and challenges of robotic and laparoscopic approaches.
• To highlight applications in common hepatobiliary conditions and organ transplantation.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of current evidence on minimally invasive hepatobiliary surgery.
• Analysis of short-term outcomes, oncologic results, and specific applications.
• Comparison of robotic versus laparoscopic techniques.

Main Results:

• Minimally invasive surgery demonstrates reduced blood loss, transfusion needs, and hospital stay compared to open surgery.
• Oncologic outcomes for minimally invasive hepatobiliary surgery are comparable to open procedures.
• Robotic surgery offers benefits like less bleeding and a shorter learning curve over laparoscopy, particularly in major hepatectomies.

Conclusions:

• Minimally invasive hepatobiliary surgery, including robotic and laparoscopic approaches, is safe and effective in high-volume centers.
• Robotic surgery presents advantages over laparoscopy, but further research on cost-effectiveness and training is needed.
• Structured training programs are essential for advancing minimally invasive hepatobiliary surgery.