Minimally invasive liver resections for cancer: moving forward

Abstract

laparoscopic hepatectomies 3 wedge resections for benign lesions with one conversion and a 24-hour discharge (1); first left lateral sectionectomy and the first hepatectomy case series, comparative studies, and multicenter laparoscopic liver resections (LLRs) advantages the initial reports the was compared to the other surgical specialties. The steepness of the learning curve, the challenges in controlling a potential major bleeding, and the unknown risk for gas embolism and for inadequate surgical margins were impeding its worldwide validation the advantages were clear: less abdominal wall trauma, the earlier return to daily activities, the reduced postoperative pain, improved cosmetic results, decreased blood loss, less postoperative ascites in cirrhotics, fewer pulmonary complications and facilitation of subsequent surgery or liver transplantation were reported by most authors and later validated in many publications, and the interest soon started to rise