Feasibility of surgical application of the ligamentum teres hepatis: a review

Abstract

Ligamentum teres hepatis (LTH), a normal anatomical tissue in the liver, is frequently observed during abdominal surgery. Its unique positional and structural characteristics give it a wide range of potential clinical applications, including but not limited to repairing peptic perforation, preventing hemorrhage, treating hiatal hernia, and strengthening the biliary/pancreatic intestine anastomosis to prevent biliary and pancreatic leak. The current review summarizes kinds of methods of using LTH in abdominal surgery, especially some new clinical applications in recent years, involving various organs and fields. At the same time, domestic and foreign literature and research in the past five years are cited to demonstrate the feasibility of these applications. This review may guide surgeons to think and explore more new applications of LTH in all surgery fields.