HPB ultrasound guidance techniques - Targeting

Ultrasound is an indispensable tool for intraoperative assessment and treatment of hepatopancreatobiliary pathology. As minimally invasive approaches to HPB surgery continue to expand and the benefits of parenchymal-sparing liver surgery are increasingly appreciated, skillful targeting will play an even bigger role in HPB surgical practice. Techniques for intraoperative targeting of liver lesions for the purposes of biopsy and ablation, particularly in the laparoscopic setting, are the focus of this chapter.

Current evidence supports the use of ablation for a variety of liver lesions including hepatocellular carcinoma and metastatic colorectal cancer, particularly for smaller lesions.

Successful targeting requires optimization of patient position and port placement. When targeting multiple lesions, thoughtful treatment sequencing is critical to maintaining visualization and optimizing outcomes.