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Background Partial hepatectomy is the most definitive treatment for hepatolithiasis. Laparoscopic liver resection, however, presents unique technical challenges. The objectives of this study were to evaluate and compare the safety and perioperative and long-term outcomes of laparoscopic left hemihepatectomy (LLH) versus open left hemihepatectomy (OLH) for left intrahepatic duct stones. Methods From March 2009–October 2014, 97 consecutive patients with left intrahepatic duct stones who underwent LLH ( n = 46) or OLH ( n = 51) were evaluated. We retrospectively reviewed the clinical outcomes and the stone clearance rates of the 97 patients in this study. Results The median surgical procedure times were 254 min (188–396 min) in the LLH group and 236 min (192–395 min) in the OLH group. No significant difference was found in the surgical procedure times between the two groups. The intraoperative blood loss of the LLH group was less than the OLH group (332 mL [247–914 mL] versus 369 mL [221–996 mL], P = 0.13), but there was no statistical significance. A shorter length of postoperative hospital stay was noticed in laparoscopy group (11 d [8–21 d] versus 12 d [9–24 d], P = 0.01). Postoperative complications were observed in six of the 46 patients (13.0%) after LLH and in 11 of the 51 patients (21.6%) after OLH ( P = 0.27). Laparoscopy was comparable with laparotomy in the effectiveness of stone clearance during the first attempt (93.5% versus 94.1%, P = 1.00). Conclusions In left-sided hepatolithiasis, LLH was safe and effective: it resulted in low postoperative morbidity, no mortality, and a high stone clearance rate. The potential benefit of LLH was a shorter hospital stay. If consideration is given to the appropriate indication criteria, including the extent of hepatectomy and the location and distribution of lesions, LLH may be an excellent choice for treatment of left-sided hepatolithiasis.

INTRODUCTION Hepatolithiasis is a prevalent disease in the southeastern coastal regions of China. Partial hepatectomy is the most definitive treatment for hepatolithiasis. This study evaluated the safety and efficacy of the laparoscopic left hemihepatectomy (LLH) for left-sided hepatolithiasis. METHODS The clinical data of 37 consecutive patients who underwent pure LLH for left-sided hepatolithiasis at Yinzhou Second Hospital between March 2009 and December 2013 were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS Pure LLH was performed successfully in 36 patients. Because of severe adhesions from previous choledochotomy, 1 patient was converted to open procedure. The mean operative time was 257.9 minutes (range, 188 to 396 min). The mean duration of postoperative hospital stay was 11.7 days (range, 8 to 21 d). There were 2 (5.4 %) cases of postoperative bile leakage, 2 (5.4%) cases of intra-abdominal fluid collection, and 1 (2.7%) case of incisional infection, which were successfully managed conservatively. Residual stones were observed in 2 (5.4%) patients. The residual stones were located in the common bile duct in these cases and were removed through the T-tube tract by choledochoscopy. During a mean follow-up of 31.3 months (range, 6 to 63 mo), recurrent stones were detected in 2 (5.4%) patients and were successfully treated with endoscopic sphincterotomy. CONCLUSIONS LLH for left-sided hepatolithiasis is feasible and safe in selected patients.