Standardized Technique of Selective Left Liver Vascular Exclusion During Laparoscopic Liver Resection for Benign and Malignant Tumors

Tumors located close to major hepatic veins pose a technical challenge to standard laparoscopic liver resection. Hepatic outflow occlusion may reduce the risks of bleeding from hepatic vein and gas embolism. The aim of this study was to detail our standardized laparoscopic approach for a safe extrahepatic control of the common trunk of middle and left hepatic veins during laparoscopic liver resection and to assess its feasibility in patients with tumors located in both right and left lobes of the liver.Data of 25 consecutive patients who underwent laparoscopic liver resection with extrahepatic control of the common trunk of middle and left hepatic veins were reviewed.All patients underwent primary hepatectomy. The vast majority (84%) of patients had malignant tumors. The control of the common trunk of middle and left hepatic veins was achieved in 96% of patients. There were 14 (56%) major hepatectomies and 11 (44%) minor hepatectomies. Some form of vascular clamping was performed in 23 (62%) patients: Pringle maneuver in 17 (median time = 45 min; range, 10-109) and selective vascular exclusion of the liver in 6 patients (median time = 30 min; range, 15-94). The median duration of operation was 254 min (range, 70-441). There was one case (4%) of gas embolism but without any complications during the postoperative course. Conversion to open surgery was performed in 2 (7.7%) patients: 1 for oncologic reason and 1 for non-progression during the transection plane. Perioperative blood transfusion rate was nil. The overall morbidity rate was 24%.The laparoscopic approach for an extrahepatic control of the common trunk of middle and left hepatic veins is reproducible, safe, and effective, and can be applied during laparoscopic liver resection for tumors close to major hepatic veins.