[Liver resection in hepatolithiasis: 20-year's evolution].

OBJECTIVE

To analyze operative and perioperative factors associated with hepatectomy in hepatolithiasis.

METHODS

245 consecutive hepatolithiasis patients undergoing hepatectomy from January 1986 to December 2005 at Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital were investigated retrospectively according to medical documentation.

RESULTS

Hepatolithiasis accounted for 29.6% (245/827) in all benign liver diseases treated with hepatectomy during this time period. There were 88 cases in male and 157 cases in female, the average age was (46.9 +/- 11.3) years. Cases of right liver resection and hepatic segments resection were much more than that in 1963 - 1985. Blood transfusion during operation was given in 45.3% of cases. Complication incidence was 16.3%, with infection 3.3% and bile leakage 2.4%. Length of stay after operation was (15.7 +/- 9.2) days. Perioperative mortality rate was 0.4% (1/245).

CONCLUSIONS

Individualized hepatectomy is the important surgical treatment of hepatolithiasis. Hepatectomy can be performed safely with low mortality and low complication incidence, provided that it is carried out with optimized perioperative management and innovative surgical technique.