Laparoscopic liver resection using a monopolar soft-coagulation device to provide maximum intraoperative bleeding control for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND

The popularity of laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) is spreading, worldwide, because the intraoperative blood loss is less than for open hepatectomy and it is associated with a shorter hospitalization period [1-6]. During LLR, intraoperative hemostasis is difficult to achieve, unlike during laparotomy where bleeding can be stopped instantly [7-10]. Our LLR method for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) includes maximal control of intraoperative bleeding using a monopolar soft-coagulation device. Although we use a monopolar soft-coagulation device to control bleeding during LLR, while coagulating the thin blood vessels, we also developed a maneuver (the hepatocyte crush method: HeCM) to allow liver transection to progress while liver parenchymal cells are being crushed.

METHOD

Between January 2008 and March 2016, we performed total LLR on 150 hepatocellular carcinoma patients (144 partial liver resections and six left lateral sectionectomies) using the maneuver shown in the video.

RESULTS

The patients had Child-Pugh Scores of grade A (n = 100), B (42), or C (n = 8) and the localizations of tumor were segment (S) 1(n = 7), S2 (19), S3 (23), S4 (28), S5 (17), S6 (26), S8 (17), and S8 (29). The median blood loss was 30 (range 0-490) g during a median surgical time of 207 (range 127-468) min. One patient required conversion to a laparotomy due to the presence of severe adhesions; none of the patients required conversion due to intraoperative hemorrhage. The peak aspartate aminotransferase (AST) level was 320 (range 57-1964) IU/L. Although some patients showed high AST levels, none showed signs of hepatic failure. The median postoperative hospital stay duration was 6 (range 3-21) days. Postoperative complications occurred in seven cases (4.7%), including intraabdominal abscesses (n = 2), wound infections (2), intraabdominal hemorrhage (1), bile duct stricture (1), and umbilical hernia (1). The mortality was zero.

CONCLUSION

HeCM, combined with the use of a monopolar soft-coagulation device, is a good technique for reducing bleeding during liver resection in patients with HCC.