Laparoscopy-assisted hepatectomy for a large tumor of the liver.

We performed a laparoscopy-assisted hepatectomy on a 52-year-old woman with a large hepatic cavernous hemangioma (longest diameter, 8.5 cm). With the use of Pringle's maneuver, the left lateral segment of the liver was resected with a Cavitron ultrasonic surgical aspirator (CUSA) while lifting the abdominal wall. Postoperative hepatic dysfunction was mild and transient, resolving spontaneously early after surgery. We intend to expand the indications of this minimally invasive procedure for hepatic resection.