Hypothesis: Resection for benign liver disease can represent a valid indication for the laparoscopic approach.
Design: Prospective case series.
Setting: Tertiary referral center.
Patients: Fifty patients with benign disease underwent laparoscopic liver resection. Indications for resection included preoperative diagnosis of adenoma or cystadenoma, uncertain preoperative diagnosis, and presence of symptoms. Inclusion criteria were lesions 5 cm or less located in the peripheral segments (segments 2-6).
Intervention: Laparoscopic liver resection using a surgical technique including 5 ports, harmonic transection, stapling of large vessels, and extraction in a bag through a separate incision.
Main outcome measures: Intraoperative results and postoperative morbidity.
Results: Thirty-five patients (70%) presented with solid tumor; 11 (22%), with cystic lesions; and 4 (8%), with biliary disease. Tumor was solitary in 41 cases (82%) and multiple in 9 (18%). Mean (SD) surgical time was 191 (77.5) minutes (range, 30-480 minutes). There were 4 conversions (8%) and 1 patient received a transfusion (2%). There was no mortality. The postoperative morbidity rate was 10% and included only nonspecific complications. Median hospital stay was 5 days.
Conclusions: Laparoscopic liver resection for benign disease can be recommended in patients with peripheral lesions requiring limited resection. Major resections may be performed in highly select patients but require further evaluation. Specific training is required. Indications for laparoscopic resection of benign liver disease must be the same as those for open surgery. Reduction of abdominal wall damage and cosmetic advantages of the laparoscopic approach represent a clear benefit in patients with benign liver disease.