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Background: The recent development of 3D vision in laparoscopic and robotic surgical systems raises the question of whether these two procedures are equivalent. The aim of this study was to evaluate the surgical and long-term oncological outcomes of 3D laparoscopic (3D-LLR) and robotic liver resection (RLR) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods: The data for operative time, morbidity, margins, and survival were reviewed for 3D-LLR and compared with RLR. Results: From 2011 to 2017, 93 patients with HCC, including 58 (62%) with cirrhosis, underwent 3D-LLR [49 (53%)] or RLR [44 (47%)]. No difference was observed in operative time (269 vs. 252 min; p= 0.52), overall (27% vs. RLR: 16%; p= 0.49) and severe morbidity (4% vs. 2%; p= 0.77) or in the surgical margin width (9 vs. 11 mm; p= 0.30) between the 3D-LLR and RLR groups. The 3-year overall and recurrence-free survival rates after 3D-LLR and RLR were 82% and 24% and 91% (p= 0.16) and 48% (p= 0.18), respectively. Conclusions: The 3D-LLR and RLR systems provide comparable surgical margins with similar short- and long-term oncological outcomes.

Background: A standardized laparoscopic right hepatectomy (LRH) approach named the “caudal approach” was recently reported. Yet, the value of this approach compared with state-of-the-art open right hepatectomy (ORH) remains unknown. The purpose of this study was therefore to compare the short-term outcomes of LRH using the caudal approach and ORH with anterior approach and liver hanging maneuver. Methods: One-hundred eleven consecutive patients who underwent LRH with caudal approach were prospectively collected; 346 patients who underwent ORH with anterior approach and liver hanging maneuver were enrolled as a control group. Propensity score matching (PSM) of patients in a ratio of 1: 1 was conducted and the perioperative outcomes were compared. Results: After PSM, two well-balanced groups of 72 patients each were analyzed and compared. The conversion rate in the LRH group was 18.1%. Perioperative blood loss and transfusion rates were significantly lower in the LRH group as compared to the ORH group (median, 200 ml vs. 500 ml, p < 0.001 and 9.9% vs. 26.8%, p = 0.009, respectively), while operation time was significantly longer (median, 348 min vs. 290 min, p < 0.001). Overall (26.4% vs. 48.6%, p = 0.006) and symptomatic pulmonary (6.9% vs. 19.4%, p = 0.027) complication rates were significantly lower in the LRH group. Hospital stay was significantly shorter in the LRH group (median, 8 days vs. 9 days, p = 0.013). Conclusions: LRH using the caudal approach is associated with improved short-term outcomes compared to state-of-the-art ORH in patients qualifying for both approaches, and can be proposed as standard practice.

Laparoscopic resection (LLR) of colorectal liver metastases (CRLM) located in the posterosuperior liver (segments 4a, 7, and 8) is challenging but has become more practical recently due to progress in operative techniques. We aimed to compare tumor-specific, perioperative, and short-term oncological outcomes after LLR and open liver resection (OLR) for CRLM. Patients who underwent curative resection of CRLM with at least 1 tumor in the posterosuperior liver during 2012–2015 were analyzed. Tumor-specific factors associated with the adoption of LLR were analyzed by logistic regression model. One-to-one propensity score matching was used to match baseline characteristics between patients with LLR and OLR. The original cohort included 30 patients with LLR and 239 with OLR. Median follow-up time was 23.8 months. Logistic regression analysis showed that multiple, diameter ≥30 mm, deep location, and closeness to major vessels were associated with OLR. None of the 24 patients with none or one of these factors were converted from LLR to OLR. After matching, 29 patients with LLR and 29 with OLR were analyzed. The 2 groups had similar preoperative factors. The LLR and OLR groups did not differ with respect to operative time, intraoperative bleeding, incidence of blood transfusion, surgical margin positivity, incidence of postoperative complications, and unplanned readmission within 45 days. Median length of postoperative hospital stay was significantly shorter for LLR versus OLR (4 days [1–12] vs. 5 days [4–18]; p= 0.0003). Median recurrence-free survival was similar for patients who underwent LLR versus OLR (10.6 months for LLR vs. 13.4 months for OLR; p= 0.87). Compared to OLR, LLR of posterosuperior CRLM is associated with significantly shorter postoperative hospital stay but otherwise similar perioperative and short-term oncological outcomes. Tumor-specific factors associated with safe and routine LLR approach despite challenging location are superficial, solitary, and small (<30 mm) CRLM not associated with major vessels.

Major liver resection for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) ideally involves preoperative portal venous embolization (PVE) coupled with preoperative transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) to improve postoperative course and oncological results. Laparoscopic right hepatectomy (RH) following sequential TACE–PVE for HCC, although challenging, may help improve both immediate and long-term patient outcomes. This study is the first to describe and compare laparoscopic to open RH following sequential TACE–PVE for HCC in terms of feasibility, safety, and patient outcomes. All patients who underwent laparoscopic RH following successful TACE–PVE sequence (video provided) were retrospectively reviewed from a prospective database maintained at our center. Preoperative characteristics, operative data, and postoperative outcomes were analyzed and compared with those of patients who underwent open RH after TACE–PVE sequence during the same period. The laparoscopic and open RH groups each included 16 patients. F3 or F4 fibrosis was present in 81 % of patients. The conversion rate was 25 %. The 90-day postoperative complication rate was 25 % in the laparoscopic group versus 50 % in the open group (p= 0.27). The incidence of postoperative liver failure grade B was higher in the open group than in the laparoscopic group (5 vs. 0 patients, p= 0.043). Severe complications, Clavien grade ≥ IIIb, only occurred in the open group and included one postoperative death. Hospital stay was significantly shorter in the laparoscopic group than in the open group (7 vs. 12 days, p= 0.001). R0 resection was accomplished in 93.8 % of laparoscopic patients. Laparoscopic approach seems technically feasible and safe. This modern approach may optimize the surgical strategy in the future of HCC management.

The objective of this study was to assess the clinical impact of laparoscopic hepatectomy from technical and oncological viewpoints through the consecutive 5-year experience of an expert team. The subjects consisted of 491 consecutive hepatectomies performed over the course of 5 years. A total of 190 hepatectomies (38.6 %) were performed laparoscopically, and the remaining 301 (61.4 %) were open hepatectomies. Chronological trends of operative procedures and their indications were evaluated, and patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) were analyzed from an oncological viewpoint. The proportion of laparoscopic hepatectomies performed increased significantly during the study period (from 17.6 to 49.5 %). According to chronological trends, right hepatectomy was standardized using consecutive steps after minor hepatectomy, left lateral sectionectomy, and left hepatectomy were standardized. The proportion of laparoscopic hepatectomies performed for HCC increased from 21.4 to 71.0 %. No significant difference was observed in the proportion of major hepatectomies performed for HCC between the open and laparoscopy groups (50.6 vs. 48.6 %, p= 0.8053), whereas that of anatomical segmentectomy for HCC was significantly lower in the laparoscopy group (28.7 vs. 11.1 %, p= 0.0064). All laparoscopic anatomical segmentectomies were of segments 5 and 6, and there was no segmentectomy of posterosuperior lesions. The present study shows the consecutive technical developmental processes for minor hepatectomy, left lateral sectionectomy, left hepatectomy, and right hepatectomy without compromising oncological principles. Laparoscopic anatomical segmentectomy for posterosuperior lesions may be the most technically demanding procedure, requiring individualized standardization.

Laparoscopic major hepatectomy (LMH) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is currently perceived a complex and challenging laparoscopic procedure and is limited to a few expert teams. This study analyzed the short- and long-term outcomes of LMH for HCC compared with open hepatectomy. From January 2006 to May 2014, 38 patients underwent LMH for HCC (10 left and 28 right hepatectomy). They were matched and compared to 38 patients (10 left and 28 right hepatectomy) who underwent a conventional open approach. Short-term operative and postoperative outcomes as well as long-term outcomes, including disease-free survival and overall survival rates, were evaluated. Patients were well matched for several preoperative factors. Overall complication rates were significantly higher for the open group. No significant difference was seen in 3-year overall survival between the open and laparoscopic groups (69.2 vs. 73.4 %; p= 0.951). A trend toward better 3-year disease-free survival after laparoscopy was observed (29.7 vs. 50.3 %; p= 0.219), even though the difference did not reach statistical significance. The same trend was seen in subgroup analyses of right and left hepatectomy. This study shows the feasibility of LMH for HCC compared to open hepatectomy in regard to both short- and long-term outcomes. LMH offers many advantages commonly attributed to laparoscopy and is well suited for HCC with cirrhosis when performed by experienced surgeons.

While a laparoscopic approach can minimize postoperative morbidity in splenic vessel preserving (SVP) distal pancreatectomy (DP), this procedure can be technically challenging. A systematic approach to SVP minimizes the chances of vascular injury and maximizes the chances of successful splenic preservation. This video demonstrates a laparoscopic DP with SVP, highlighting technical tips and tricks that optimize the chances for SVP. The patient is a 14-year-old male with an incidentally discovered pancreatic tail mass. CT imaging demonstrates a 4.5 cm well-circumscribed tumor with the typical solid and cystic components of a solid pseudopapillary tumor (SPPT). Since SPPT is a rare pancreatic tumor associated with excellent prognosis following surgery, upfront minimally invasive DP with SPV was considered the optimal approach in this young patient. Following successful surgery, the postoperative course was uneventful. Pathology confirmed the diagnosis of a pT3N0. SPPT with negative margins. Here we demonstrate a systematic approach to maximize the changes of SVP in DP. This approach, as demonstrated in the video, includes optimal patient and port positioning, dissection to optimize exposure of the distal splenic vessels, techniques to minimize vascular trauma especially splenic venous trauma, as well as supplemental measures to ensure postoperative patency of splenic vessels following completion of the case. This systematic approach may maximize the changes of successful SVP, while avoiding postoperative complications such as splenic infarct, left-sided portal hypertension or overwhelming post-splenectomy sepsis.