Book Description
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common malignant tumor and many cases occur in patients with liver cirrhosis. Although liver transplantation is the most effective treatment option, hepatectomy is still the first curative treatment option because liver transplantation is limited by the donors and high cost. In recent years, laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) has increasingly been performed in patients with liver cirrhosis, and has several advantages over open liver resection. Besides less pain and shorter hospital stay, LLR in patients with liver cirrhosis is also associated with lower incidences of postoperative liver failure and ascites because of greater preservation of collateral veins and less liver manipulation. With increasing experience, LLR for HCC located in segments 7 or 8 is now feasible, and anatomic LLR could be performed in patients with cirrhosis. Many comparative studies have shown that LLR is better than open liver resection in patients with liver cirrhosis in terms of a lower incidence of postoperative liver failure and similar patient survival. In conclusion, LLR is a promising treatment modality for HCC in patients with liver cirrhosis.