Laparoscopic liver resection for colorectal metastases – treatment results

Abstract

Background: In many referral centers, laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) is a well-established method for the management of colorectal liver metastases (CLM). The aim of this study is to review a single institution experience.Methods: Between April 2008 and September 2016, 58 patients underwent LLR for various benign and malignant liver tumors. The analysis included 12 patients operated on for CLM. The primary outcomes of this prospective non-randomized study included operative procedure and operating time (minutes), estimated blood loss (mL), conversion rate, R0 resections, resection margins (mm), length of hospital stay (days), post-operative morbidity, and mortality. The secondary outcome of the study was survival analysis.Results: Eight patients (67 %) had atypical LLR. The average operating time was 130 minutes (range 60–210 minutes). The mean estimated blood loss was 140 mL (range < 50–600 mL). In one patient LLR was converted to open procedure (conversion rate 8 %). Seven patients (58 %) had one liver metastasis. The mean metastasis size was 3.6 cm (range 1–9 cm). R0 resection was achieved in all cases. The mean resection margin was 6.8 mm (range 2–15 mm). Te mean length of hospital stay was 6 days (range 3–12 days). Morbidity and mortality rates were 0 %. The median follow-up for surviving patients was 13 months. Nine patients are alive with no evidence of disease, two patients are alive with disease and one patient died of disease.Conclusion: LLR is a feasible and safe method for the treatment of CLM and there is no compromise of oncological surgical principles.

Keywords

• laparoscopic liver resection
• colorectal liver metastases
• morbidity
• mortality
• survival analysis