Contemporary perspectives on laparoscopic liver resection for hepatocellular carcinoma: unravelling the potential and limitations

Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a formidable global health challenge with rising incidence rates and significant morbidity and mortality. As medical technology evolves, laparoscopic liver resection has emerged as a promising alternative to traditional open surgery for HCC treatment. This manuscript provides a comprehensive review of the contemporary perspectives on laparoscopic liver resection for HCC, with a focus on elucidating its potential benefits and inherent limitations. Our review takes a close look at how laparoscopic liver resection is currently being used to treat HCC, considering its application in various stages of the disease, tumor sizes, and locations. Through a systematic analysis of existing studies and clinical trials, we highlight the main benefits of LLR, such as less blood loss, shorter hospital stays, quicker recovery times, and better cosmetic results. This review delves into the oncological safety and outcomes of laparoscopic HCC resection. Despite its promise, laparoscopic liver resection is not without limitations. The manuscript probes into the challenges associated with this approach, such as technical complexity, restricted access to certain tumor locations, and limited surgical field visualization. Furthermore, we address the critical issue of patient selection, as not all HCC patients are suitable candidates for laparoscopic resection, necessitating a personalized and multidisciplinary treatment approach.

Keywords

Hepatocellular carcinoma / laparoscopic liver resection / outcomes / minimally invasive liver resection / redo liver resection

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