Advantages And Future Perspectives Of Laparoscopic Liver Surgery

Background Laparoscopic liver surgery (LLS) is increasingly utilized worldwide due to several potential advantages over open liver surgery. Objective Analysis and presentation of the advantages and disadvantages of LLS in comparison to open surgery. Material and methods Analysis of clinically relevant factors of minimally invasive liver surgery in comparison to open liver surgery in the current literature. Results In addition to obvious cosmetic advantages, the current literature shows advantages regarding length of hospital stay and quality of life after LLC. In contrast to major liver resections, parenchyma-preserving resections often appear cost-neutral due a shorter postoperative hospital stay compared to conventional liver resections. In addition to particular personnel requirements, LLS also has technical prerequisites, such as a dedicated intraoperative ultrasound system. Furthermore, contrast-enhanced laparoscopic examinations are possible and ultrasound information can be fused with preoperative imaging. Virtual reality technology and 3-dimensional printing are currently under investigation to improve the intraoperative anatomical orientation of LLS. Conclusion The current literature reveals significant advantages for LLS so that this procedure should be further developed in Germany in order to offer this technique to as many patients as possible.