Utility of Falciform Ligament in Abdominal Surgery: A Systematic Review

Objective The aim of the present systematic review was to assess current trends in use of falciform ligament in abdominal surgery. Background The falciform ligament has been proposed in surgical literature as a suitable pedicle or flap with acceptable surgical outcomes; however, it is underutilized in abdominal surgery. Methods We performed a literature search and meta-analysis. All English studies describing use of a falciform ligament were eligible for inclusion. Results Of the 547 articles mentioning use of falciform ligament, 32 full text articles were included in this review. The majority were case reports (n = 14). The mremaining papers included retrospective analysis (n = 10), randomized control trials (n = 2), reviews (n = 3), and technique descriptions (n = 6). Conclusion The falciform ligament appears to be a safe and easily accessible natural tissue with a variety of surgical applications. It is most useful as a pedicle flap and could have benefit in foregut surgery including hepatic, pancreatic, biliary, gastric, and esophageal operations.