Sun ZY, Wang SY, Opara NC, Han ZY, Zhou SW, Yang J. Laparoscopic surgery for complex hepatolithiasis: A step forward in minimally invasive hepato-pancreato-biliary surgery. World J Hepatol 2026; 18(2): 115841 [DOI: 10.4254/wjh.v18.i2.115841]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Jie Yang, MD, PhD, Chief Physician, Department of Emergency, Kunshan Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Zuchongzhi Road, Suzhou 215300, Jiangsu Province, China. 961154245@qq.com
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Emergency Medicine
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Letter to the Editor
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This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Feb 27, 2026 (publication date) through Feb 12, 2026
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World Journal of Hepatology
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1948-5182
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Baishideng Publishing Group Inc, 7041 Koll Center Parkway, Suite 160, Pleasanton, CA 94566, USA
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Sun ZY, Wang SY, Opara NC, Han ZY, Zhou SW, Yang J. Laparoscopic surgery for complex hepatolithiasis: A step forward in minimally invasive hepato-pancreato-biliary surgery. World J Hepatol 2026; 18(2): 115841 [DOI: 10.4254/wjh.v18.i2.115841]
World J Hepatol. Feb 27, 2026; 18(2): 115841 Published online Feb 27, 2026. doi: 10.4254/wjh.v18.i2.115841
Laparoscopic surgery for complex hepatolithiasis: A step forward in minimally invasive hepato-pancreato-biliary surgery
Zi-Ying Sun, Si-Yu Wang, Noble Chibuike Opara, Zhong-Yu Han, Shu-Wei Zhou, Jie Yang
Zi-Ying Sun, Shu-Wei Zhou, Department of Radiology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular and Functional Imaging, Zhongda Hospital, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu Province, China
Si-Yu Wang, Department of Preventive Medicine, Kunshan Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Suzhou 215300, Jiangsu Province, China
Noble Chibuike Opara, Department of Radiology, Zhongda Hospital, Abuja 900001, Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria
Zhong-Yu Han, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu Province, China
Jie Yang, Department of Emergency, Kunshan Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Suzhou 215300, Jiangsu Province, China
Co-first authors: Zi-Ying Sun and Si-Yu Wang.
Co-corresponding authors: Shu-Wei Zhou and Jie Yang.
Author contributions: Sun ZY wrote the original draft and edited the draft; Wang SY, Opara NC, and Han ZY performed literature search; Zhou SW designed and supervised the research; Yang J approved the final manuscript. Sun ZY and Wang SY are co-first authors, responsible for writing the original draft of the manuscript and making substantial contributions to its revisions and improvements. Zhou SW and Yang J are co-corresponding authors due to their significant contributions to the project’s overall direction and their involvement in overseeing the research process and manuscript preparation.
Supported by Research Project of Jiangsu Society of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. CYTF2024045; Youth Science Fund Project of Kunshan Hospital of Chinese Medicine, No. 2024QNJJ02; and Kunshan Youth Science and Technology Talent Support Project, No. 2025KSTJ04.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All authors declare no conflicts of interest related to this manuscript.
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Jie Yang, MD, PhD, Chief Physician, Department of Emergency, Kunshan Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Zuchongzhi Road, Suzhou 215300, Jiangsu Province, China. 961154245@qq.com
Received: October 27, 2025 Revised: December 16, 2025 Accepted: January 6, 2026 Published online: February 27, 2026 Processing time: 108 Days and 7.6 Hours
Abstract
The management of complex hepatolithiasis remains a formidable challenge in hepato-pancreato-biliary surgery. The recent retrospective comparative study by Lin et al provides valuable insights into the evolving role of minimally invasive techniques for this complex condition. Their data convincingly demonstrate that laparoscopic surgery, while requiring longer operative time, facilitates significantly accelerated postoperative recovery and reduced wound infection rates, while maintaining comparable stone clearance and overall complication profiles to open surgery. The strategic utilization of Laennec’s capsule as an anatomical guide represents a noteworthy technical advancement. However, the non-randomized design and single-center experience highlight the need for prospective validation. This article discusses these findings in the context of advancing minimally invasive hepatobiliary surgery and identifies future directions for research and clinical application.
Core Tip: This article critically evaluates a recent study comparing laparoscopic and open surgery for complex hepatolithiasis. It highlights the laparoscopic approach’s advantages in recovery and wound outcomes alongside its longer operative time, and discusses the innovative use of Laennec’s capsule as an anatomical guide that represents a shift in surgical technique. The article further identifies current limitations and outlines necessary future research, including pragmatic randomized trials, detailed cost-effectiveness analyses, and direct comparisons between laparoscopic and robotic platforms.
