Retroperitoneal laparoscopic partial hepatectomy: A novel approach to posterosuperior right-lobe tumors

Abstract

Laparoscopic hepatectomy has been widely accepted for the treatment of liver tumors. A recent study by Fei et al published in World Journal of Hepatology investigated the safety and efficacy of retroperitoneal laparoscopic partial hepatectomy for segments S6, S7, and S8 in 72 patients. The surgeries were completed in all patients, and conversion to open surgery was required in 10 patients. All patients were successfully treated. This procedure provides a new surgical access for resection of deep tumors in the right lobe of the liver and has clear clinical implications. This editorial discusses the indications, techniques, and limitations of retroperitoneal laparoscopic partial hepatectomy for hepatic tumors, along with the relevant surgical anatomy, and briefly presents perspectives on the application of robotic surgery and artificial intelligence.

Keywords: Hepatic cancer; Hepatic segments; Intraoperative ultrasound; Laparoscopic hepatectomy; Retroperitoneal space; Transabdominal approach; Robotic surgery; Artificial intelligence

Core Tip: Retroperitoneal laparoscopic partial hepatectomy is a safe and effective method for removing hepatic cancers in difficult-to-access segments (S6, S7, and S8) that cannot be adequately reached via the transperitoneal laparoscopic approach. Retroperitoneal laparoscopic partial hepatectomy offers several advantages over conventional transperitoneal laparoscopy for tumors in the posterosuperior segments of the right hemi-liver.