Disk suspension method: a novel and safe technique for the retraction of the liver during laparoscopic surgery (with video)

Background A good operative field is important for safe operations, but it is sometimes difficult to obtain a satisfactory operative field in laparoscopic upper abdominal surgery. We developed a novel and safe technique for the retraction of the liver and falciform ligament during laparoscopic surgery, and evaluated its technical feasibility and safety. Methods Forty-three patients with gastric cancer were divided into two groups: disk suspension group (DS group; snake retractor and elastic band fixation with a silicon disk), and fixed retractor group (FR group; snake retractor and nonelastic band fixation without a silicon disk). To evaluate liver damage during retraction, we measured the aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels preoperatively and on postoperative day (POD) 1. Results In the DS group, all liver lobes were adequately retracted and the hepatoduodenal and gastrohepatic ligaments were fully exposed. This procedure took less than 3 min. On the other hand, 5 of 18 patients of the FR group had insufficient surgical fields for laparoscopic gastrectomy because of soft and/or large livers. Although the preoperative AST and ALT levels were not different between the two groups, the DS group did not display increases in both AST and ALT levels, whereas the FR group showed increases in both on POD 1 (AST: 50.2 ± 8.4 IU/l vs. 124.2 ± 37.7 IU/l, P = 0.07; and ALT: 35.6 ± 6.4 IU/l vs. 106.1 ± 36.2 IU/l, P = 0.07). No complications related to the liver retraction were observed in the DS group. However, liver congestion was evident in six patients and minor liver injury in two patients of the FR group during the esophagojejunostomy. Conclusions The DS method is a simple and safe and provides a better surgical field during laparoscopic surgery of the upper abdomen without damaging the liver.