Comparison of laparoscopic liver resection for the ventral versus the dorsal areas of segment 8

Purpose The technical difficulties of laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) are greatly associated with the location of liver tumors. Since segment 8 (S8) contains a wide area, the difficulty of LLR for S8 tumors may vary depending on the location within the segment, such as the ventral (S8v) and dorsal (S8d) area, but the difference is unclear. Methods We retrospectively investigated 30 patients who underwent primary laparoscopic partial liver resection for liver tumors in S8 at Kobe University Hospital between January 2018 and June 2023. Results Thirteen and 17 patients underwent LLR for S8v and S8d, respectively. The operation time was significantly longer (S8v 203[135–259] vs. S8d 261[186–415] min, P = 0.002) and the amount of blood loss was significantly higher (10[10–150] vs. 10[10–200] mL, P = 0.034) in the S8d group than in the S8v group. No significant differences were observed in postoperative complications or postoperative length of hospital stay. Additionally, intraoperative findings revealed that the rate at which the case performed partial liver mobilization in the S8d group was higher (2[15.4%] vs. 8[47.1%], P = 0.060) and the median parenchymal transection time of the S8d group was longer (102[27–148] vs. 129[37–175] min, P = 0.097) than those in the S8v group, but there were no significant differences. Conclusion The safety of LLR for the S8d was comparable to that of LLR for S8v, although LLR for S8d resulted in longer operative time and more blood loss. The trial registration number B230165 (approved at December 26, 2023).