"Stretching the limits of laparoscopic surgery": two-stage laparoscopic liver resection

The safety and feasibility of laparoscopic liver resections have recently been confirmed. This has encouraged laparoscopic surgeons to widen the indications and push the boundaries in laparoscopic liver resections. However, a complete laparoscopic two-stage liver resection has not been reported previously. The aim of this work was to assess the feasibility and safety of the two-stage laparoscopic liver resection for metastatic disease. The two-stage laparoscopic liver resection was safely performed in a 58-year-old man with colorectal liver metastasis (one in segment 2/3 and one in the right lobe). A left lateral sectionectomy was first performed, followed by right portal vein embolization 1 week later, and a nonanatomic resection of the right liver was performed after 6 weeks. Laparoscopic liver surgery is gaining popularity and major procedures can now be performed in centers with wide experience. The laparoscopic approach should always be considered for left lateral sectionectomy, and in selected cases, a complete laparoscopic two-stage resection can safely be performed.