Laparoscopic parenchymal preserving liver resections for colorectal liver metastases in the era of highly effective systemic therapy and selective internal radiation therapy can often prevent a hemihepatectomy. (With video)

Background: Preservation of hepatic parenchyma is important in liver surgery to prevent postoperative liver failure and according to some reports it could offer a prolonged survival and lower recurrence rates compared to major hepatectomies in patients with colorectal liver metastases. However, laparoscopic parenchyma-preserving liver resections can be technically challenging. The aim of this video is to illustrate the concept of laparoscopic parenchymal-preserving liver resections after conversion chemotherapy with targeted therapy.

Materials and methods: In this video we present three cases in which a laparoscopic parenchymal-preserving liver resection was performed after neo-adjuvant therapy: the first patient had a giant solitary colorectal metastasis in segment V and VIII. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy was given, resulting in a 30% volume reduction of the lesion after which a laparoscopic anterior sectionectomy was successfully performed. The second patient had five colorectal liver metastases. After conversion chemotherapy, four remaining metastases were resected by laparoscopic surgery. The last patient had 7 colorectal liver metastases. After 18 cycles of neo-adjuvant chemotherapy and a good response to selective internal radiation therapy, a laparoscopic liver resection of six metastases and radiofrequency ablation of 1 central lesion were performed.

Results: The video of these three cases shows that laparoscopic parenchymal-preserving liver surgery is feasible after neo-adjuvant systemic therapy and selective internal radiation therapy.

Conclusions: The emergence of more effective systemic chemotherapies with biologicals and SIRT for the treatment of colorectal liver metastases often creates a possibility for parenchymal-preserving liver resections to achieve an R0 resection.