Single-access laparoscopic liver resections

Liver surgery is one of the last areas where the minimally invasive technique spread, in view of the considerable technical difficulties associated. The feasibility and efficacy of laparoscopic liver resections have gradually been demonstrated, along with the benefits that this procedure provides to postoperative outcome as compared to the open technique, in particular by reducing the length of hospital stay. Therefore, these results have encouraged the use of the single-site approach for liver resections, in an attempt to reduce the invasiveness and biological stress associated with the procedure, to further improve the outcome after surgery. Several reports have demonstrated the feasibility and safety in selected cases of liver resections, and technical dissertations have already been processed. The possible postoperative benefits of the procedure have already been highlighted, in particular in terms of reduced postoperative pain, even if the real benefits have yet to be confirmed, as well as its oncological adequacy. Single-site liver resections remain a highly challenging procedures to be performed by experienced surgeons in both hepatic and laparoscopic surgery.