Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility and outcome of laparoscopic hepatectomy in pediatric patients with liver tumors and introduce surgical techniques to minimize complications.
Methods: This was a retrospective study of 19 patients less than the age of 18 years old who underwent LLR for liver tumors between November 2005 and May 2017.
Results: Ten females and nine males with a median age of 26 months and a median body weight of 14.7 kg were enrolled. Diseases of these patients were hepatoblastoma, neuroblastoma, biliary atresia, and liver abscess. The numbers of resected hepatic segments were more than two in thirteen patients and one in six patients. One patient required conversion to laparotomy to control bleeding caused by injury to the left hepatic vein. Nine patients received transfusions perioperatively. Median duration of operation was 230 min, and median postoperative hospital stay was 7.0 days. There was no postoperative complication. Only one patient showed nonhepatic recurrence of neuroblastoma which caused mortality.
Conclusions: LLR for benign and malignant liver tumors showed acceptable amount of bleeding and low complication rate. Therefore, LLR would be a safe and feasible option for liver tumors in children with proper technical efforts and selection of patients.
Level of evidence: Level III.
Keywords: Children; Hepatoblastoma; Laparoscopic hepatectomy; Laparoscopic liver resection; Pediatric patient.
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