Systematic extrahepatic Glissonean pedicle isolation for anatomical liver resection based on Laennec's capsule: proposal of a novel comprehensive surgical anatomy of the liver

Anatomical liver resection with the Glissonean pedicle isolation is widely approved as an essential procedure for safety and curability. Especially, the extrahepatic Glissonean pedicle isolation without parenchymal destruction should be an ideal procedure. However, the surgical technique has not been standardized due to a lack of anatomical understanding. Herein, we proposed a novel comprehensive surgical anatomy of the liver based on Laennec's capsule that would give a theoretical background to the extrahepatic Glissonean pedicle isolation. Laennec's capsule is the proper membrane that covers not only the entire surface of the liver including the bare area but also the intrahepatic parenchyma surrounding the Glissonean pedicles. Consequently, there exists a gap between the Glissonean pedicle and Laennec's capsule that could be reached extrahepatically and allows us to isolate the extrahepatic Glissonean pedicle without parenchymal destruction systematically. For standardization, it is essential to approach the “six gates” indicated by the “four anatomical landmarks”: the Arantius plate, the umbilical plate, the cystic plate and the Glissonean pedicle of the caudate process (G1c). This novel anatomy would contribute to standardize the surgical techniques of the systematic extrahepatic Glissonean pedicle isolation for anatomical liver resection including laparoscopic or robotic liver resection and to bring innovative changes in hepatobiliary surgery for spreading safe and curable liver resection.