Laennec’s approach for laparoscopic anatomical hemihepatectomy

BACKGROUND: Laennec’s capsule has been found for about 200 years. However, laparoscopic anatomical right and left hemihepatectomy (LARH and LALH) using Laennec’s approach are rarely reported. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the technical details and the surgical outcomes of 15 patients who underwent LAH via Laennec’s approach between May 2017 and July 2020. The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative complications, and hospital stay were recorded and analyzed. RESULTS: Four of 15 patients were diagnosed with hepatic hemangioma, 2 had hepatolithiasis, and 9 patients had primary liver cancer. During the surgery, Laennec’s approach was used for LAH without conversion to open surgery. Four patients were treated with LARH, and 11 patients were cured with LALH. The mean age of the patients was 62.1 ± 6.5 years, and four were male. The mean operative time, blood loss, and length of the postoperative hospital stay were 193 ± 49 min, 247 ± 120 mL, and 8.7 ± 2.0 days, respectively. There was no incidence of postoperative bile leakage and bleeding. No mortality occurred. We also demonstrated that Laennec’s capsule does exist around the peripheral hepatic veins with histological confirmation. CONCLUSIONS: Laennec’s approach is safe and feasible for LAH. Precise isolation of Laennec’s approach based on Laennec’s capsule helps to standardize the surgical techniques for laparoscopic anatomical hepatectomy.