Liver Surgery

They say the liver is the mother of all organs. It is the body’s detoxifying machine that breaks down metabolic products and toxic substances. It produces vital enzymes and proteins for our body and also plays role in fat metabolism. Liver diseases, disorders, and tumors can cause liver failure and abnormalities in the body’s regular functions. There are various surgical treatment options for treating liver diseases and abnormalities

Types of Liver Surgery

Following are the common four types of procedures for liver surgery.

1. Liver Biopsy

Some people regard liver biopsy as a surgical procedure, but it is basically the collection of liver tissues to diagnose any disease or problems in the liver. The procedure involves the insertion of a needle to collect the liver tissue samples. A laboratory technician will analyze the sample of tissue that will help the doctor to diagnose the liver disease or disorder. Your doctor will ask you for a liver biopsy if you have the following conditions:

• Abnormal blood enzyme levels persistently
• Yellowing of the skin (an indication of jaundice)
• Liver enlargement
• Liver abnormality found in ultrasound or scan.

2. Liver Resection

Liver resection or partial hepatectomy is the surgical removal of a certain part of the liver. The open liver surgery is the treatment for removing tumors and the neighboring cells around the tumor from the liver.  Sometimes, the doctor would need to remove the entire lobe of the liver, called lobectomy or hemi hepatectomy.

3. Laparoscopic Liver Surgery

Minimally invasive laparoscopic liver surgery involves removing a tumor with a few incisions without removing a whole part of the liver. Your surgeon can remove a benign or malignant tumor with only three to four key-hole incisions.

4. Liver Transplant

Liver transplant or full hepatectomy is the removal of the diseased liver and transplanting a healthy one in its place. It is the treatment option for end-stage liver disease or total failure of the organ. This surgery option is the least common, and finding a liver donor with a good match is not easy.

Advantages of Laparoscopic Liver Surgery

Laparoscopic Liver surgery is the easier and less painful surgical treatment to remove a benign or malignant tumor from the liver. The incisions are smaller and not more than three or four. Such small incisions heal fast and the patient is back to normal in a very little time. In the case of liver resection, the incisions and stitches take a long time to recover and can cause severe pain.

Who Cannot Undergo Liver Surgery?

If the tumor has covered more than half of the liver, then liver resection and laparoscopy cannot treat the liver. A liver transplant is the only option in that case. Patients with severe liver complications are not fit for liver surgeries. Those who previously had upper abdominal surgery cannot undergo liver resection and laparoscopic surgery.

If you experience problems within your liver, contact us and get a consultation to know if  you need a biopsy or not. If you are already diagnosed with tumor or some other disorder within your liver then get in touch with Lenox Hill Surgeons. Our highly qualified surgeons have expertise in Liver Resection and Minimally Invasive Liver Laparoscopy. They will help you know which treatment options are suitable for you.

Call us at 212-988-1136 or visit lenoxhillsurgeons.com to learn more about us.