Liver surgery

Liver surgery

The liver is the largest internal organ in humans and weighs between 1200 and 1800 gr.

It lies in the right upper abdominal quadrant and consists of the left and right lobe. The right lobe is about six times larger than the left one.The liver is covered by Glisson capsule, the thin layer of connective tissue.

The liver is one of the most active organs and is often referred to as biochemical laboratory of the organism.

The liver has many functions, some concerned with the formation and breakdown of proteins, carbohydrates and fats and their storage. Others are concerned with the metabolism of hormones and drugs, the secretion of bile and the conversion of toxic products of nitrogen metabolism into urea. Liver functions are of great importance to the human organism and even if the liver parenchyma is 70% damaged, the functions are preserved.

How is the procedure carried out?

Different methods are used for diagnosing metastases in the liver.

The first but least reliable is taking history and performing examination.

Blood tests (ALT, AST, alkaline phosphatase, bilirubin and amylase) are some of the indications of liver function and damage.

The ultrasound is very useful in diagnosing changes in the liver in differentiating between cystic and solid changes.

Much more reliable and precise methods are: liver CT, magnetic resonance (MRI).

Liver biopsy is used to determine the type of metastasis when the primary tumor is unknown and can be used in combination with ultrasound and CT. There are two criteria for liver resection: general patient’s condition and the extent to which the disease has spread.

The use of ultrasound is common in operations, as well as in determining the stage of the disease and  it is also used during the resection. The operation preserves the liver parenchyma instead of major resection is today’s trend. It has been proved that tumor deposits in satellite tumor changes are most frequently located 2 mm from the edge of the main tumor nodule and that radical operations do not show significantly higher survival rate compared to less invasive procedure.

Experts: Surgery

• 

  Doc. dr Knežević Đorđe

  Specialist in general surgery
• 

  Prof. sci. med. dr Prof. dr Knežević Srbislav

  Specialist in general surgery
• 

  Doc. dr Galun Danijel

  Specialist in general surgery