Successful completion of First Total Laparoscopic Right Hepatectomy in Greece

07 May 2019

The first total laparoscopic right hepatectomy in Greece was successfully performed at HYGEIA Hospital.

A 55 year old patient was diagnosed with a mass in the right lobe of the liver and underwent a total laparoscopic right hepatectomy. His postoperative course was excellent and he was discharged on the second postoperative day.

The procedure was performed by the HYGEIA Hospital 1st Department of Surgery team, led by Ioannis Hatzaras, MD, MPH, PhD, FACS, Professor of Surgery at New York University (NYU), opening up new horizons in the treatment of patients with liver tumors.

Ioannis Hatzaras, who is also the Vice Chairman of the 1st Department of Surgery at HYGEIA Hospital, noted, “In the last few years, laparoscopic surgery has enhanced the effectiveness of Surgical Oncology. Large bowel and stomach procedures are performed successfully with very small incisions, often 3-4 cm long. Until recently, hepatic surgery was not performed laparoscopically in Greece, due to the complexity of liver surgery. However, using techniques that have been tested at Johns Hopkins Hospital and at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City, we can now offer the same range of laparoscopic liver procedures to Greek patients at HYGEIA Hospital. The advantages of these techniques include minimal postoperative pain and much faster discharge home, usually in 1-2 days. Above all, though, these patients can start adjuvant chemotherapy much faster, if it is needed.”

Laparoscopic surgery provides extremely high accuracy especially in very demanding surgical procedures, such as hepatic surgery. The pathology analysis findings demonstrate that the oncologic result is similar to that of open surgery, albeit with a faster return to daily activities, less postoperative pain and less stress, making this technique the ideal choice for most patients.