Patient Information

Liver Surgery

The liver is the largest organ in the body other than the skin and is predominantly on the upper right side of the abdomen extending over to the left. The liver possesses amazing regenerative properties and two-thirds to three quarters of the liver can removed and the liver will regenerate to function sufficiently for the body’s requirements. Numerous conditions of the liver exist that will require surgery. The majority of these are related to removal of benign and malignant tumors. The Section of Surgical Oncology has substantial expertise in liver surgery and performs many such procedures routinely. Liver resections are carried for both benign and malignant tumors and malignant tumors are either normally liver cancer known as hepatocellular carcinoma or metastatic tumors most often from the colon and rectum. Particular expertise is present in the treatment of liver tumors during pregnancy.

When resection or surgery is not possible alternative therapies exist. These include radiofrequency ablation and cryotherapy and these are done as both open operations and by laparoscopy. When appropriate radiofrequency ablation can also be carried out percutaneously. All patients with malignant tumors of the liver are discussed in a multidisciplinary tumor board to determine the most appropriate therapy. These also include therapeutic procedures carried out by interventional radiology, chemotherapy carried out by medical oncology and consideration for liver transplantation.