Minimally invasive liver surgery in a hepato-biliary unit: learning curve and indications

Operative indications and type of resection represent a crucial issue of minimally invasive liver surgery (MILS), and they should not be modified by the increased experience of laparoscopic liver surgeons. The aim of this study was to define the indications for MILS and the learning curve in a high-volume hepatobiliary surgery Unit. Between 2009 and 2014, 993 liver resections were performed in our unit, and MILS was performed in 81 of these (8.2 %). The proportion of MILS significantly increased over the study period of time and was significantly higher during the last 2 years than during the first 2 years (10.8 vs. 6.4 %; p = 0.042). Rate of liver resections for benign disease between the first 2 years and the last 2 years of the study period was not significantly different (14.7 vs. 10.5 %; p = 0.098). Rate of MILS for malignant disease significantly increased from the first 2 years to the last 2 years: 3.2 vs. 7.5 % (p < 0.001). Indication for left lateral sectionectomy in the whole series was rare. It was performed in 37 cases as the only liver surgical procedure, on 993 liver resections (3.7 %). In 25 (67.6 %) of these, a minimally invasive approach was used. Rate of left lateral sectionectomies between the first 2 years and the last 2 years of the study period was not significantly different: 4.5 vs. 3.8 % (p = 0.645). This study shows that the proportion of MILS significantly increased over the study period of time in our high-volume hepatobiliary surgery Unit without changing surgical indications for benign disease and type of resections.