Updates and Critical Insights on Glissonian Approach in Liver Surgery

Recent advances in surgical techniques have broadened the indications of surgical management of liver malignancies. Intraoperative bleeding is one of the known predictors of postoperative outcomes following liver surgery, signifying the importance of vascular control during liver resection. Furthermore, preservation of future liver remnant plays a critical role in prevention of post-hepatectomy liver failure as one of the main causes of postoperative morbidity and mortality. Glissonian approach liver resection offers an effective method for vascular inflow control while protecting future liver remnant from ischemia-reperfusion injury. Several studies have demonstrated the feasibility of Glisson’s pedicle resection technique in modern liver surgery with an acceptable safety profile. Moreover, with increasing popularity of minimally invasive surgery, laparoscopic liver resection via Glissonian approach has been shown to be superior to standard laparoscopic hepatectomy. Herein, we systematically review the role of Glissonian approach hepatectomy in current practice of liver surgery, highlighting its advantages and disadvantaged over other methods of vascular control.