Liver Metastasis Resection: A Simple Technique That Makes It Easier

Liver resection is the only therapeutic option that achieves long-term survival for patients with hepatic metastases. We propose a technique that causes traction and countertraction on the resection area, thus easily exposing the structures to be ligated. Because the parenchyma protrudes like a cork from a bottle, we named this procedure the “corkscrew technique”. The objective of this work was to describe an original surgical technique to resect liver metastases. We delimit the resection area at 2 cm from the tumor. We place separated stitches, in a radiate way. The needle diameter must allow passing far from the deepest margin of the tumor. The stitches must be tractioned all together to separate the tumor from the normal parenchyma. Between the years 1983 and 2006, we perform 1,270 liver resections. We used the corkscrew technique-like procedure in only 612 patients, whereas in 129 patients, we associated it to an anatomic resection. Mortality was 1%. Morbidity was 16% with a reoperation rate of 3%. The corkscrew technique is simple and safe, spares surgical time, avoids blood loss, ensures free tumor margins, and is easy to perform. Presented at the 6th Annual Meeting of the European Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association (EHPBA), May 25–28, 2005 Heidelberg, Germany (oral presentation).