Medial-to-lateral approach for laparoscopic right hepatectomy of the remnant liver: a safe technique for patients with a history of posterior segment resection (with video)

Laparoscopic repeat hepatectomy (LRH) remains challenging when initial resection sites overlap with target areas. We report a safe surgical approach for LRH of the remnant right liver after prior posterior segment resection. An 83-year-old female with recurrent intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma in segment 5, following segmentectomy 6, required right hepatectomy. Due to dense adhesions in the posterior segment making right lobe mobilization, including dissection around the inferior vena cava (IVC), difficult, we employed a medial-to-lateral approach for LRH. We initially performed parenchymal transection to expose the ventral side of the IVC, followed by a medial-to-lateral dissection around the IVC under a favorable operative field. Operative time was 469 minutes with 160 mL blood loss. The patient was discharged on postoperative day 17 without complications. In LRH after posterior segment resection, a medial-to-lateral approach using the parenchymal transection-first technique is effective for minimizing risks of collateral injury during right hepatectomy.