What is liver surgery using hypothermia?
Sometimes the liver tumor may involve major vessels that provide blood to or drain blood from the liver. The removal of these extensive tumors requires resection of these major vessels followed by reconstruction. This can be done safely by cooling the liver down using cold preservative solution. This reduces the metabolism inside the liver and allows the surgeon enough time to resect the tumor and reconstruct these major vessels.
The goal of these extensive operations is to achieve removal of the tumors with clear margins. This is an attempted cure! These procedures are extensive and carries significant morbidity and mortality. To be considered for such extensive operations the patient would need to be in very good condition.
The patient's assessment is performed in a multidisciplinary team setting and the treatment course is prescribed. The patient may undergo chemotherapy and radiation therapy prior to being considered for an extensive operation to prove that the disease can be controlled. Surgery is the only curative treatment.
What to expect with liver surgery using hypothermia?
Prior to coming in for your liver surgery, you will meet with your surgeon who will provide prep instructions and review your current medications. They may instruct you to cease certain medications within a certain period before surgery.
On the day of the surgery, you will be given anesthesia to make sure you remain comfortable during the procedure. After the anesthesia has been initiated the surgeon will make an incision on the abdomen and explore the abdominal cavity two rule out spread of the disease. This operation is only taken for localized tumors to the liver any major vessels. This is determined using intraoperative ultrasound, visual inspection, and palpation.
If the tumor is still localized, then delivery is divided as much as possible prior to initiating hypothermia. At this point a catheter is placed in the portal vein and cold preservative solution is passed through the liver and the liver is packed with ice. After the liver is adequately cooled, the tumor and the vessels are resected and reconstructed; this may require using additional veins, arteries, bypass grafts. The blood is restored, and all checks are made to make sure the remaining liver is healthy.
What to expect after liver surgery using hypothermia?
As you are recovering from your surgery at the hospital, you will be monitored closely to reassure everything heals as expected. Once you are released, be sure to monitor your symptoms at home and notify your surgeon or nurse should any irregular signs begin to show.