Abstract
HYPOTHESIS: Laparoscopic liver surgery is significantly limited by the technical difficulty encountered during transection of substantial liver parenchyma, with intraoperative bleeding and bile leaks. This study tested whether the use of a bioabsorble staple line reinforcement material would improve outcome during stapled laparoscopic left lateral liver resection in a porcine model. STUDY DESIGN: A total of 20 female pigs underwent stapled laparoscopic left lateral liver resection. In group A (n = 10), the stapling devices were buttressed with a bioabsorbable staple line reinforcement material. In group B (n = 10), standard laparoscopic staplers were used. Operative data and perioperative complications were recorded. Necropsy studies and histopathological analysis were performed at 6 weeks. Data were compared between groups with the Student's t-test or the chi-square test. RESULTS: Operating time was similar in the two groups (64 +/- 11 min in group A versus 68 +/- 9 min in group B, p = ns). Intraoperative blood loss was significantly higher in group B (185 +/- 9 mL versus 25 +/- 5 mL, p < 0.05). There was no mortality. There was no morbidity in the 6-week follow-up period; however, two animals in group B had subphrenic bilomas (20%) at necropsy. At necropsy, methylene blue injection via the main bile duct revealed leakage from the biliary tree in four animals in group B and none in group A (p < 0.05). Histopathological examination of the resection site revealed minor abnormalities in group A while animals in group B demonstrated marked fibrotic changes and damaged vascular and biliary endothelium. CONCLUSION: Use of a bioabsorbable staple line reinforcement material reduces intraoperative bleeding and perioperative bile leaks during stapled laparoscopic left lateral liver resection in a porcine model.