Minimally Invasive (Laparoscopic) Liver Resection Surgery

Your team of doctors at the UPMC Liver Cancer Center may recommend minimally invasive liver surgery, over traditional surgery, based on the location and size of the tumors.

As leaders in minimally invasive (laparoscopic) surgical liver resection, our surgeons can remove certain benign or malignant liver tumors through three or four keyhole-sized incisions.

Benefits of Minimally Invasive Liver Surgery

Smaller incisions

• Surgeons make three or four tiny incisions, versus one large incision.

Faster recovery

• Most people can usually leave the hospital after one or two days following surgery.

Less pain and scarring

• You'll return home with three or four small adhesive bandages covering the tiny incisions.

What to Expect After Minimally Invasive Liver Surgery

Recovery

• Once you are awake and have stable vital signs, we will move you to the liver surgery floor — staffed by a team of specially trained medical professionals including:
  • Nurses
  • Physician assistants
  • Surgical fellows

Length of hospital stay

• One or two days

Follow-up care

• Between 10 and 14 days after surgery, you will typically return for a follow-up visit where your surgeon will:
  • Examine the incisions.
  • Evaluate your progress, taking into account your activity level, diet, and pain management.
  • Discuss long-term follow-up plans and any additional therapy.
• About three months after surgery, you will usually have a CT scan to make sure that the tumor has not returned.