Listed below is the step by step procedure of liver cancer surgery:
The liver is an extremely instrumental organ in the human body. It not only aids in proper digestion but also fights outside infections that threaten the immune system in the body. Liver cancer and failure of it to perform its assigned functions, are extremities of diseases faced by liver. Hence, to avoid further complications such as spread of cancer, liver cancer surgery is the best option available.
Liver cancer surgery usually is for life-saving purposes. In some cases, cancer is totally removed from the liver, but in some cases, surgery helps in making the patient survive for longer than expected.
When doctors come to a conclusion that surgery is the only respite left for treating cancer, the surgery decision is confirmed for the patient. There are certain diagnostic tests that the patient is made to undergo before surgery. Few of them are as follows:
Having to undergo surgery for liver cancer or for that matter any other cancer is a very distressing time for the person and his family members. Therefore having an idea as to what goes into the preparation stage can brace the person for taking precautions and then going in for the surgery. Following given are some other steps you can take to help ensure a better surgical outcome on your end:
On the day of surgery, patient is taken to the operation theater well in advance of the scheduled time of surgery. They are made to lie on the back so that the surgeon gets a clear field of vision through the abdomen. The skin over the abdomen is cleaned with an anti septic solution and any hair over the skin is shaved. A catheter will be inserted into the urinary bladder to facilitate emptying the bladder. The patient will be made unconscious through general anesthesia so that they don't feel any pain during surgery. The anesthesia is administered as an injectable liquid through the vein or in the form of respiratory fumes. Once it has been confirmed that patient is completely under the effect of anesthesia, the surgery may begin.
While the above mentioned were the types under which cancer is classified and the chances of recovery, the line of treatment varies according to patient. There are few types of standard treatments that are used for treating any person suffering from liver cancer. They are as follows:
Surgery for resection of liver to remove affected parts is called liver resection. The surgery for it is also referred to as partial or full hepactectomy. Surgical resection of liver is feasible because liver is an organ that has regenerative capacity. A liver transplant becomes compulsory when the liver function is very poor and not up to the mark. At such times, removing the affected portion of liver would only result in liver failure, transplant from a donor is helpful. In such liver cancer cases, the the old liver is removed and fitted with a new one.
A laparascopic procedure is decided based on the size and location of the tumors. In this minimally invasive approach of surgery for liver cancer. One or multiple incisions are made for being able to insert the laparascope. The incisions enable the doctor to insert the cameras and surgical instruments for performing the resection surgery. The minimally-invasive surgery involves faster recovery, less blood loss and lesser postoperative pain, fewer and smaller scars as compared to an open surgery. Depending on your condition, you may need only a short hospital stay.
This technique commences with the patient getting a general anesthetic injected. A thin metal probe then freezes the tumor with the help of cold gases that destroy the cancerous cells. The probe is inserted through the abdominal skin during this technique which is used for treating liver cancer.
This method is also called as Percutaneous technique. The metallic probe may sometimes be inserted in the abdominal cavity for operating on the tumor. This technique is termed as intra-abdominal surgery.
A liver transplant is another surgical technique for elimination of liver cancer from the body. This method is not advisable for people suffering from bile duct cancer.
Also, only people with one or multiple small liver tumors are considered for this treatment. It involves removing the entire liver for eventually replacing it with a healthy liver taken from a donor.
People suffering from liver cancer and those who qualify for a liver transplant need to wait for a long time for getting the correct donor. As a result, the cancer continues to grow and at that time, tumor ablation therapy is considered suitable for the patient till time being.
This method is only used in rare liver cancer cases wherein the cancer is failing to respond to other surgical techniques. The name comes from, the procedural step wherein highly concentrated chemotherapeutic drugs are infused into the liver. As a result, hepatic circulatory system is separated from other sources that supply blood to the body.
Other than the above treatments, targeted therapies, chemotherapy, palliative treatment and radioembolization are used for treating patients suffering from liver cancer. That is decided of course on the basis of type, staging and progression of tumors.
The surgery duration depends on the complications and progression of the liver cancer inside. The time will differ from patient to patient.
Following listed are the recovery tips to be followed in the period post undergoing any of the above treatments listed for liver cancer of any stage.
There are few complications associated with liver cancer surgeries mentioned above.
Bleeding post surgery is a common complication. Also development of blood clots in legs post operation which is also known as deep vein thrombosis is another possibility. Infections developing at the site of surgery and leakage of bile from liver are 2 other complications coming with the liver resection procedure.
Liver rejection is the most common side effect. It happens because the transplanted liver is relatively new to the body and also to the immune system. As a result, diarrhea, reduced energy levels, yellowing of skin and fever with high temperature are experienced by the patient. Also, there are likely side-effects because of medicines used during transplant that may cause high cholesterol, high blood pressure, weakened bones and kidneys etc.
Cryosurgery done for treating the liver cancer may cause hemorrhage, infection, damage to major blood vessels and bile ducts and at times also relapse of the cancer
This page included information on liver cancer surgery types and every detail a patient ought to know about what happens during, before and after surgery. The treatment method; whether surgical or non-surgical, depends on the age, grade of tumor, overall health and extent of progression of the tumor in the person's body. It is highly recommended that timely action is taken post consultation with your doctor and instruction are followed for fast recovery.Provide us with your name and phone number to get an instant callback from one of our healthcare consultants.