Bloodless liver resection

One of the most significant prognostic factors determining postoperative mortality and morbidity after liver resection is the volume of operative blood loss. In the past decade, the results of liver resection have greatly improved, largely owing to advances in surgical techniques. This publication discusses the various components that have contributed to this improvement, making it possible to perform safe liver resections even in patients requiring complex operations or patients with compromised blood coagulation. These include the testing and treatment of possible hemostatic abnormalities contributing to preoperative optimization of patients; The advancement of traditional surgical techniques; the availability of several new sophisticated devices, among them surgical staplers or tools based on local coagulation using radiofrequency technology; or the use of topical hemostatic agents to deal with bile or blood oozing from the cut surface of the liver after completion of the resection. Providing the most up-to-date information available on the topic, this publication will be of great value for those interested in the subject.