History Partial liver resection and non-anatomical liver resection were common before 1950 Lortat -Jacob and Robert and Honjo and Araki performed anatomical right hepatectomy with dissection of the hepatic artery, portal vein and bile duct in the hepatoduodenal ligament around 1950 { Infrafascial approach } – Controlled hepatectomy Extrafascial transfissural approach – Ton That Tung in 1960 Glissonian pedicle( Extrafascial )approach at the hepatic hilus was reported by Takasaki et al. in 1986 Launois and Jamieson - described the intrahepatic Glissonian pedicle approach to liver resection in 1992 Makuuchi et al. - to puncture and inject dye to the portal pedicle for confirming the resection area under intraoperative ultrasonography.
Glisson’s capsule – Connective tissue wrap around the portal vein, the hepatic artery and the bile duct ( Francis Glisson in 1654 ) Glisson’s capsule forms a thick plate at the inferior part of the liver – ‘ hilar plate’ Hilar plate connects to Cystic plate, Umbilical - plate, Arantius plate Laennec’s capsule – Proper membrane of liver by Counaud
Branching pattern of Pedicles
Takasaki segmentation
RHV, MHV – Intersegmental LHV drains exclusively Left segment Relationship of segments with hepatic veins
Caudate area A – Superior part of IVC B – Bifurcation of Rt primary pedicle C – Origin of Lt segmental branch D – Edge of caudate process The border between the left segment and the caudate area is determined by the anterior paracaval triangle ( Traingle ABC ) The border between the right segment and the caudate area is determined by the lateral paracaval triangle ( Triangle ABD )
Comparision with other classification systems
Each Couinaud’s segment does not necessarily contain only one single tertiary branch. One Couinaud’s segment consists of several cone units. Usually from two to eight tertiary branches ramify from a secondary branch.
Position of Glissonian pedicles inside the segments
Relation between pedicles and hepatic vein Upper part of liver Lower part of liver
Cone unit The area fed by each of the tertiary branches is called a “cone unit” One cone unit is the smallest unit for which a tertiary branch can be transected selectively
Instruments Boomerang retractor Side retractor Kent retractor
Glisson’s foreceps Sonosurg (CUSA)
Selective clamping of segmental pedicles
Resection of middle segment
Resection of Right segment
Isolating whole right segmental branch
Resection of left segment
Right lobectomy Right trisectionectomy
Caudate resection
Cone unit resection
Counaud’s segmental resection
Take home message Glissonian approach – (intrahepatic or extrahepatic ) – safe and feasible method for liver surgery Anatomical hepatectomy has been performed more easily using the Glissonian approach than by using controlled hepatectomy methods This procedure will shorten the operation time, less blood loss, low morbidity and reduce the stress on surgeons Can be used in Minimal access surgery Gentle handling of pedicles – paramount importance Difficulty in encircling the pedicles, parenchymal bleeding during supra hilar dissection – reasons for technical failure Tumors located immediately adjacent to hepatic hilum – better to chose alternate approach