Isolated paracaval subsegmentectomy of the caudate lobe of the liver.

Background: The caudate lobe of the liver is divided into three subsegments based on the portal blood supply: the Spiegel lobe, the paracaval portion (S1r), and the caudate process. An isolated paracaval (S1r) subsegmentectomy is indicated for a small hepatocellular carcinoma localized within S1r. Because this challenging procedure has not been described, we report the details of successful surgical technique.

Methods: The portal pedicle isolation technique provides easy access to the S1r portal pedicle. A tape is passed along the midline of the anterior surface of the vena cava and its lower end is passed through the caudate parenchyma dorsoventrally to establish a landmark for the left border of S1r. A liver-splitting anterior approach is used to open the interlobar plane widely to the precaval tape. As exposing the vena cava and the root of the right hepatic vein, parenchymal dissection is advanced to the right and then, upward.

Results: The procedure was performed successfully in a 51-year-old man with hepatitis B who had a 2-cm hepatocellular carcinoma in S1r. Blood loss was 645 ml.

Conclusions: An isolated paracaval subsegmentectomy of the caudate lobe can be performed successfully, although it is likely to remain an uncommonly used procedure.