[Preoperative evaluation of liver dysfunction].

Because the liver is one of the most important vital organs, liver dysfunction/failure gives great influence on the operative prognosis. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate the liver function preoperatively. There are many laboratory tests to evaluate hepatobiliary status, including broad categories of hepatobiliary pathology: hepatitis, hepatobiliary dysfunction, or insufficient protein synthesis. In addition, CPT classification and the MELD score, synthesizing laboratory data and clinical symptoms, are useful for prediction of the operative mortality. Furthermore, the operative procedure itself affects the prognosis of the patient with liver damage.