Safety and effectiveness evaluation of a two-handed technique combining harmonic scalpel and laparoscopic Peng's multifunction operative dissector in laparoscopic hemihepatectomy

Objectives This study was designed to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of a two-hand technique combining harmonic scalpel (HS) and laparoscopic Peng's multifunction operative dissector (LPMOD) in patients who underwent laparoscopic hemihepatectomy (LHH). Methods We designed and conducted a case-control study nested in a prospectively collected laparoscopic liver surgery database. Patients who underwent LHH for liver parenchyma transection using HS + LPMOD were defined as cases (n = 98) and LPMOD only as controls (n = 47) from January 2016 to May 2018. Propensity score matching (1:1) between the case and control groups was used in the analyses. Results The case group had significantly less intraoperative blood loss in milliliters (169.4 +/- 133.5 vs. 221.5 +/- 176.3, P = 0.03) and shorter operative time in minutes (210.5 +/- 56.1 vs. 265.7 +/- 67.1, P = 0.02) comparing to the control group. The conversion to laparotomy, postoperative hospital stay, resection margin, the mean peak level of postoperative liver function parameters, bile leakage rate, and others were comparable between the two groups. There was no perioperative mortality. Conclusions We demonstrated that the two-handed technique combing HS and LPMOD in LHH is safe and effective which is associated with shorter operative time and less intraoperative blood loss compared with LPMOD alone. The technique facilitates laparoscopic liver resection and is recommended for use.