Intraoperative Ultrasonic Examination for Hepatectomy

Abstract

Intraoperative ultrasonic examination (IUE) was performed on 56 patients who were laparotomized for hepatectomy with three types of specially designed real-time linear arrayed trasducers. Main lesions which were invisible and nonpalpable from the surface of the liver were present in 16 patients. All these lesions were detected by IUE. Tumor thrombi were demonstrated by IUWE in five patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. In four of these patients the thrombi were not detected by preoperative examination. Systematic subsegmentectomy was performed in 18 cases. The feeding and the draining vessels were identified and ligated. The new concept of partial hepatectomy was accomplished by IUE. IUE is an indispensable operative procedure for hepatectomy.