Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery

The treatment of patients with hepatopancreatobiliary tumors is facilitated by a multidisciplinary conference which meets regularly to discuss new patients and formulate a treatment plan.
Liver Tumors – Primary liver cancer can only be cured with resection or liver transplantation. Metastatic colorectal cancer to the liver can only be cured with complete surgical removal of all disease. Sometimes ablative therapy (using heat and radio waves destroy tumor cells) is used in conjunction with resection or when the patient’s tumor is not operable with conventional general surgery. Minimally invasive techniques are also being used to remove liver tumors with smaller incisions and this may help with postoperative recovery and reduce the incidence of wound infection.
Pancreas Tumors – Surgical removal of pancreatic malignancies is the only chance for cure. If the tumor is located in the head (figure of pancreas anatomy) of the pancreas a Whipple resection may be necessary with possible blood vessel reconstruction if needed. For tumors located in the body and tail of the pancreas minimally invasive techniques can be used with similar benefits as in liver surgery.
Gallbladder and Bile Duct Tumors – Besides liver resection being the treatment of choice for these tumors, often patients may need their bile duct reconstructed by the general surgeon depending on the degree of tumor involvement or if the bile duct is blocked by tumor.