Surgeons often perform a partial liver resection to eliminate a cancerous, precancerous, or benign (noncancerous) tumor. Liver cancer might be primary — which means that it originates in your liver — or it can be secondary, which starts in another organ and spreads. The most prevalent liver cancers treated by partial Lenox Hill liver surgery include:
- Hepatocellular carcinoma (primary liver cancer).
- Cholangiocarcinoma (primary liver cancer).
- Metastatic colorectal cancer (secondary liver cancer).
An overview of a liver surgery
A liver surgery, or hepatectomy, is a surgical treatment to eliminate part of your liver. You can eliminate up to two-thirds of your liver as long as the rest is healthy. If you have liver illness, a smaller portion can be removed. Your liver can grow back to its former size if the remaining liver is healthy.
How much liver is removed with a partial hepatectomy?
The purpose of partial liver resection is to eliminate the problematic part of your liver (with a safe margin around any cancerous tumor) while leaving enough liver to keep up with all the work it has to accomplish.
The proportion of liver that must be left behind is determined by how damaged the liver is overall. A healthy liver may recover after losing up to two-thirds of its capacity. Also, a severely damaged liver may only be able to lose one-third.
The time it takes to recover from liver surgery
Recovery from liver surgery at home takes four to eight weeks. You might have to take this time off from work. While healing, you shouldn’t try to lift anything heavy or participate in rigorous activity. Also, it might take up to 12 weeks before you can resume all of your daily activities.
Furthermore, recovery from laparoscopic or robotic surgery is usually quicker. You’ll recover at home for roughly two to four weeks, although it will take six to eight weeks to resume your normal activities. Having adequate protein and doing some little exercise (like walking) every day will assist you in recovering faster. Also, try walking for at least 30 minutes daily, but take breaks as required.
An outlook for those who have had a liver surgery
After the surgery, you’ll feel sore and tired for a while. Also, you might feel sick to your stomach at first. These indicators should start to ease in the first two weeks. Your healthcare professional will instruct you on how to care for your incision as it recovers. Also, they will tell you when it’s safe to bathe and have sex again. You’ll need to avoid consuming alcohol to protect your healing liver.
A hepatectomy is a significant surgery on your liver, which is an essential organ without which you cannot live. It necessitates a high degree of competence and has a considerable risk of complications. However, when it succeeds, liver resection can provide you — or the person to whom you donate your liver — a fresh lease on life.
Furthermore, liver surgery can detect disorders such as cancer. A doctor will discuss your situation with you in detail to help you better understand your operation and recovery. Call Lenox Hill Surgeons, LLP, to schedule your consultation today to determine if you are the ideal candidate for liver surgery procedures.
