Robotic Left Hepatectomy for Hemorrhagic Hepatocellular Adenoma: The Role of Robotic Surgery in a Semi-Acute Setting

Abstract

Hepatocellular adenomas are benign liver tumors, more frequently seen in young women with a history of long-standing use of estrogenic hormonal contraception. An acute rupture of these adenomas can be the first sign of symptoms; however, they can be life-threatening. The definitive management of hepatic adenoma is liver resection for those larger than 4 cm as this cutoff size is known to be associated with an exponential risk of harboring malignancy and an increased risk for intratumor bleeding. Once intratumor hemorrhage occurs however, the management of hepatic adenoma becomes much more timely critical. In this study, we describe the use of robotic liver resection for the management of hemorrhagic hepatocellular adenoma in a semi-acute setting. We also include a series of robotic hepatic adenoma resection completed in our hepatobiliary program since 2016, which demonstrated the safety, feasibility, and reproducibility of robotic technique in treating hepatic adenoma.