Organ transplantation industry makes new mark with achievements in laparoscopic surgery to support liver transplantation

Laparoscopic surgery is a minimally invasive intervention method, bringing many benefits to patients such as: reducing postoperative pain, shortening hospital stay, limiting surgical scars and early rehabilitation.

The team performed laparoscopic surgery to support a liver transplant for the patient.

Laparoscopic liver transplantation surgery

Recently, at the 108 Military Central Hospital, the hospital's liver transplant team performed a liver transplant on a 32-year-old male patient, D, using laparoscopically assisted surgery.

Previously, in July 2025, during a routine health check-up, the patient discovered a large liver tumor. Through examination and testing, the patient was diagnosed with right hepatocellular carcinoma (T4N0M0) on the background of chronic hepatitis B. The patient underwent liver tumor embolization on July 10, 2025 while awaiting transplantation.

Liver transplantation is the definitive treatment for many end-stage chronic liver diseases.

On September 9, doctors performed a liver transplant for the patient from a living donor. The donor underwent laparoscopic surgery to remove the right liver graft. The recipient underwent laparoscopic-assisted surgery: a total liver resection was performed, after which doctors opened a small incision above the navel to insert the graft and perform anastomosis of the blood vessels and bile ducts.

Lieutenant Colonel, Associate Professor, Doctor Vu Van Quang - Deputy Head of the Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, 108 Central Military Hospital said that this is the 9th case the hospital has performed laparoscopic-assisted surgery on a liver recipient.

"The first case was performed in November 2023 at the hospital and it was also the first case in Vietnam to apply this technique," said Dr. Quang.

According to this transplant expert, the application of laparoscopic surgery in liver transplantation brings many outstanding benefits to the recipient. This technique combines the magnified observation advantage of laparoscopy with the direct manipulation ability of open surgery, helping surgeons perform difficult steps in narrow spaces accurately, especially in liver transplantation - which requires delicate manipulation and strict bleeding control.

The patient recovered after the liver transplant.

In addition, the small skin incision helps reduce damage to the abdominal muscles, thereby causing less pain and allowing the patient to move sooner compared to the traditional liver transplant method which requires a long J-shaped incision.

In addition, laparoscopic surgery also helps reduce the risk of surgical site infection and complications such as hernia or intestinal adhesions; shortens recovery time, improves respiratory and motor function; and provides high aesthetic value thanks to small scars, contributing to improving the patient's psychology and long-term quality of life.

“In this case, the patient had a large liver tumor and liver cirrhosis, which made liver mobility, especially around the vena cava, more complicated. We needed to ensure the best blood vessels and bile ducts to perform the anastomosis smoothly. Despite the difficulties, we had certain advantages such as: experienced surgeons in cutting the diseased liver and treating blood vessels by laparoscopic surgery, smooth coordination between the specialties in the hospital, etc. Therefore, the liver transplant was successful,” Dr. Vu Van Quang shared.

After the transplant, both the donor and recipient recovered well. The recipient ate and moved well, had good digestion, and the surgical wound was dry.

Happy after receiving a liver transplant from a living donor, patient D. emotionally said: “ Before that, I had no symptoms or signs of the disease, but it was discovered by chance. After the liver transplant, the doctor announced that the tumor had been removed, I was very happy, very happy to be reborn for the second time.”

Towards complete liver transplantation by laparoscopic surgery

The world's first case of laparoscopic total liver transplantation in a recipient was performed in Korea in 2022. Up to now, only a few Liver Transplant Centers in countries with developed medicine can perform laparoscopic-assisted and total liver transplantation in recipients.

Currently, in Vietnam, 108 Military Central Hospital is the pioneer in applying laparoscopic surgery to take liver grafts from living donors and laparoscopic surgery to assist liver recipients.

The successful application of laparoscopic liver transplant surgery to support liver recipients at the 108 Military Central Hospital has marked a new step forward in the field of liver transplantation, contributing to improving the level of organ transplantation in Vietnam and opening up hope for thousands of patients with serious illnesses to have the opportunity to live a healthy life.

From this success, 108 Military Central Hospital continues to promote this technique and move towards liver transplantation entirely by laparoscopic surgery for both donors and recipients, to minimize invasiveness, shorten recovery time and improve quality of life after transplantation.

THIEN LAMB

Source: https://nhandan.vn/nganh-ghep-tang-ghi-them-dau-an-moi-voi-thanh-tuu-phau-thuat-noi-soi-ho-tro-ghep-gan-post908504.html