A Color Atlas of Liver of Liver Resections

PREFACE
\nRecent progress in liver resections has been achieved thanks to improved vascular clamping, vascular reconstruction, techniques and instruments enabling more precise liver transection of this extremely vascular organ with a good haemostasis on the cut surface. These advances have made it even more essential to be familiar with the variety of malignant liver diseases which socio-medical importance rises permanently worldwide. A better knowledge of the functional anatomy with a clearer understanding of the role of venous drainage in the recovery of liver function and the process of regeneration facilitates extended hepatic resections. They still remain the basic therapeutic approach to primary and secondary liver neoplasms and thus deserve a special attention to be paid by hepatologists, surgeons, oncologists, radiologists and other specialists as well. A robotic-assisted surgical approach applying computer-aided reconstruction of tumour zones and vascular and biliary anatomy could become their near future.
\n\nOur aim in this Atlas has been to compile an up-to-date and comprehensive collection of the different types of hepatic resections currently applied to save and prolong patient's life mainly in the cases with colorectal liver metastases.
\n\nOur experience with the publication in 2006 of a monograph by Bulgarian contributors devoted to the contemporary complex diagnosis and management of hepatic malignancies showed a rising interest in this interdisciplinary topic in our country and encouraged us to prepare this Atlas containing not only high-quality photographs but also a collection of video-films on CD-ROM. We have made use of the terminology of liver anatomy and resections accepted by the Terminology Committee of the International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association in Brisbane in 2000.
\n\nThe Atlas begins with the brief description of the types of surgical access, liver mobilization, hilar dissection, and hepatic-vein control. Subsequent charters and subchapters deal with the single stages and operative techniques of different liver resections such as monosegmentectomies, bisegmentectomies, multisegmentectomies, hemihepatectomies, and trisectionectomies. In the end, some rare anatomical variants of bile ducts are illustrated, too. Certain significant aspects of several surgical interventions are additionally visualized in 23 short-lasting videofilms on CD-ROM to assist proper liver surgeon's post-graduate education.
\n\nWe have greatly appreciated the invaluable help and professional assistance of our colleagues in our everyday work in the operating room and at patient's bedside - Boryana Naydenova, MD, Nedyalko Dragnev, MD, Valkan Ivanov, MD, Nicolai Mankov, MD, Rositsa Yaneva, MD, Rostislav Patanov, MD, Hristo Mihailov, MD, Alexander Yanev, MD, Vasilena Hristova, MD, and Kiril Kirov, MD.
\n\nWe would like to express our cordial gratitude to Gospodin Ignatov, MD, Medical manager, Marko Markov Interregional Dispensary and Hospital of Oncological Diseases of Varna who entirely embraced the idea of this publication and its dissemination to the national and international liver surgeons' community. We do hope that they will find it a useful adjunct to their studies. Let this book withstand the barriers of language and time in the united struggle against cancer.\n