Fluorescent Laparoscopic Hepatectomy

After intravenous administration, indocyanine green binds to plasma proteins and emits near-infrared fluorescence. A laparoscopic camera detects this signal during the operation, allowing the surgical team to visualize dye retained in or around lesions and to identify perfused liver tissue. This optical contrast adds information that may not be apparent from the operative view alone.

Retained indocyanine green can make a lesion or the area around it visible under near-infrared imaging, while fluorescence can also highlight perfused tissue. By viewing these patterns during surgery, surgeons can better assess the relationship between suspected tumor-bearing regions and normal liver. The resulting contrast supports lesion localization and intraoperative interpretation.

Fluorescence provides real-time visual guidance while surgeons plan which liver region to remove. By helping identify liver segments and critical anatomy, the technique supports an anatomical resection strategy rather than relying only on the visible surface. This information can help align resection margins with the intended target and limit removal of unnecessary liver tissue.

The process includes intravenous administration of indocyanine green, laparoscopic visualization of the liver, and near-infrared detection with a laparoscopic camera. Surgeons then interpret fluorescence in relation to lesions, perfused tissue, liver segments, and critical anatomy while making resection decisions. The imaging is therefore integrated into operative planning and guidance rather than used as a separate examination.

Fluorescent laparoscopic hepatectomy can support decisions about where a lesion is located, how resection margins should be planned, and which anatomical liver segment should be addressed. Real-time visualization may help surgeons refine the operative plan as anatomy is examined directly. Its main relevance is improved localization and decision-making during the resection itself.

By helping distinguish tumor-bearing regions from normal liver and by supporting anatomical segmentectomy, fluorescence guidance may reduce unnecessary tissue removal. Preserving more uninvolved liver could contribute to the technique’s potential safety and postoperative liver-preservation benefits. These advantages depend on how effectively the imaging helps the surgeon define the target and critical surrounding anatomy during resection.