Liver surgery is generally performed for liver cancers. Occasionally, it is done for benign conditions such as liver cysts. Liver cancers can originate from the liver (primary) or from cancers affecting other organs (secondary) such as the colon. Liver surgery is complicated and technically challenging. Patients who require liver surgery should be reviewed and medically assessed by an experienced liver cancer specialist surgeon in Singapore. With over a decade of deep expertise and knowledge on liver surgery, your best interests are in reliable hands with Dr Winston Woon.
Liver cirrhosis is a risk factor for primary liver cancer. Liver cirrhosis is the hardening and scarring of the liver. It is a progressive condition. Once cirrhosis occurs, it cannot be reversed. Hepatitis B is the most common cause of liver cirrhosis in Asia. Emerging causes include alcohol-induced cirrhosis and steatohepatitis. Steatohepatitis starts from fatty liver and progresses into liver cirrhosis.
Secondary liver cancers are cancers from other organs which have spread to the liver. Most organs in the abdomen such as the colon, stomach, gallbladder, pancreas and small intestines drain blood into the liver. Therefore, the liver is a common site for metastases (tumours from other organs). Other common cancers from the breast, kidney and lungs can also spread to the liver.
Most people are under the impression that once a person has liver cancer, it is in an advanced stage and not curable. That is far from the truth. The techniques and technology in liver surgery procedures have progressed leaps and bounds over the last 10 to 20 years. Doctors’ understanding of liver physiology and anatomy has immensely improved as well. The mortality (death from surgery) and morbidity (surgical complication) rate for liver surgery has been reduced significantly.
Nowadays, liver surgery can also be done with minimally invasive techniques. Laparoscopic and robotic liver resection surgery procedures are performed commonly in selected groups of patients. Post-operative outcomes have been shown to be as good as traditional open surgery. With minimally invasive surgery, patients experience less pain after surgery, and they tend to have a shorter hospital stay.
Liver surgery can be a cure for both primary and secondary liver tumours. Patients who have liver tumours should see a liver surgeon prior to making decisions on treatment options.
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