A Case of Resected Minute Hepatocellular Carcinoma Detected by Laparoscopy

Takumi Ishikawa, Hiroaki Kinoshita, Kazuhiro Hirohashi, Syoji Kubo, Yasuhiko Tsukamoto, Yasuomi Fukushima, Nagahisa Fujio, Mitsuharu Lee, Koji Nakata, Tadashi Tsukamoto

Second Division, Department of Surgery, Osaka City University Medical School

A case of resected minute hepatocellular carcinoma detected by laparoscopy is reported. A 62-year-old man with chronic hepatitis was found to have a small nodule on the surface of the left lobe of the liver under laparoscopy. No mass was detected by various imaging methods including echogram, computed tomography, and hepatic arteriography. Tumor markers were within normal range. Partial resection of the liver was performed. The tumor was 1.1 cm in diameter and had two daughter nodules. Histological examination of the specimen revealed hepatocellular carcinoma. This case showed that laparoscopy is very helpful for the detection and diagnosis of minute hepatocellular carcinoma at the surface of the liver.

Key words
minute hepatocellular carcinoma, laparoscopy, hepatectomy

Reprint requests
Takumi Ishikawa Second Division, Department of Surgery, Osaka City University Medical School
1-5-7 Asahi-machi, Abeno-ku, Osaka, 545 JAPAN

Accepted
September 4, 1991

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