FAQs before liver surgery

Is liver surgery safe?

Liver surgery has changed quicker than any other branch of general surgery in the last 20 years and has now become relatively safe surgery, if performed by experts in specialist units such as the one at SUHT. If we think that your operation is a particularly high risk, then we will talk to you about this so that you can make an informed decision about surgery.

Will I need a blood transfusion after the operation?

The vast majority of patients do not require blood transfusion after surgery.

How long will I be in hospital after open surgery?

The average stay for open surgery is around seven to ten days after the operation. Younger, fitter patients often go home a little sooner. If any complications occur, you will remain in hospital until they are resolved.

How long will I stay in hospital after keyhole liver surgery?

The average stay after keyhole surgery is two to four days, although a few fit young patients may be able to go home the day after the operation.

Who will perform the operation?

The vast majority of operations are performed by a consultant liver surgeon, such as Neil Pearce| or Mohammed Abu Hilal|. Some straightforward cases are performed by a specialist registrar (a qualified senior surgical trainee) assisted or supervised by a consultant liver surgeon.

What complications can occur?

Any operation has the risks of the anaesthetic causing a reaction, which depend on the overall health of the patient, as well as the magnitude of the surgery. There are some risks specific to liver surgery, such as a leak of bile from the liver. This is usually resolved without requiring any further surgery. A small number of patients develop collections of infected fluid next to the surface of the liver; these are usually managed by drainage of the fluid under local anaesthetic. After major resections it is not unusual to go slightly jaundiced a few days after the operation, this may be accompanied by drowsiness or confusion. However, this is usually resolved within a few days. 

Does the liver grow back?

The liver can regenerate or grow back after surgery. The speed of regeneration depends on the quality of the liver, as well as how much has been removed. It is possible to remove up to approximately 85% of an otherwise healthy liver in a fit patient.

Would a transplant be better?

Most transplants are done for cirrhosis (scarring) of the liver and liver failure. Although the idea of ‘getting rid of it all’ is very attractive for cancer surgery, the problem is that the strong drugs that you need to take after a transplant to prevent rejection, weakens the immune system and for most types of tumour, it makes the cancer much more likely to come back elsewhere in the body.