Towards the 2nd International Consensus Conference on Laparoscopic Liver Resection

Six years have passed since the 1st International ConsensusConferenceonLaparoscopicLiverResectionwasheld.Thiscomparatively new surgical technique has evolved duringthis time and is rapidly being adopted worldwide (Fig. 1).To clarify the answers to the questions of how the value,safety, and quality of this procedure compare with those ofopen hepatectomy at this point in preparation for the 2ndInternational Consensus Conference on Laparoscopic LiverResection, we have investigated the following four points inthis special issue in advance of the conference:(1) Theoretical superiority of laparoscopic hepatectomywithsearchoftheliteraturetolookforthebestavailableevidence;(2) Survey of the extent of adoption of laparoscopichepatectomy worldwide;(3) Concentration of major hepatectomy in institutions thathandle large numbers of cases; and(4) Evaluation of the difculty of laparoscopichepatectomy.In my opinion, laparoscopic liver resection is superior to theopen approach because the laparoscope allows better expo-sure with a magnied view, and the pneumoperitoneal pres-sure reduces hepatic vein bleeding from the cut surface.Theconcept for liver resection has changed from the openventral approach to the laparoscopic caudal approach(Fig. 2). This is the reason that I began laparoscopic living