RESUMO
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the clinical effect of segmental resection of the liver using Glissonean pedicle transection for primary liver cancer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The clinical data of 55 primary liver cancer patients admitted from January 2006 to October 2008 were analyzed retrospectively. Twenty-five of the patients underwent segmental resection of the liver by Glissonean pedicle transection (group A), and 30 underwent routine hepatectomy (group B). The positivity rate of the resection margin, micrometastasis in the hepatic parenchyma surrounding the lesions and postoperative recurrence rates were investigated.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The positivity rate of the resection margin was 4.0% in group A, significantly lower than that of group B. The number of histological micrometastasis was significantly higher in group A than in group B (16 vs 8). The median distance of histological micrometastasis was 6.8 mm (2.7-25.6 mm) in group A and 4.2 mm (2.4-9.0 mm) in group B. The one-year recurrence rate was significantly lower in group A than in group B (16% vs 26.7%).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Glissonean pedicle transection for segmental liver resection is a simpler procedure than routine hepatectomy for primary liver cancer and can reduce the number of histological micrometastasis and recurrence rate.</p>