What should you know about hemi hepatectomy?

The liver is divided into sections with separate blood vessels and bile drainage. The surgeon removes the planned side and checks that the part left behind can receive blood, make bile, and support normal body function. The operation may be considered for selected liver cancer, bowel cancer that has spread to the liver, or other lesions.

Planning can include scans, blood tests, review of liver function, and assessment of the amount and quality of liver that will remain. In some cases, tumour ablation or another approach may be discussed instead of resection.

Tell the surgical team about medicines, supplements, alcohol use, allergies, and previous operations. Arrange help at home and ask when driving, lifting, bathing, and work can resume. After surgery, gradual walking, breathing exercises, wound care, and follow-up blood tests support recovery; appetite and energy may take time to return.

Contact the surgical team urgently for fever, increasing abdominal pain or swelling, repeated vomiting, yellowing of the eyes, confusion, shortness of breath, wound redness or discharge, or unusual bleeding. Emergency care is needed for collapse, severe breathing difficulty, or sudden severe pain.

Which side and how much liver will be removed? How is the remaining liver being assessed? Could the operation be open or minimally invasive? What hospital stay and home support should I plan for? When will pathology results guide further treatment?