The use of operative ultrasound in surgery of primary liver tumors

Operative ultrasound was evaluated in 77 patients submitted for surgery of primary liver tumors over a 3‐year period. Preoperative ultrasonography, computed tomography, and selective hepatic arteriography were performed in all patients before 79 surgical interventions. Peroperative ultrasonography provided additional information to that obtained from preoperative investigations in 26 cases (33%). This information modified the intended surgical procedure in 21 cases and, in 10 patients, subsegmental resection was facilitated by ultrasonically guided cannulation of the portal venous branch. Operative ultrasonography provides more detailed information about liver tumors and their topography than can be obtained by intensive preoperative investigations. This information may avoid unnecessary trial dissection of apparently operable tumors and enables more precise and limited resection of those lesions shown to be resectable by operative ultrasonography.