The use of laparoscopy for liver surgery is increasing rapidly. The Second International Consensus Conference on Laparoscopic Liver Resections (LLR) was held in Morioka, Japan, from October 4 to 6, 2014 to evaluate the current status of laparoscopic liver surgery and to provide recommendations to aid its future development. Seventeen questions were addressed. The first 7 questions focused on outcomes that reflect the benefits and risks of LLR. These questions were addressed using the Zurich-Danish consensus conference model in which the literature and expert opinion were weighed by a 9-member jury, who evaluated LLR outcomes using GRADE and a list of comparators. The jury also graded LLRs by the Balliol Classification of IDEAL. The jury concluded that MINOR LLRs had become standard practice (IDEAL 3) and that MAJOR liver resections were still innovative procedures in the exploration phase (IDEAL 2b). Continued cautious introduction of MAJOR LLRs was recommended. All of the evidence available for scrutiny was of LOW quality by GRADE, which prompted the recommendation for higher quality evaluative studies. The last 10 questions focused on technical questions and the recommendations were based on literature review and expert panel opinion. Recommendations were made regarding preoperative evaluation, bleeding controls, transection methods, anatomic approaches, and equipment. Both experts and jury recognized the need for a formal structure of education for those interested in performing major laparoscopic LLR because of the steep learning curve.

Pancreatic fistula (PF) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD). The aim of this multicenter prospective randomized trial was to compare the results of PD with an external drainage stent versus no stent. Between 2006 and 2009, 158 patients who underwent PD were randomized intraoperatively to either receive an external stent inserted across the anastomosis to drain the pancreatic duct (n = 77) or no stent (n = 81). The criteria of inclusion were soft pancreas and a diameter of wirsung 3 times the upper limit of normal serum amylase level) collected from the peripancreatic drains after postoperative day 3. CT scan was routinely done on day 7. The 2 groups were comparable concerning demographic data, underlying pathologies, presenting symptoms, presence of comorbid illness, and proportion of patients with preoperative biliary drainage. Mortality, morbidity, and PF rates were 3.8%, 51.8%, and 34.2%, respectively. Stented group had a significantly lower overall PF (26% vs. 42%; P = 0.034), morbidity (41.5% vs. 61.7%; P = 0.01), and delayed gastric emptying (7.8% vs. 27.2%; P = 0.001) rates compared with nonstented group. Radiologic or surgical intervention for PF was required in 9 patients in the stented group and 12 patients in the nonstented group. There were no significant differences in mortality rate (3.7% vs. 3.9%; P = 0.37) and in hospital stay (22 days vs. 26 days; P = 0.11). External drainage of pancreatic duct with a stent reduced. PF and overall morbidity rates after PD in high risk patients (soft pancreatic texture and a nondilated pancreatic duct). This study is registered at http://www.clinicaltrials.gov: Clinical trial ID# NCT01068886.