Impact of Perioperative Immunonutrition on Postoperative Outcomes for Patients Undergoing Head and Neck or Gastrointestinal Cancer Surgeries: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

OBJECTIVE: To clarify whether perioperative immunonutrition is effective in adult patients with or without malnutrition undergoing elective surgery for head and neck (HAN) or gastrointestinal (GI) cancers. BACKGROUND: It is important to avoid postoperative complications in patients with cancer as they can compromise clinical outcomes. There is no consensus on the efficacy of perioperative immunonutrition in patients with or without malnutrition undergoing HAN or GI cancer surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We searched MEDLINE (PubMed), MEDLINE (OVID), EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Web of Science Core Selection, and Emcare from 1981 to 2022 using search terms related to immunonutrition and HAN or GI cancer. We included randomized controlled trials. Intervention was defined as immunonutritional therapy including arginine, n-3 omega fatty acids, or glutamine during the perioperative period. The control was defined as standard nutritional therapy. The primary outcomes were total postoperative and infectious complications, defined as events with a Clavien-Dindo classification grade ≥ II that occurred within 30 days after surgery. RESULTS: Of the 4825 patients from 48 included studies, 19 had upper GI cancer, 9 had lower, and 8 had mixed cancer, whereas 12 had HAN cancers. Immunonutrition reduced the total postoperative complications (relative risk ratio: 0.78; 95% CI, 0.66-0.93; certainty of evidence: high) and infectious complications (relative risk ratio: 0.71; 95% CI, 0.61-0.82; certainty of evidence: high) compared with standard nutritional therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Nutritional intervention with perioperative immunonutrition in patients with HAN and GI cancers significantly reduced total postoperative complications and infectious complications.

Treatment of intrahepatic recurrence after hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Prognostic factors after treatment for intrahepatic recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma (RHCC) after hepatic resection (Hx) are controversial. The current study aimed to examine the impact of treatment modality on the prognosis of intrahepatic RHCC following Hx. METHODS: For control of variables, the subjects were 56 patients who underwent treatment for intrahepatic RHCC, three or fewer tumors, each measuring ≤3 cm in diameter without macroscopic vascular invasion (MVI), between 2000 and 2011. Retreatment consisted of repeat Hx (n = 23), local ablation therapy (n = 11) and transarterial chemoembolization or transcatheter arterial infusion (TACE/TAI) (n = 22). We retrospectively investigated the relation between type of treatment for RHCC and overall survival (OS) as well as disease-free survival (DFS). RESULTS: In multivariate (MV) analysis, the poor prognostic factors in DFS after retreatment consisted of disease-free interval (DFI) (≤1.5 y) (P = .011), type of retreatment (TACE/TAI) (P = .002), age (<65 y old) (P = .0022), perioperative RBC transfusion (P = .025), while those in OS after retreatment were DFI (≤1.5 y) (P < .0001). In evaluation of stratification for type of retreatment, DFS in the repeat Hx group was significantly better than those in the local ablation therapy group or the TACE/TAI group (P = .023 or P < .0001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: DFI (≤1.5 y) was an independent poor prognostic factor in both DFS and OS, and repeat Hx for intrahepatic RHCC, few in number and size without MVI, seems to achieve the most reliable local control.

Six autoantibodies as potential serum biomarkers of hepatocellular carcinoma: A prospective multicenter study.

Serum autoantibodies have been reported to react with tumor-associated antigen (TAA) in various cancers. This multicenter study evaluated the diagnostic and prognostic value of six autoantibodies against a panel of six hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)-associated antigens, including Sui1, p62, RalA, p53, NY-ESO-1 and c-myc. A total of 160 patients with HCC and 74 healthy controls were prospectively enrolled from six institutions. Serum antibody titers were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The sensitivities were 19% for Sui1, 18% for p62, 17% for RalA, 11% for p53, 10% for NY-ESO-1 and 9% for c-myc. Overall sensitivity of the TAA panel (56%) was higher than that of α-fetoprotein (41%, P < .05). The combined sensitivity of the TAA panel and α-fetoprotein was significantly higher than that of α-fetoprotein alone (P < .001). The difference in overall survival of TAA panel-positive and panel-negative patients was significant when the Stage I/II patients were combined (P = .023). Overall survival was worse in NY-ESO-1 antibody-positive than in NY-ESO-1 antibody-negative patients (P = .002). Multivariate analysis found that positivity for the TAA panel was independently associated with poor prognosis (P = .030). This TAA panel may have diagnostic and prognostic value in the patients with HCC.

Subphrenic abscess due to Clostridium perfringens after hepatic resection for hepatocellular carcinoma following emphysematous cholecystitis: Report of a case.

BACKGROUND: Subphrenic abscess caused by Clostridium perfringens is rare after hepatic resection. We herein report such a case after hepatic resection for hepatocellular carcinoma following treatment of emphysematous cholecystitis. CASE PRESENTATION: A 69-years-old man with chronic hepatitis B, was admitted to our hospital for right subcostal pain and loss of appetite. Computed tomography (CT) revealed emphysematous cholecystitis, for which percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder drainage was performed. Clostridium perfringens was identified from the culture of the bile. Imaging studies immediately demonstrated hepatocellular carcinoma with right lobe of the liver, for which the patients underwent hepatic resection and cholecystectomy concomitantly. After operation, the patient developed emphysematous subphrenic abscess on postoperative day 15, for which CT-guided percutaneous drainage was performed. Clostridium perfringens was identified from the culture of the abscess fluid. The patient was given Ciprofloxacin and Clindamycin and made a satisfactory recovery. The patient was discharged on POD 95 and remains well with no evidence of tumor recurrence as of 8 years after resection. CONCLUSION: We herein reported a subphrenic abscess due to Clostridium perfringens after hepatic resection for hepatocellular carcinoma following emphysematous cholecystitis.

Usefulness of aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index as a prognostic factor following hepatic resection for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Liver function is a major prognostic factor following hepatic resection for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which is well correlated with the degree of fibrosis. On the other hand, the presence of liver cirrhosis itself leads to a higher incidence of HCC than chronic hepatitis. Therefore, preoperative noninvasive markers of fibrosis are important for the assessment of prognosis for treatment of HCC. The present study aimed to analyze whether aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index (APRI) could predict prognosis following hepatic resection for HCC. The subjects were 162 patients who underwent hepatic resection for HCC between January 2000 and December 2011. The relationship between APRI and disease-free and overall survival were retrospectively investigated. In multivariate analysis, indocyanine green at 15 min (ICG-R15) ≥15% (P=0.0306), APRI ≥0.45 (P=0.0184), perioperative blood transfusion of red cell concentrates (RCC; P=0.0034) and TNM stage II, III or IV (P=0.0184) were significant predictors in disease-free survival. For overall survival, ICG-R15 ≥15% (P=0.0454), APRI ≥0.45 (P=0.0417), perioperative blood transfusion of RCC (P=0.0036) and TNM stage II, III or IV (P=0.0033) were significant predictors. In addition, higher APRI values were positively correlated with hepatitis C virus infection and preoperative liver function. In conclusion, APRI is an independent risk factor for disease-free and overall survival following hepatic resection for HCC.

Usefulness of three-dimensional image navigation system for evaluation of hepatic artery before living donor liver transplantation: a case report.

BACKGROUND: The evaluation of the hepatic vascular anatomy in living liver donors is increasingly being performed by three-dimensional (3D) computed tomography (CT) angiography. However, details of hepatic artery anatomy obtained by 3D CT angiography are not always superior to those obtained by angiography. Here, we report a case in which the 3D image navigation system helped to detect segment II, III, and IV arteries (A2, A3, and A4, respectively) that individually originated from the proper hepatic artery (PHA); this could not be detected by 3D CT angiography. CASE PRESENTATION: A 46-year-old man with end-stage primary biliary cirrhosis was admitted to our hospital for evaluation as a candidate for living donor liver transplantation. The patient's younger sister, aged 43 years, was the only living donor candidate. The predicted left liver graft volume with the middle hepatic vein was found to be 403 mL using the region-growing method with 3D CT software. This volume was sufficiently large for the recipient because the standard liver volume of the recipient was 1095 mL. 3D CT angiography was performed twice but could not reveal the anatomical structure of the left and middle hepatic arteries. However, simulation using the region-growing method demonstrated individual branching off of A2, A3, and A4 from the PHA; conventional angiography demonstrated the same results. Each branch was approximately 1 mm in diameter, which was too small for secure anastomosis. Therefore, we selected the right liver graft for simplicity. The postoperative course of the donor and recipient was uneventful, and they were discharged on postoperative days 10 and 46, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, reconstruction of the hepatic vasculature using the 3D software by region-growing method might be a useful adjunct for surgical planning in the evaluation of the hepatic arteries in living liver donors.

Clinical Features and Outcome of Surgical Patients with Non-B Non-C Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

AIM: To investigate the clinical characteristics and prognosis of surgical patients with non-B non-C hepatocellular carcinoma (NBNC-HCC) compared to those of hepatitis B virus (HBV)- and hepatitis C virus (HCV)-HCC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Clinical data and outcomes were compared among the three groups. Prognostic factors of patients with NBNC-HCC were investigated. RESULTS: Compared to HBV-HCC, patients with NBNC-HCC had higher chance of hypertension (HTN) (p<0.01), diabetes mellitus (DM) and body mass index (BMI) >25 kg/m2 Compared to HCV-HCC, patients with NBNC-HCC had higher incidence of DM and higher BMI >25 kg/m2 (p<0.01). There were no significant differences in overall survival (OS) rate among the three groups. In patients with NBNC-HCC, albumin (Alb; p<0.05) was an independent prognostic factor of OS, while Alb and α-fetoprotein (AFP) were independent prognostic factors of disease-free survival (DFS; p<0.01 each). CONCLUSION: Surgical patients with NBNC-HCC often have concomitant DM, HTN and high BMI, for whom factors related to prognosis were Alb and AFP.

Assessment of Graft Selection Criteria in Living-Donor Liver Transplantation: The Jikei Experience.

In living-donor liver transplantation, graft selection is especially important for the safety of the live donor and an acceptable outcome for the recipient. The essential medical requirements for living liver donation at Jikei University Hospital are as follows: an adult aged 65 years or younger, in good general condition, with partial liver volume of more than 35% of the standard liver volume (SLV) for the recipient, and without severe liver steatosis. Based on our criteria, we performed 13 living-donor liver transplantations between 2007 and 2013, including 1 retransplantation. Three cases were outside our standard donor criteria, including age (18 and 66 years) and 33% graft volume (GV) to SLV ratio for the recipient on preoperative volumetry using computed tomography. In 2 cases, the actual GV to SLV ratio at transplantation was less than 35%. Median postoperative hospital stay was 11 days for the donors, and 29 days for the recipients. All donors returned to their preoperative status, and all recipients were discharged in good condition. Our medical requirements for living liver donation seem to be acceptable because of the good outcome.

A large mural nodule in branch duct intraductal papillary mucinous adenoma of the pancreas: a case report.

Indications for resection of branch duct intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs) remain controversial because of their low tendency to be malignant. Surgical resection should be recommended if any factors indicating malignancy are present. However, preoperative differentiation between benign and malignant tumors is very difficult, especially in cases of branch duct IPMNs. We herein report a case of branch duct intraductal papillary mucinous adenoma (IPMA) of the pancreas with a large mural nodule of 25 mm. A 74-year-old woman was admitted for examination and treatment for a cystic tumor in the head of the pancreas. Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography and computed tomography showed a cystic lesion, 50 mm in diameter, with an irregular mural nodule in the pancreatic head. Endoscopic ultrasonography demonstrated a multicystic tumor connected with the main pancreatic duct (MPD). The mural nodule had a diameter of 18 mm, and the MPD had a slight dilation of 6 mm. These findings suggested a high potential for malignancy. The patient underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy with lymph node dissection. The excised pancreas showed multiple cysts located in the branch pancreatic duct with a maximum diameter of 75 mm. The mural nodule had a maximum diameter of 25 mm. The tumor was diagnosed as an IPMA by pathological examination. After operation, the patient was discharged without any complications. Two years after resection, the patient remains in remission with no evidence of tumor recurrence.

Successful living-donor liver transplantation after treatment of sinus aspergillosis by endoscopic mycetoma removal and sinus drainage.

A 47-year-old female was admitted to our hospital for treatment of end-stage liver disease due to primary biliary cirrhosis. Preoperative routine nasal sinus magnetic resonance imaging revealed diffuse inflammatory mucosal hyperplasia of the right maxillary sinus and mycetoma without invasive fungal sinusitis. Aspergillus antigen was positive. With a diagnosis of sinus aspergillosis, endoscopic sinus drainage and removal of mycetoma were performed. After endoscopic treatment, the right maxillary sinus was irrigated using amphotericin B for 2 weeks and then treated by iodine with gentamicin and ketoconazole for 6 weeks. At 1 month after endoscopic treatment, the mycetoma had disappeared. At 3 months after the endoscopic treatment, the patient underwent living-donor liver transplantation using the left and caudate lobe of her daughter. The patient made a satisfactory recovery and was discharged on 19 days after transplant. As of 44 months after transplant, she remains well without recurrence of aspergillosis.

[A case of long-term survival without recurrence from an unknown primary carcinoma after resection of lymph node metastases].

A 76-year-old woman was diagnosed with intraabdominal tumors at a regular medical check-up. The tumors were resected and were identified as number 8a and 3 lymph nodes with adenocarcinoma. No primary was identified despite various studies; the final diagnosis was of adenocarcinoma of unknown primary. No recurrence developed; the patient has survived for 5 years without postoperative chemotherapy. The patient was disease-free 5 years after diagnosis. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of long-term survival of number 8a and 3 lymph node metastasis from an unknown primary carcinoma.

Central bisegmentectomy for malignant liver tumors: experience in 8 patients.

Central bisegmentectomy (CBS) of the liver is an en bloc hepatic resection of Couiaud segments 4, 5, and 8. The indications for CBS include benign and malignant tumors occupying both the left medial and right anterior segments. However, CBS has rarely been reported. Here, we investigate CBS in patients with suboptimal liver function for whom an extended lobectomy is not an optimal solution. Each case was 1 of 8 patients who underwent CBS for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) or colorectal cancer liver metastasis (CRLM) at the Department of Surgery, Jikei University Hospital. Indications for CBS consisted of CRLM in 3 patients and HCC in 5 patients. The median duration of operation was 552 minutes, and median blood loss was 2263 g. No postoperative nor in-hospital mortalities occurred. In this study, 1-, 2-, and 3-year disease-free survival rates were 62.5%, 12.5%, and 12.5%, respectively, and 1-, 2-, and 3-year overall survival rates were 100%, 100%, and 85.7%, respectively. CBS is advocated for central liver tumors in patients with suboptimal liver function for whom extended lobectomy could result in less than optimal remnant liver volume and function.

Prognostic significance of receptor for advanced glycation end products expression in hepatocellular carcinoma after hepatectomy.

BACKGROUND: The receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) is recognized to be responsible for cancer progression in several human cancers. In this study, we investigated the clinical impact of RAGE expression in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after hepatectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty-five consecutive patients who underwent initial hepatectomy for HCC were investigated. The relationships between immunohistochemical expression of RAGE and clinicopathologic features, clinical outcome (overall survival [OS], and disease-free survival [DFS]) were evaluated. RESULTS: The cytoplasmic expression of RAGE in HCC cells was observed in 46 patients (70.8%) and correlated with histologic grade (poorly differentiated versus moderately differentiated HCC, P = 0.021). Five-year OS in RAGE-positive and RAGE-negative groups were 72% and 94%, respectively, whereas 5-y DFS were 29% and 55%, respectively. There were significant differences between OS and DFS (P = 0.018 and 0.031, respectively). Multivariate analysis indicated that RAGE was an independent predictor for both OS and DFS (P = 0.048 and 0.032, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest for the first time a positive correlation between RAGE expression and poor therapeutic outcome. Furthermore, RAGE downregulation may provide a novel therapeutic target for HCC.

Successfully-treated advanced bile duct cancer of donor origin after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation by pancreaticoduodenectomy: a case report.

Secondary malignancies are one of the late complications observed in long-term survivors of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). However, reports on secondary non-hematopoietic solid tumors derived from donor cells is extremely rare. We herein report a successfully-treated case of advanced bile duct cancer of donor-origin after allogeneic HSCT. A 44-year-old man was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. When he achieved the third complete response, allogeneic hematopoietic stem cells of one-mismatch female donor were transplanted at the age of 50 years. Post-transplant acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease was treated by increased immunosuppression. At the age of 59, the patient was diagnosed with lower bile duct cancer and underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy with lymph node dissection. Pathological findings revealed a well-differentiated adenocarcinoma of the bile duct. Additional fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis revealed female patterns of the tumor cells, which suggested that the tumor cells originated from the donor. The patient had a satisfactory recovery, and received adjuvant chemotherapy with S-1. He remains well with no evidence of tumor recurrence as of one year after resection.

Combined hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma producing parathyroid hormone-related protein: report of a case.

Combined hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma (CHCC) is an uncommon form of primary liver cancer. A 57-year-old man was readmitted to our hospital for treatment of recurrent CHCC, 12 months after central bisegmentectomy and 4 months after limited hepatic resection. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed multiple hepatic nodules. Laboratory data showed increased serum levels of α-fetoprotein (AFP), calcium, and parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTH-rP), to 5,571 ng/mL, 17.0 mg/dL, and 16.1 pmol/L, respectively. Palliative mass reduction surgery was indicated by the fact that the hypercalcemia was difficult to manage medically. Thus, we performed lateral segmentectomy with partial resection of segment 7 and the caudate lobe, and microwave coagulation therapy for multiple recurrent CHCC. Thereafter, the serum PTH-rP and AFP levels decreased remarkably and the hypercalcemia was controlled for the next 3 months. He died of disease progression 9 months after the last hepatic surgery. To our knowledge, this is only the second reported case of CHCC producing PTH-rP in the English-language literature.

Successful treatment by balloon angioplasty under portography for late-onset stenosis of portal vein after cadaveric liver transplantation.

A 69-year-old woman, who underwent cadaveric liver transplantation for non-B, non-C liver cirrhosis with hepatocellular carcinoma in April 2009, was admitted to our hospital because of graft dysfunction. Enhanced computed tomography revealed stenosis of the left branch of the portal vein, obstruction of the right branch of the portal vein at porta hepatis, and esophagogastric varices. Balloon angioplasty of the left branch of the portal vein under transsuperior mesenteric venous portography was performed by minilaparotomy. After dilatation of the left branch of the portal vein, the narrow segment of the portal vein was dilated, which resulted in reduction of collateral circulation. At 7 days after balloon angioplasty, esophageal varices were improved. The patient made a satisfactory recovery, was discharged 8 days after balloon angioplasty, and remains well.

Syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone due to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors after pancreaticoduodenectomy for carcinoma of the ampulla of Vater: case report.

A 68-year-old man underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy with lymph nodes dissection for carcinoma of the ampulla of Vater. The patient had anxiety neurosis and had been treated with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). Postoperatively, SSRI was resumed on postoperative day 2. His serum sodium concentration gradually decreased, and the patient was given a sodium supplement. However, 11 days after the operation, laboratory findings included serum sodium concentration of 117 mEq/L, serum vasopressin of 2.0 pg/mL, plasma osmolality of 238 mOsm/kg, urine osmolality of 645 mOsm/kg, urine sodium concentration of 66 mEq/L, serum creatinine concentration of 0.54 mg/dL, and serum cortisol concentration of 29.1 µg/dL. With a diagnosis of syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone (SIADH), the antianxiety neurosis medication was changed from the SSRI to another type of drug. After switching the medication, the patient made a satisfactory recovery with normalization of serum sodium by postoperative day 20.

Unusual images of mass-forming intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

We experienced a case of mass-forming intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma which could not been diagnosed accurately without pathologic findings. A 78-year-old Japanese woman with no particular symptoms was admitted for changes in liver function tests. Ultrasonography revealed a solid liver tumor. When there are no typical imaging features, no pathognomonic clinical findings and no obvious risk factors for any specific hepatic tumor, it may be difficult to make an accurate diagnosis before surgical resection. The lesion was resected on the basis of a high degree of suspicion for malignancy and submitted for pathologic evaluation. Microscopically, the neoplasm was a moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma with abundant fibrous stroma, consistent with a mass-forming cholangiocarcinoma. This case exemplifies the importance of considering the various tumorous and non-tumorous diseases in the differential diagnosis of a liver mass with atypical features, especially when malignancy cannot be excluded.

Post-operative lymphocyte count may predict the outcome of radical resection for gallbladder carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Gallbladder carcinoma (GBC) is a cancer of the digestive tract with poor prognosis, for which surgical resection is the only potentially curative therapy. The prognostic value of postoperative peripheral blood leukocyte subset count in patients with cancer has not been fully investigated. Therefore, we retrospectively investigated the relation-ship between postoperative peripheral blood lymphocyte count and disease-free as well as overall survival after radical resection of GBC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study subjects were 34 patients who underwent radical resection for GBC between January 2005 and April 2010. We retrospectively investigated the relation-ship between clinicopathological variables, including postoperative peripheral blood lymphocyte count, and disease-free as well as overall survival. RESULTS: In univariate analysis, disease-free survival was worse in patients with intraoperative blood transfusion (p=0.0285), tumor node metastasis (TNM) stage ≥II (p<0.0001), and lymphocyte count of less than 1,000/µl (p=0.0002). Overall survival was worse in patients with TNM stage ≥II (p=0.0002) and lymphocyte count of less than 1,000/µl (p=0.0151). In multivariate analysis, TNM stage ≥II (p<0.0089) and peripheral blood lymphocyte count of less than 1,000/µl (p=0.0365) were independent predictors of poor disease-free survival. For overall survival, TNM stage ≥II (p=0.0230) was the only independent predictor. Moreover, lymphocyte counts of less than 1,000/µl correlated significantly with TNM stage ≥II, duration of operation, greater blood loss, and presence of intraoperative blood transfusion. CONCLUSION: Postoperative peripheral blood lymphocyte count correlates with outcome of patients with GBC treated by radical resection.

Single-incision laparoscopic surgery for giant hepatic cyst.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility and safety of single-incision laparoscopic fenestration and to introduce a new surgical technique. Laparoscopic fenestration has become a standard approach for symptomatic hepatic cysts because of the low recurrence rate and minimal postoperative pain. The single-incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS) technique has increasingly gained acceptance and is now applied to a variety of organs and operations. MATERIALS AND SURGICAL TECHNIQUE: Between February 2010 and March 2011, we consecutively performed six cases of single-incision laparoscopic fenestration. A SILS Port was placed through a single intraumbilical skin incision. In addition to standard laparoscopic instruments, a flexible 5-mm laparoscope and an articulating grasper were used. The cyst wall was dissected with a 5-mm bipolar vessel sealer. SILS was successfully performed in all patients, and none required conversion to conventional multiport laparoscopic surgery or open surgery. Intraoperative blood loss was minimal in all cases. Median operative time was 144 min (range, 100-210 min). All patients were discharged uneventfully on 3 day postoperative. Median postoperative follow-up at 15.5 months (range, 8-20 months) did not reveal any complications or recurrence. The umbilical incisions were almost unnoticeable. DISCUSSION: Our findings suggest that SILS for fenestration of a giant hepatic cyst is a safe and feasible. It is reproducible technique that is comparable to conventional laparoscopic surgery.