Liver surgery is the branch of surgery that deals with people suffering from liver diseases that would require a surgical treatment.
What does a liver surgeon do?
A liver surgeon is a surgeon that specializes in surgical procedures conducted on the liver, with the aim of treating, or improving diseases originating from this organ.
What diseases are treated by a liver surgeon?
A liver surgeon deals with treating and curing diseases affecting the liver such as biliary atresia which is a congenital obstruction of the bile ducts, gallstones, liver cirrhosis, cholangitis, and portal hypertension.
What are the procedures used by a liver surgeon?
At a diagnostic level the surgeon conducts tests such as echography, cytology, and histology of a small piece of liver tissue, biopsy, doppler ultrasound, and magnetic resonance imaging.
At a surgical level the specialist conducts procedures such as biliary-digestive anastomosis, thermal ablation, radio ablation, and chemical ablation of liver lesions. The specialist can also conduct liver transplantation, and liver resection which is the removal of a portion of the liver.
When should a patient visit a liver surgeon?
A general practitioner will send the patient to a liver surgeon if necessary. Another reason to visit the surgeon is for monitoring of a post surgical recovery.
