Surgeons at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center perform surgery on a patient with cancer that has metastasized to the liver from the colon.
Surgical oncologists Perry Shen, M.D., and Russell Howerton, M.D., perform the surgery, which includes implantation of a hepatic pump to deliver chemotherapy directly to the affected area.
Edward A. Levine, M.D., chief of surgical oncology moderates. The webcast is available to the general public as well as physicians, who may watch the procedure and take a post-test for CME credit.
Following the live webcast, the procedure will be archived for viewing anytime.
About the Procedure
Liver resection is the gold standard treatment for most patients with primary and metastatic hepatic (liver) tumors. In the past this was a formidable surgical procedure with high post-operative morbidity and mortality.
However, increased knowledge of liver segmental anatomy, combined with technological advances and improved anesthesia/critical care, have markedly decreased the risk and made this a potentially curative option for many patients.
The application of intraoperative ultrasound gives the surgeon detailed real-time information to facilitate the resection and achieve negative margins while decreasing blood loss. New devices to transect the liver parenchyma have made the procedure safer.
Wake Forest Baptist has an active program of adjuvant hepatic arterial infusion therapy for patients with hepatic colorectal metastases after resection or ablation of their tumors. This method of delivery produces a higher concentration of chemotherapy in the remnant liver, which is at risk for recurrence, while minimizing systemic toxicity. The chemotherapy is delivered via an implantable hepatic pump placed at the time of liver resection or ablation.
Wake Forest Baptist is in collaboration with other centers studying the combination of hepatic intra-arterial chemotherapy combined with new systemic agents. This multimodality approach has the potential to improve the overall and disease-free survival of patients with hepatic colorectal metastases.
Our Physicians
Levine, Edward, M.D.
Shen, Perry, M.D.
Howerton, Russell, M.D.
Stewart, John, M.D.
Waters, Gregory, M.D. (colorectal surgery)