Anaesthesia for metastatic liver resection surgery

SummaryLiver resection surgery for metastatic cancer remains the mainstay of cancer management. Colorectal cancer remains the second most common cause of cancer death in the West and increasingly patients present with liver metastasis. Anaesthetists should have a sound understanding of liver pathophysiology, coagulation disturbances and blood transfusion management to optimise the perioperative care of this patient group. Anaesthesia management of liver resection surgery includes careful patient selection with comprehensive preoperative assessment, understanding complex surgical techniques, perioperative fluid management, choice of anaesthesia, the perioperative analgesia and postoperative complications. This article discusses an overview of current surgical and anaesthetic management of patients with secondary liver cancer.