Study liver anatomy and function with our medical students test. Engage with detailed multiple choice questions, each with hints and explanations. Prepare effectively for your test!

Multiple Choice

If a hepatocellular carcinoma lesion is confined to a single Couinaud segment, what is a favored management option mentioned?

When a hepatocellular carcinoma lesion is confined to a single Couinaud segment, removing just that segment (segmentectomy) is favored because it achieves complete tumor clearance while preserving the majority of liver tissue. This approach follows the segment’s portal inflow, allowing good oncologic margins with minimal loss of functional liver, which is especially important in patients who may have reduced hepatic reserve from cirrhosis or other disease. Removing a larger portion, like a lobectomy, sacrifices more liver parenchyma without providing additional benefit for a solitary, segment-confined tumor and raises the risk of postoperative liver failure. Radiation therapy and medical therapy alone are not typically curative options for a localized lesion that is amenable to surgical resection, making segmental resection the preferred choice when feasible.

When a hepatocellular carcinoma lesion is confined to a single Couinaud segment, removing just that segment (segmentectomy) is favored because it achieves complete tumor clearance while preserving the majority of liver tissue. This approach follows the segment’s portal inflow, allowing good oncologic margins with minimal loss of functional liver, which is especially important in patients who may have reduced hepatic reserve from cirrhosis or other disease. Removing a larger portion, like a lobectomy, sacrifices more liver parenchyma without providing additional benefit for a solitary, segment-confined tumor and raises the risk of postoperative liver failure. Radiation therapy and medical therapy alone are not typically curative options for a localized lesion that is amenable to surgical resection, making segmental resection the preferred choice when feasible.