Intraoperative Ultrasound in Colorectal Liver Metastases

Abstract

Intraoperative ultrasound (IOUS) is a diagnostic technique that allows obtaining additional information about the number and localization of colorectal cancer (CRC) metastases in the liver (especially with their intraparenchymal location), determining their relationship with the arteries and veins of the liver, navigating for puncture biopsy and / or performing minimally invasive treatment of lesions, and adjusting the amount of resection intervention on the liver during surgery. When performing minimally invasive medical procedures, IOUS application helps to avoid injuries to blood vessels, bile ducts and adjacent organs, and also allows evaluating the effectiveness of treatment and identifying potential complications. An important component of IOUS is the support of surgical procedures with a staged assessment of the liver hemodynamics, providing an immediate correction of the surgical situation. Thus, IOUS is a safe, inexpensive and highly informative diagnostic option, which should be a mandatory diagnostic step in the surgical treatment of CRC liver metastases.Based on literature data and personal experience, the authors present indications, technical aspects and features of application of various IOUS options and modalities in the surgical treatment of CRC liver metastases.