BIOLOGY, PHYSIOLOGY AND PHYSIOPATHOLOGY OF CLAMPING DURING LIVER SURGERY

Liver surgery is currently performed with minimal morbidity and mortal ity, mostly thanks to reduced intraoperative blood loss, achievable by various types of liver clamping. A better knowledge of the physiologi cal and physiopathological changes caused by liver clamping is however still necessary. The ''natural'' evolution of biochemical and liver f unction tests after liver surgery have been described. This paper desc ribes the hemodynamic changes observed with different types of clampin g and discusses several ways in which liver clamping techniques might be improved.