I was wondering if there are any guidelines as to how long this sort of operation takes to perform? Also, what length of time does recovery take on average?
I was wondering if there are any guidelines as to how long this sort of operation takes to perform? Also, what length of time does recovery take on average?
Hi Jools63,
Thanks for getting in touch. My name is Gail and I’m one of the Cancer Information Nurses on the Macmillan Support Line.
A liver resection can take approximately 3-4 hours and is carried out by an experienced hepatobiliary surgeon. There are different types of surgery.
Your surgeon will usually discuss in detail which type of procedure is best for you and why. Open surgery can take longer to recover from compared with keyhole surgery and your length of stay in hospital will depend on which type of surgery you have.
Recovery for each person can vary but keeping yourself fit and healthy prior to surgery can help.
Some hospitals have an enhanced recovery programme for certain types of surgery. The aim of this programme is to reduce your stay in hospital and help you recover as quickly as possible. For example, you may be given a diet plan to follow and exercises to do before surgery. This is sometimes called Prehabilitation.
It might help to ask your surgical team if this may be included in your treatment plan.
I read you have pets and you’re concerned about your recovery time.
It’s important you have the right support in place and allow yourself enough time to recover.
Don’t hesitate to talk to your team about any concerns or questions you have about going home. This means the staff can help you make plans in plenty of time.
You can also speak to our nurses directly on the Support Line if you think it may help.
I hope this is helpful and please don’t hesitate to get back in touch if you have further questions.
Best wishes,
