92-Year-Old Grandma’s Liver “Bomb Disposal” Surgery: Discharged Successfully3 Robotic Liver Resections for Elderly Patients in One Week
Recently, the team led by Director Zhang Haixiong from the Department of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Surgery at Foshan Fosun Chancheng Hospital (Foshan Chanyi Hospital) successfully performed an anatomical fluorescent counterstaining resection of liver segment S6 plus partial S5 with the assistance of the da Vinci Surgical Robot for a 92-year-old female patient, achieving precise removal of liver cancer lesions. This marks the oldest patient who has received liver resection by the team to date.
In traditional perceptions, non-surgical conservative treatment is often the only option for nonagenarians diagnosed with liver cancer. The smooth recovery of this 92-year-old patient proves that advanced age is not an insurmountable barrier to surgery. Advances in minimally invasive technology have brought more treatment options for elderly patients.
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Precise Minimally Invasive Operation: Robot Empowers Surgery for the Elderly Before surgery, the team adopted high-precision 3D reconstruction and liver function reserve assessment, confirming the tumor was located in liver segment 6 and invaded part of segment 5. Anatomical fluorescent counterstaining was applied: indocyanine green fluorescence clearly demarcated the boundary between the liver tissue to be preserved and the lesion, enabling high-precision anatomical resection.
The robot’s flexible articulated instruments and magnified 3D vision allow delicate manipulation of blood vessels and bile ducts, preserving healthy liver tissue as much as possible. It features minimal trauma, less blood loss and faster recovery.
In the same week, the team completed another two da Vinci robotic liver resections for patients aged over 80. Three consecutive robotic liver surgeries for elderly patients within a week demonstrate the team’s mature and systematic experience in minimally invasive treatment of liver cancer in senior patients.
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MDT Multidisciplinary Collaboration to Secure Perioperative Safety Surgical safety for super elderly patients relies on multidisciplinary support. Before the operation, Director Zhang Haixiong held MDT consultations with specialists from Anesthesiology, Cardiology, Respiratory & Critical Care Medicine, Intensive Care Medicine and Clinical Nutrition. They evaluated cardiopulmonary function, thrombus risks, nutritional status and other key indicators, developing a comprehensive individualized plan for surgery and perioperative management.
The team of Director Chen Taixin from the Anesthesiology Department adopted goal-directed fluid therapy, precise low central venous pressure control and targeted sedation and analgesia. The patient maintained stable vital signs during surgery, which effectively reduced anesthesia risks for this high-risk elderly patient and guaranteed smooth operation.
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Refined Rehabilitation Care: Steady Recovery and Successful Discharge A successful surgery is only a critical step of treatment; postoperative rehabilitation matters equally. Following the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) concept, the nursing team customized an integrated rehabilitation plan including multimodal analgesia, early mobilization and early oral feeding:
Day 1 after surgery: The patient could communicate normally in bed.
Day 2 after surgery: She got out of bed with caregiver assistance and started liquid food intake.
Day 5 after surgery: All physical indicators stabilized. She met discharge criteria and returned home for recuperation.
The rapid recovery benefits from robotic minimally invasive surgery and refined nursing care.
A heartwarming scene unfolded on the ward that week: two octogenarian patients and this nonagenarian grandma formed a silver-haired “girl group” and all “graduated” from hospital. Before discharge, they took a graduation photo with medical staff, with bright smiles on their faces.
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Science Popularization: What Are the Advantages of da Vinci Robotic Liver Surgery? Many readers may wonder about the strengths of da Vinci robot-assisted liver resection compared with conventional surgery:
✅ High-definition 3D vision: 10–15× optical magnification to clearly visualize blood vessels and bile ducts for more precise anatomical work.
✅ Wristed flexible instruments: Multi-angle rotation, greater dexterity than human hands for fine suturing in complex sites.
✅ Fluorescence-guided liver resection: Positive/counter staining technology defines liver segment borders, removing lesions while preserving healthy liver tissue.
✅ Tremor filtration: Filters the surgeon’s natural hand tremor for safer vascular dissection in high-risk elderly patients.
✅ Minimally invasive & faster recovery: Less intraoperative bleeding, smaller trauma, milder postoperative pain and shorter hospital stay, ideal for elderly patients with limited physical reserve.
Existing clinical data shows robot-assisted liver resection outperforms conventional laparoscopic surgery in intraoperative bleeding control and postoperative recovery, better meeting the needs of elderly patients with complex liver conditions.
Every technological breakthrough unlocks more possibilities for life. The once-daunting hurdle of surgery for the elderly is now a viable treatment option powered by precise minimally invasive techniques. Reducing trauma and accelerating recovery — the humanity of medical technology lies in safeguarding the quality of life of every patient in their later years.
The Department of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Surgery at Foshan Chanyi Hospital will keep advancing minimally invasive diagnosis and treatment, continuously optimizing the full-cycle care pathway for elderly patients, so more seniors can access standardized, high-quality medical services locally.
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