Clamp-Crushing vs. Stapler Hepatectomy for Transection of the Parenchyma in Elective Hepatic Resection: CRUNSH - A Randomized Controlled Trial

There is clinical uncertainty and ongoing discussion among liver surgeons regarding the optimal method of parenchymal transection in patients undergoing elective hepatic resection. While the clamp-crushing technique still represents the reference technique for routine liver resections, transection of liver parenchyma using vascular staplers may offer a new and safe technique potentially reducing intraoperative blood loss, operation time as well as peri-operative morbidity. As morbidity of patients undergoing hepatic resection remains high, approaches to lower peri-operative complications are urgently required. Due to the lack of evidence it has to be evaluated, if the technique of stapler hepatectomy decreases intraoperative blood loss as a highly relevant predictor of peri-operative complications, patients' hospital stay and finally health care expenditures. These advantages would favor stapler hepatectomy to be applied in routine liver resections. As RCTs are generally considered to generate the most valid scientific evidence on a treatment's effects, the present trial evaluates potential benefits of stapler hepatectomy in a randomized fashion.