Between May 2001 and January 2005, 100 consecutive patients with liver tumors were enrolled and underwent hepatectomy: 77 patients underwent surgery for tumors located in the right hemiliver.
RIPV was detected in all but 1 patient (99 % ), and its trajectory was always guided toward the extrahepatic RHV. The only patient in whom RIPV was not detected had undergone prior liver resection and interstitial therapies for colorectal cancer liver metastases.
Apart from exceptional conditions, detection of the RIPV is always feasible and allows safe surgical dissection while approaching the extrahepatic RHV before hepatic resection.