Laparoscopic determination on the incidences and types of Rouviere's sulcus in Chinese

Abstract

Objective To observe and record the incidences and types of Rouviere's sulcus in Chinese to come up with a classification of Rouviere's sulcus.Methods This prospective study was conducted on 812 consecutive patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy in our department from March 2010 to September 2012.The incidences and types of Rouviere's sulcus were documented.Results The open type of Rouviere's sulcus was visualized in 638 patients(78.6％),the partially fused type in 145 patients,and the totally fused type in 29 patients.Conclusions Rouviere's sulcus is an important surface landmark of the hilar pedicle and it could be identified in the great majority of patients.We for the first time in the world,proposed a classification of the Rouviere's sulcus which may contribute to a better understanding of hepatobiliary anatomy. Key words: Liver; Rouviere's sulcus; Laparoscopy