Hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery is used to treat cancers and diseases of these organs. It includes the resection (removal) of primary and metastatic (secondary) tumours of the liver, gall bladder, bile duct and pancreas. It is also used to treat benign diseases like cysts, bile duct injuries and strictures (blockage), and portal hypertension. Some tumours affecting the liver, gall bladder and bile duct might need major resections, and might therefore need complex reconstruction of the bile duct, hepatic artery and portal vein.
Such procedures involve a multidisciplinary team to provide a individualised treatment plan for each patient. This team of specialists and clinicians include hepatobiliary and transplant surgeons, medical oncologists, interventional radiologists, radiation oncologists, gastroenterologists and anaesthesiologists.