What does hepatectomy mean?
Hepatectomy is the surgical removal of all or part of the liver. The term covers both total hepatectomy, in which the entire organ is removed, and partial or segmental procedures in which diseased tissue is taken while as much functioning liver as possible is preserved. It is most often discussed in connection with liver tumors, severe injury, infection, or transplantation, although its use depends on the extent of the disease and the patient's condition. In clinical writing, hepatectomy may be modified by the portion of the liver removed, such as a right, left, or extended hepatectomy, and it is often interchangeable with the descriptive phrase liver resection. The word is technical rather than everyday, and its use identifies an operative procedure rather than a diagnosis or general medical condition. Knowing it is useful because liver anatomy, surgical margins, and the liver's capacity to regenerate make the procedure a specialized subject in hepatology, oncology, and transplant surgery.
nounThe surgical removal of all or part of the liver. The procedure may be total or partial, depending on the extent of the disease and the amount of functioning liver that can safely be preserved.
- Surgical removal of all or part of the liver.
"After the scan confirmed the tumor's location, the surgeon recommended a partial hepatectomy."
"The patient underwent a partial hepatectomy to remove a malignant tumor."
"Following a serious road accident, an emergency hepatectomy was performed to control the liver damage."
The standard plural changes the final y to i and adds -es.
"The two hepatectomies were performed by different specialist teams."
A hepatectomy literally means “excision of the liver”—and in cancer surgery, the surgeon's aim is often to remove the tumor while preserving the rest.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does hepatectomy come from?
Hepatectomy combines the Greek-derived combining form hepat(o)-, from hēpar, meaning “liver,” with -ectomy, from Greek ektomē, meaning “excision” or “removal.” The form hepat- also appears in related medical words such as hepatic, hepatitis, and hepatology. The name reflects the operation's defining action: surgical excision of liver tissue.
Related word forms
How hepatectomy is actually used
This is a specialized, neutral medical term used mainly in surgical and clinical contexts. In general writing, “liver resection” may be more accessible to a non-specialist audience.
Easily confused with hepatectomy
A hepatectomy removes liver tissue, whereas a hepatotomy makes an incision into the liver without removing it.