Problems after cancer surgery to remove part of your liver

All operations to remove liver cancer are major surgery. You only have this surgery in specialist hospitals.

This information is for people who are having part of their liver removed. Your doctor might call this a liver resection or a lobectomy. We have separate information if you are having a liver transplant for liver cancer. 

As with any operation, there is a risk of complications. A complication is anything that happens after surgery that makes your recovery more difficult. Before offering surgery as an option to you, your doctors make sure the benefit of having the operation outweighs the possible risks.

Your doctors will talk to you about the possible complications of the surgery and general anaesthetic. They will do this before you sign the consent form to have the operation. Your doctors and nurses monitor you very closely to check for problems. Even when you go home, they will see you regularly to make sure you are recovering well.

Some complications can be serious. But they are becoming less common as surgeons get better at deciding who is likely to make a good recovery.

Chest, wound, urine infection

There is a risk of infection after an operation. The wound area might be red and sore. If you have a chest infection you might have a cough or feel short of breath. You might also feel generally unwell and have a temperature.

Let your doctor or nurse know if you have any symptoms. They can give you antibiotics through a drip or as tablets.

Bleeding

After any operation there is a risk of bleeding. This is particularly the case with liver surgery as a lot of blood passes through the liver. Also, your liver normally makes substances that help your blood to clot. So any damage to the liver can cause problems with bleeding.

Your doctors and nurses will monitor you closely during and after the operation. They will check for possible signs of bleeding. You may need a blood transfusion after your operation. Rarely you may need to go back to theatre for another operation to stop the bleeding.

Bile leakage

Bile is a fluid that helps to digest food by breaking down fat. The liver makes bile which is stored in the gallbladder. Small tubes called bile ducts carry the bile into the small bowel. The bile ducts connect the liver and gallbladder to the small bowel.

There is a risk of bile leaking from the ducts on the cut surface of the liver. This may cause pain, sickness and a high temperature. Rarely, you might need another operation to repair the leak.

Kidney problems

There is a risk that your kidneys may stop working properly after the operation. Your doctors and nurses will keep a close eye on blood test results and how much urine you make. Your kidneys usually recover over time. But some people require kidney support (dialysis) after major surgery.

Build up of fluid in the abdomen (ascites)

You might have a build up of fluid in your tummy (abdomen) called ascites.

This can happen for different reasons, including an increase in pressure in one of the main blood vessels of the liver (portal vein). Your doctor can give you medicines to help reduce the fluid. Or in some situations, they may put in a tube into your tummy to drain the fluid.

Blood clots

Blood clots (deep vein thrombosis, DVT) are a possible complication of having surgery. This is because you might not move about as much as usual. Clots can block the normal flow of blood through the body. Let your doctor or nurse know if you have an area in your leg that is swollen, hot, red or sore.

There is a risk that a blood clot can become loose and travel through the bloodstream to the lungs. This causes a blockage in the lung called a pulmonary embolism. Symptoms include:

• shortness of breath
• chest pain
• coughing up blood
• feeling dizzy or lightheaded

To try to prevent blood clots you wear compression stockings after surgery. You also have daily injections for several weeks to thin your blood. And your nurses will encourage you to get up as soon as possible or do regular leg exercises. 

Blockage of blood supply to the liver

Although uncommon, there is a risk of a blood clot developing in one of the main blood vessels to and from the liver. These are the hepatic artery, portal vein or hepatic veins. You may have drugs to thin the blood if this happens. In some cases, you may need another operation.

Liver failure

There is a risk that your remaining liver doesn’t work after your operation. This is a rare but serious complication and can be life threatening.