Application of indocyanine green fluorescence-guided laparoscopic hepatectomy in patients with liver metastases: a retrospective single‑center study.

The present study aimed to investigate the efficacy of indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence-guided laparoscopic hepatectomy for the treatment of liver metastases. Therefore, data from patients with liver metastases who underwent laparoscopic hepatectomy were retrospectively collected. A total of 69 patients were divided into the ICG group (fluorescence-guided) and conventional group, with 24 well-matched pairs analyzed after propensity score matching. Laparoscopic hepatectomy was successfully performed in all patients.The ICG group had significantly wider surgical margins than the conventional group (1.73 ± 0.57 cm vs. 1.04 ± 0.44 cm; P < 0.001). Pre-matching R0 resection rates were 91.9% (ICG) and 90.6% (conventional), with 100% R0 resection achieved in both groups post-matching. Operative time, intraoperative blood loss and postoperative ALT levels were numerically lower in the ICG group without statistical significance. The rates of overall/severe (Clavien-Dindo ≥IIIa) complications and 6-month recurrence were comparable between the two groups (all P > 0.05). In conclusion, ICG fluorescence-guided laparoscopic hepatectomy is safe and feasible for liver metastases, yielding significantly wider surgical margins. Although perioperative outcomes and 6-month recurrence rates were comparable between groups after matching, the ICG-guided approach achieved significantly wider surgical margins-a finding with potential implications for long-term oncological outcomes that warrant further investigation.