Liver, Pancreas, and Biliary Surgery

The Liver, Pancreas and Biliary surgery team provides patient-centered care of hepatopancreatobiliary (HPB) disease, which includes disorders of the liver, pancreas, gallbladder, and bile duct. Our team is dedicated to treating you with respect and compassion while using the latest advances in research, techniques and a multidisciplinary team approach to provide the best possible outcomes.

Virginia Mason Franciscan Health is renowned for the surgical treatment of pancreatic cancer. Because our team of experts performs hundreds of major pancreatic surgeries a year, we have demonstrated exemplary outcomes in pancreatic cancer treatment, specifically in pancreatic resections. 

Procedures include:

• The Whipple procedure, in which surgeons remove part of the pancreas, small intestine and stomach. Our team of surgeons performs more than 100 Whipple procedures per year. We also send patients home an average of seven days after the procedure—much faster than the national average of about two weeks.
• Irreversible electrophoresis, which uses ultrasound-guided needles to apply electric pulses to the tumor. This can kill cancer cells in people with locally advanced cancer.
• Other advanced procedures such as distal pancreatectomy, total pancreatectomy, major vascular resection and reconstruction for advanced tumors.

Our multidisciplinary team of surgeons, radiologists, oncologists, nurses, and nutrition experts work together to deliver high-quality, integrated care for liver cancer. Liver cancer cases are reviewed by a multidisciplinary liver cancer tumor board—one of only a few in Washington state—where recommendations are made about individualized treatment. We focus on minimizing symptoms while you undergo aggressive treatment and prioritizing quality of life in every phase of treatment.