ANALYSIS OF POSTOPERATIVE LIVER FUNCTION OF DONORS IN LIVING-RELATED LIVER TRANSPLANTATION

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Background. There is a potentially significant risk to the donor in living-related liver transplantation. Methods. We analyzed surgical risk and stress to 35 donors in living-related liver transplantation with special reference to the types of donor hepatectomy. Donor surgery was performed in one of three ways: (1) lateral segmentectomy without ligation of the middle hepatic vein (MHV) in the remnant liver (group 1, n=21); (2) lateral segmentectomy with ligation of MHV in the remnant liver (group 2, n=6); and (3) left lobectomy with MHV (group 3, n=8). Results. No critical complications were observed in any group. The postoperative enzyme levels in group 2 were significantly higher than those in groups 1 and 3 (PP<0.05). Follow-up computed tomography showed atrophic changes in segment IV in groups 1 and 2. No remarkable changes were seen in segments V or VIII in any of the three groups. Conclusion. Regardless of the donor hepatectomy procedure, serious complications did nor occur after surgery. Although it should be noted that the type of donor hepatectomy affects postoperative donor liver function, left lateral segmentectomy with ligation of MHV in the remnant liver is a useful method for obtaining liver grafts from living-related donors who have unusual anatomic variations of the hepatic veins.