Living Donor Liver Transplantation in Adults: Vascular Variants Important in Surgical Planning for Donors and Recipients

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Abstract
OBJECTIVE. The purpose of our study was to explore the frequency with which surgically important hepatic vascular variants occur independently as well as in genetically related adult candidates for donation or receipt of a liver transplant.MATERIALS AND METHODS. We conducted a retrospective study of 107 adult living donor liver transplant candidates. From this pool of candidates, 50 sets of close relatives were selected to undergo transplantation. As part of the preoperative evaluation, all underwent multidetector CT angiography for evaluation of arterial and venous anatomy. Nonionic IV contrast material (180 mL) was given at a rate of 5 mL/sec, and collimations of 1.25 and 2.50 mm were used for true arterial and portal hepatic venous phase scanning, respectively. Image processing included three-dimensional volume renderings and multiplanar reformations. Two radiologists assessed the prevalence of vascular variants that were important for surgical planning and execution.RESULTS. We identified surgically i...