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Microsurgical reconstruction of hepatic artery during living donor liver transplantation
Author(s) -
Alper Mehmet,
Gundogan Hakan,
Tokat Cenk,
Ozek Cuneyt
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
microsurgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.031
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1098-2752
pISSN - 0738-1085
DOI - 10.1002/micr.20145
Subject(s) - medicine , microsurgery , surgery , liver transplantation , artery , transplantation , living donor liver transplantation , liver disease , thrombosis , portal vein thrombosis
Living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) has become a well‐recognized treatment modality for patients with end‐stage liver disease. Arterial reconstruction during LDLT is perhaps the most important aspect of the grafting procedure. Although microsurgical hepatic artery reconstruction has become the essential technique in LDLT, it poses significant challenges even to experienced microsurgeons. In this report, the experiences of 155 microsurgical reconstructions of the hepatic artery in 150 LDLTs were reviewed, and the problems that were encountered and the solutions are discussed. From June 1999–March 2004 150 LDLTs were performed on 148 recipients at Ege University Organ Transplantation and Research Center. Hepatic arterial thrombosis was encountered in 3 patients. Microsurgical technique has overcome the difficulties in LDLT. This has increased liver transplantations in the presence of limited cadaver grafts and has decreased the patient mortality in the waiting list. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. Microsurgery 25:378–384, 2005.