LIVER - OUTCOMES

M.K. Ju, J.S. Choi, K.H. Choi
Surgery, Yonsei University Health System, Seoul/KOREA

Body: Biliary complications remain a major cause of morbidity after liver transplantation, especially in living donor liver transplantation (LDLT).Maintaining adequate blood supply to the bile duct is important for the prevention of biliary complications. The objective of this study was to analyze the effects of different techniques for bileduct anastomosis on post-transplant biliary complications. From August 2005 to August 2008, 121 liver transplants were performed at our center. Among the total 121 liver transplant recipients, 68patients underwent a LDLT using a right lobe graft and were enrolled in this study. We used classic dissection for the first 38 recipients and the hilar plate looping technique for the next 30patients. The hilar plate looping technique involves the looping of the complete hilar plate and Glissonian sheath around the hepatic duct after full dissection of the right hepatic artery and portalvein. Biliary complications were defined as bilomas or strictures that developed within 6 months after transplantation and required surgical or radiological intervention. There were no significantdemographic differences between the two groups. The incidence of complications was 15 (39.5%) for classic dissection and 3 (18.8%) for hilar plate looping. Furthermore, there were no biliarystrictures in the hilar plate looping group, and there was a significant difference in the complication rate between the two groups (p=0.011). In conclusion, the hilar plate looping technique duringLDLT significantly reduces recipient biliary complications.

Disclosure: All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.