Biliary reconstruction in adult-adult living donor liver transplantation using a right lobe graft

Abstract

Objective To review the techniques used in biliary reconstruction for adult-adult living donor liver transplantation using a right lobe graft. Methods The clinical data of 21 pairs of donor and recipient who underwent right lobe living donor liver transplantation from April 2007 to May 2009 at Beijing Youan Hospital were analyzed retrospectively. Biliary anastomoses consisted of 10 single right hepatic duct to common hepatic duct anastomoses, 5 donor double branched ducts to recipient double branched ducts anastomoses, 5 single anastomoses between a donor double branched duct which had been converted to a single duct by ductoplasty to a single recipient bile duct, and 1 hepaticojejunostomy. A T-tube was inserted through the anterior wall of the common hepatic duct and splinted across the anastomosis in 2 recipients and a Y-tube was used in 1 recipient. Results 4 recipients died during the first post-transplant month. Another recipient received a retransplantation for acute liver necrosis. The remaining recipients were alive. The 1-year survival rate of the recipients was 77.65 %.5 patients developed biliary leakage and 2 patients developed biliary stricture. The 7 biliary complications were treated and cured by further surgical procedures. There was no significant difference in the biliary complications among the three different types of biliary anastomotic groups (x2 = 0. 659,P=0. 719). Conclusion The different types of biliary anastomoses can be used in living donor liver transplantation depending on the situations found in the donors and recipients. Continuous suturing on the posterior wall of the bile duct, interrupted suturing on the anterior wall and microsurgical techniques in biliary reconstruction are effective modalities to minimize biliary complications. Key words: Liver transplantation; Living donor; Right lobe graft; Biliary reconstruction