Effect of preoperative splenectomy on the prognosis after liver transplantation

Abstract

Objective To investigate the influence of preoperative splenectomy on the prognosis after liver transplantation. Methods The retrospective cohort study was conducted. The clinical data of 95 patients who underwent liver transplantation in the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University between January 2004 and January 2014 were collected. Thirty-five patients undergoing preoperative splenectomy and pericardial devascularization and 60 undergoing spleen-preserving liver transplantation were allocated into the study group and control group, respectively. All patients received modified piggyback liver transplantation by the same team. Observation indicators: (1) intra- and post-operative situations; (2) follow-up and survival. The follow-up using telephone interview and outpatient examination was performed once every a week within 3 months postoperatively, once every one month within 6 months postoperatively and once every 3 months after 1 year postoperatively up to January 2016, including routine blood test, plasma-drug concentration of immunosuppressive agent and function of liver and kidney. Ultrasound and abdominal CT were used to monitor the long-term complication and survival. The measurement data with normal distribution were represented as ±s, and comparison between groups was done by the t test. Comparison of count data was done by the chi-square test. Results (1) Intra- and post-operative situations: all patients underwent successful liver transplantation. The operation time, volumes of intraoperative blood loss and blood transfusion were (483 ± 136) minutes, (5 683±2 950)mL, (4 887±3 682)mL in the study group and (392±103)minutes, (3 522±1 885)mL, (3 455±2 630)mL in the control group, respectively, with statistically significant differences between groups (t=3.683, 4.358, 2.202, P 0.05). The cases with postoperative infection, acute rejection, new-onset PVT in level 1-2 and 3-4 and PV stenosis were respectively 23, 0, 2, 0, 2 in the study group and 35, 1, 2, 0, 1 in the control group, with no statistically significant difference between groups (χ2=1.171, 0.590, 0.547, 1.184, P>0.05). Patients with postoperative infection and acute rejection were improved by symptomatic treatment. Two patients in the study group with PVT underwent anticoagulant and thrombolytic therapy, including 1 receiving interventional thrombectomy therapy. Two patients in the control group with new-onset PVT were cured by anticoagulant and thrombolytic therapy. Three patients with PV stenosis underwent percutaneous transhepatic portography (PTA) for balloon dilation, including 1 in the study group with good improvement after stent implantation. (2) Follow-up and survival: 95 patients were followed up for 3-24 months, with an average time of 18 months. During the follow-up, the rate of chronic rejection in study and control groups was 5.7%(2/35) and 5.0%(3/60), showing no statistically significant difference between groups (χ2=0.023, P>0.05). The 1- and 2-year accumulative survival rates were respectively 91.4%(32/35), 82.9%(29/35) in the study group and 93.3%(56/60), 76.7%(46/60) in the control group, with no statistically significant difference between groups (χ2=0.780, P>0.05). Conclusion The splenectomy before liver transplantation is easy to form PVT, increase time and difficulty of transplantation surgery, however, it doesn′t increase complication risk after transplantation and affect postoperative survival. Key words: Liver diseases; Liver transplantation; Splenectomy; Portal vein; Complications