Impact of preoperative uncontrollable hepatic hydrothorax and massive ascites in adult liver transplantation

Abstract

Uncontrollable hepatic hydrothorax and massive ascites (H&MA) requiring preoperative drainage are sometimes encountered in liver transplantation (LT). We retrospectively analyzed the characteristics of such patients and the impact of H&MA on the postoperative course. We evaluated 237 adult patients who underwent LT in our institute between April 2006 and October 2010. Recipients with uncontrollable H&MA (group HA: n = 36) had more intraoperative bleeding, higher Child-Pugh scores, lower serum albumin concentrations and higher blood urea nitrogen concentrations than those without uncontrollable H&MA (group C: n = 201). They were also more likely to have preoperative hepatorenal syndrome and infections. The incidence of postoperative bacteremia was higher (55.6 vs. 46.7%, P = 0.008) and the 1- and 3-year survival rates were lower (1 year: 58.9 vs. 82.9%; 3 years: 58.9 vs. 77.7%; P = 0.003) in group HA than in group C. The multivariate proportional regression analyses revealed that uncontrollable H&MA and the Child-Pugh score were independent risk factors for the postoperative prognosis. Postoperative infection control may be an important means of improving the outcome for patients with uncontrollable H&MA undergoing LT, and clinicians should strive to perform surgery before H&MA becomes uncontrollable.