Piggyback Technique Research Articles

Matching the opposites: liver transplantation from a situs viscerum inversus totalis donor

AbstractSitus viscerum inversus totalis (SIT) is a rare congenital anomaly. Deceased donors with this condition are often declined because of the technical issues in both the organ’s procurement and its transplant. Only eight cases of deceased donor organs with SIT were reported to be used for liver transplantation (LT). We herein present a case of LT using a graft from an SIT donor: a modified retroversus piggyback technique was used. A 15 year-old female was referred to our institution as a potential donor. An SIT condition was discovered during standard donor evaluation together with the presence of a complex triple arterial pedicle. Procurement operative time was 125 min, from skin incision to cross-clamp. Liver extraction occurred 32 min after cold flush. The recipient was a 56 year-old male affected by recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) on hepatitis C related liver cirrhosis. Position and orientation trials of the graft were made and it was decided to implant it with the retroversus technique. Direct duct-to-duct biliary reconstruction was achieved. The postoperative course was uneventful. To our knowledge, this is the first implant with retroversus technique combined to direct biliary reconstruction and the first repetition of that technique. Cases like this highlight how technical complexity can be overcome leading to successful management of difficult scenarios in a safe manner.

Failure to Oxygenate during Cardiopulmonary Bypass; Treatment Options and Intervention Algorithm

Membrane oxygenator failure remains a concern for perfusion teams. Successful outcomes for this low-frequency, high-risk intervention are predicated on having written institutional protocols for both the oxygenator change-out procedure as well as how often the procedure is practiced by staff perfusionists. A recent review of peer-reviewed journal articles, textbooks and online resources revealed a lack of a unified intervention algorithm for failure to oxygenate during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). While an oxygenator change-out procedure may still be considered the gold standard for a confirmed device failure, temporizing measures exist that, in select cases, can afford time to the clinical team and even obviate the need for an oxygenator change-out procedure. We now consider the venous piggyback technique sourcing blood from the venous limb of the circuit a first-line intervention to afford enhanced patient safety while the clinical team decides on required interventions when oxygenator failure presents during CPB.

Liver Transplantation for Benign Massive Hepatomegaly: Results From a Single Center and Contribution of the Left-to-Right Piggyback Approach

IntroductionPolycystic liver disease and giant hepatic hemangioma may present with severe symptom burden and indicate orthotopic liver transplantation. The left-to-right piggyback approach is a useful technique for performing total hepatectomy of enlarged livers. ObjectiveThe purpose of this study is to analyze the results of liver transplantation in patients with benign massive hepatomegaly. MethodsThis is a single-center retrospective study involving all adult patients who underwent liver transplantation due to benign massive hepatomegaly from January 2002 to June 2023. ResultsA total of 22 patients underwent liver transplantation (21 cases of polycystic live disease and 1 case of giant hepatic hemangioma). During the same time, there were 2075 transplants; therefore, benign massive hepatomegaly accounted for 1.06% of cases. Most patients (59.09%) were transplanted using the left-to-right piggyback technique. Seven patients had previous attempted treatment of hepatic cysts. Another patient previously underwent bilateral nephrectomy and living-donor kidney transplantation. Among these patients, in 5 cases there were massive abdominal adhesions with increased bleeding. Four of these 8 patients died in the very early perioperative period. In comparison to patients without previous cysts manipulation, massive adhesions and perioperative death were significantly higher in those cases (62.5 vs 0%, P = .002 and 50% vs 0%, P = .004, respectively). ConclusionLiver transplantation due to polycystic liver disease and giant hemangioma is a rare event. Total hepatectomy is challenging due to the enlarged native liver. The left-to-right piggyback technique is useful, because it avoids vena cava twisting and avulsion of its branches. Massive adhesions due to previous cysts manipulation may lead to increased bleeding, being a risk factor for mortality.

Outcomes of Combined Liver-Kidney Transplantation – Single Center Experience

There is continuous growth of combined liver-kidney transplantation (CLKTx) numbers with remarkable outcomes, especially among patient with liver cirrhosis and end-stage renal disease. The aim was to present a single center experience. Twenty patients (9 males) with a mean age of 48 (range: 20-62) years underwent CLKTx from 2005 to 2022. Indications were polycystic liver and kidney diseases (ADPKD) in 12 cases, cirrhosis due to hepatitis (4 patients), and 1 case of amyloidosis, alcoholic liver disease, nonalcoholic steatosis, and congenital hepatic fibrosis with concomitant glomerulonephritis. After hepatectomy, half of the patients had orthotopic liver transplantation with piggy-back technique, and the other had conventional technique. All but 1 recipient had biliary end-to-end anastomosis. 3 patients had preemptive kidney graft transplantation. 4 underwent simultaneous right-side nephrectomy due to volume of the right kidney. Kidney was transplanted from the separate incision after abdominal closure with typical anastomoses. Tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetile, basiliximab, and steroids were applied for all recipients. Mean follow-up was 57.7 ± 54 months. No primary non-function of the grafts occurred. Delayed kidney graft function (DGF) occurred in 8 patients. Three-month, 1-year, and 5-year cumulative survival rates were: 90%, 80%, and 72% respectively. None of the patients required retransplantation, and 1 recipient returned to hemodialysis 19 months after transplantation. Preemptive kidney transplantation and simultaneous right-side nephrectomy were not significant for DGF and recipient survival. No deaths within the first year occurred in piggy-back technique. CLKTx is safe and effective in the treatment of both liver and kidney failure.

The effects of venovenous bypass use in liver transplantation with piggyback technique: a propensity score-weighted analysis.

Venovenous bypass (VVB) use during liver transplantation (LT) is notably variable among the centres and it is actually restricted to surgically complex cases, severely unstable recipients or grafts from high-risk donors. Historically, VVB was associated with the classical LT with caval cross clamping, while not much is known about the safety of this technique applied to piggyback LT. This retrospective observational study evaluated the effects of VVB applied to piggyback LT on mortality, hospital outcomes, postoperative graft and other organ dysfunction. We retrospectively collected data about recipient status, surgical complexity and graft quality of all the piggyback LTs performed at the Transplant Unit of IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Italy, from January 2012 to December 2022. A propensity score (PS) was built taking into account the variables possibly associated with either VVB choice and the investigated outcomes with the average treatment overlap method. PS-weighted general linear models (GLMs) were developed to investigate the adjusted effect of VVB use on the selected outcomes. The final analysis included 874 LT cases, of whom 74 (8.5%) underwent VVB. The effective sample sizes after PS-weighting were 280.2 and 64.3 patients in the no-VVB and VVB groups, respectively. PS-weighted GLMs did not show any differences regarding hospital and graft-related outcomes. However, significantly higher odds ratios for serum creatinine > 2mg/dL and AKIN stage 2 or 3 during the first 24h after ICU admission together with a higher renal replacement therapy need during ICU stay were reported for VVB exposure in the weighted analyses. This study suggests similar mortality and length of stay but a higher risk for postoperative acute kidney injury in patients undergoing piggyback LT with VVB.

Comparison of modified piggyback, standard piggyback and conventional orthotopic liver transplantation techniques: a network meta-analysis

Comparison of modified piggyback, standard piggyback and conventional orthotopic liver transplantation techniques: a network meta-analysis

A case of successful treatment of arterial and biliary complications in a patient after liver transplantation

In April, 2018, a 57-year old patient with cirrhosis of the liver (Child-Turcotte-Pugh B class) during the outcome of viral hepatitis B and C was performed Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt (TIPS); and in June, 2018 – liver transplantation (LТ) from a deceased donor by Piggyback technique. In the postoperative period, abscesses in the left and right lobes of the liver and thrombosis of the hepatic artery thrombosis (HAT) were noticed. Balloon dilatations of biliary stricture with changes of biliary drainage were made during the period of 2 years. In May, 2022, according to the results of angiography, hepatic artery and its branches were seen up to segmental level that meant natural revascularization. Considering the low efficiency of the balloon plastic procedures carried out, there was formed trihepaticojejunostomy on the loop of the small intestine disconnected according to Roux-en-Y. The follow-up period is one and a half years; there are no signs of cholangitis and biliary hypertension.There is no unified scheme of treatment for vascular and biliary complications in the clinics engaged in LТ, because every technique has both advantages and disadvantages. The idea of choice between intervention revascularization, transplantation and surgical reconstruction in the treatment of arterial thrombosis still remains incompletely understood.

Early occurrence of acute myelomonocytic leukemia (M4/M5) after liver transplantation: a case report

IntroductionAcute myeloid leukemia is a rare event in post-liver-transplantation recipients. In the present report, we described a case of extramedullary acute myeloid leukemia, M4/M5 subtype, following orthotopic liver transplant.Case presentationThe patient was a 50-year-old Iranian woman who underwent orthotopic liver transplant due to hepatitis B-related cirrhosis (Child C, MELD (model for end-stage liver disease score) = 22). Orthotopic liver transplant was performed using the piggy back technique in January 2022. Induction immunosuppressive therapy was 1 gm methylprednisolone for 3 days followed by a triple maintenance immunosuppressive regimen including mycophenolate mofetil, prednisolone, and tacrolimus. About 5 months after orthotopic liver transplant in June 2022, the patient presented with leukocytosis, with white blood cell count of 99.4 × 103/µl, and physical examination revealed only cervical lymphadenopathy. Biopsy of cervical lymph nodes showed a myeloid tumor. She was immediately hospitalized. Eight hours after hospitalization, the patient gradually developed lethargy and decreased O2 saturation to approximately 89%. Flow cytometry demonstrated the markers of a myelomonocytic acute myeloid leukemia (M4/M5). Cytoreduction was immediately started by intensive leukopheresis followed by induction therapy. Because of a septic complication during the induction therapy, further chemotherapy was discontinued and broad-spectrum antibiotics and antifungal treatments started. Unfortunately, our patient died of severe septic shock 42 days after hospitalization.ConclusionAcute myeloid leukemia is a rare phenomenon after liver transplantation, and it can follow a rapidly fatal clinical course.

Perioperative clinical practice in liver transplantation: a cross-sectional survey.

The objective of this study was to describe some components of the perioperative practice in liver transplantation as reported by clinicians. We conducted a cross-sectional clinical practice survey using an online instrument containing questions on selected themes related to the perioperative care of liver transplant recipients. We sent email invitations to Canadian anesthesiologists, Canadian surgeons, and French anesthesiologists specialized in liver transplantation. We used five-point Likert-type scales (from "never" to "always") and numerical or categorical answers. Results are presented as medians or proportions. We obtained answers from 130 participants (estimated response rate of 71% in Canada and 26% in France). Respondents reported rarely using transesophageal echocardiography routinely but often using it for hemodynamic instability, often using an intraoperative goal-directed hemodynamic management strategy, and never using a phlebotomy (medians from ordinal scales). Fifty-nine percent of respondents reported using a restrictive fluid management strategy to manage hemodynamic instability during the dissection phase. Forty-two percent and 15% of respondents reported using viscoelastic tests to guide intraoperative and postoperative transfusions, respectively. Fifty-four percent of respondents reported not pre-emptively treating preoperative coagulations disturbances, and 91% reported treating them intraoperatively only when bleeding was significant. Most respondents (48-64%) did not have an opinion on the maximal graft ischemic times. Forty-seven percent of respondents reported that a piggyback technique was the preferred vena cava anastomosis approach. Different interventions were reported to be used regarding most components of perioperative care in liver transplantation. Our results suggest that significant equipoise exists on the optimal perioperative management of this population.

Acute Liver Failure Secondary to Anthocyanidin Use–A Case Report

Drug-induced liver injury has become the main cause of acute liver failure (ALF). Injury may be dose-dependent or occur idiosyncratically. We report the case of a 37-year-old female patient admitted with grade 4 hepatic encephalopathy. Morosil use was initiated 30 days prior, and after 2 weeks, the case evolved with jaundice and diarrhea interspersed with constipation when the medication was discontinued. Morosil is a dry extract of the juice of red Moro oranges (Citrus species), grown in eastern Sicily (Italy). It is an important source of anthocyanidin pigments, which act as antioxidants and are used in the care and prevention of obesity, insulin resistance, hepatic steatosis, and cardiovascular diseases. According to the clinical picture and tests performed, the diagnosis of ALF was confirmed,bythe criteria of Clichy and King's College. The patient was listed for liver transplantation as a priority, with the model for end stage liver disease (MELD) score: 41. Orthotopic liver transplantation was uneventfully performed using the Piggy-back technique. There are few reports in the literature of acute liver injury by other Citrus species, and we found no case reports of ALF related to the use of Morosil.

Piggyback Technique-A Safe Way of Performing Rib Biopsy.

Rib biopsy can be challenging. A spectrum of bone biopsy techniques are available to undertake Rib Bone biopsy and yield a histological specimen. In this technical report, we described a new Piggyback technique of performing rib biopsy to decrease the incidence of pneumothorax and consolidate diagnostic accuracy.

Comparison of the Modified Piggyback with Standard Piggyback and Conventional Orthotopic Liver Transplantation Techniques: A Network Meta-Analysis

Comparison of the Modified Piggyback with Standard Piggyback and Conventional Orthotopic Liver Transplantation Techniques: A Network Meta-Analysis

Experience of liver transplantation in the regional clinical hospital

The purpose of the study is to summarize the first experience of liver transplants. Material and methods. Liver transplantation was performed at the Regional Clinical Hospital. 5 liver transplants from a posthumous donor were performed. Based on the available data, the analysis was carried out according to the following criteria: gender, age, MELD- Na index, cause of liver cirrhosis, method of liver transplantation, duration of surgery, postoperative complications, average bed-day, outcome. Results. In total, 5 liver transplants were performed from a posthumous donor. Among the patients there was 1 man and 4 women. The age of men is 41 years, women are 55.4 ± 9.2 years on average. The MELD- Na index is from 15 to 28, on average 17.8 ± 5.1. When transplanting a cadaveric liver, the method of classical orthotopic liver transplantation was used in 4 cases, in one the piggyback technique was used. The duration of surgical intervention in minutes averaged 394 ± 17.4. Postoperative complications on the Clavien-Dindo scale ranged from I to IIIb. The average bed-day of the patient’s stay in the hospital is 20.2 ± 8.9, including 6.2 ± 1.7 days in the intensive care unit. In all 5 cases, the outcome of liver transplantation is satisfactory. Conclusion. The first results of liver transplantation on the basis of the Regional Clinical Hospital showed that performing such a level of operations is possible in a multidisciplinary medical institution.

Comparison of Three Inferior Vena Cava Reconstruction Techniques in Adult Orthotopic Liver Transplantation: Result From King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Thailand

BackgroundIn orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT), 3 caval reconstruction techniques are being performed worldwide. These are conventional, piggyback technique, and side-to-side cavocaval anastomosis (CCA). Each has its own advantages and drawbacks. Herein we report the result from our hospital comparing the 3 techniques. MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed the detail of OLT performed from January 2008 to March 2020. Data being collected included type of caval reconstruction, blood loss, operative time, ischemic time, length of stay in the intensive care unit (ICU) and total hospital stay, and several postoperative complications. ResultsIn the given period, 11 conventional, 90 piggyback, and 113 CCA caval reconstruction were done. There were no statistically significant differences in blood loss, operative time, cold ischemic time, and length of ICU and hospital stay. The CCA group had the lowest warm ischemic time (40 minutes) followed by the piggyback technique (43 minutes) and the conventional technique (47 minutes; P < .001). Regarding postoperative complications, there were no statistically significant differences in rate of primary nonfunction, early allograft dysfunction, hepatic artery/portal vein/biliary complication, or rate of acute kidney injury. The hepatic venous outflow complication rate was indifferent between 3 groups. ConclusionsThe present study showed no difference in outflow obstruction rate among the 3 techniques. The choice for reconstruction should rely on the preference of each institute and the suitability of each patient. The CCA technique may provide the lowest warm ischemic time.

Piggyback mounting for stent and valve deployment during percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation

We report our experience in simultaneously implanting multiple stents and valves mounted on a single balloon before and during transcatheter pulmonary valve placement. Heterogeneity and complexity of the right ventricular outflow tract(RVOT) may complicate stent deployment when preparing a landing zone for transcatheter pulmonary valve implantation. Retrospective analysis of patients from Children's Hospital of Colorado, USA; and Oslo University Hospital, Norway, undergoing transcatheter pulmonary valve replacement that had at least twostents mounted on a single balloon, deployed in the RVOT. Over a 42-month period, a total of 50 subjects from the two centers met inclusion criteria for the study. Subjects were predominantly male (58%), and the median age was 17 years (4-78 years). In six subjects (12%), there was need for prestenting with use of the double or triple stent piggyback technique. Forty subjects (80%) had a Melody ™ TPV implanted. In 45 cases (90%),one or more stents were mounted over the pulmonary valve using its delivery system, either the Ensemble for the Melody™ TPV or the Edwards Commander for the SAPIEN 3 THV. Thirty-sevensubjects (74%) had one stent mounted and eight subjects (16%) had two stents mounted over the pulmonary valve for simultaneous deployment. No complications related to this technique were reported. The piggyback technique aims to simplify and facilitate adequate conduit preparation and valve insertion by minimizing manipulation across the outflow tract and decreasing the risk of stent distortion, misalignment, and embolization.

Orthodontic Management of Ectopically Erupted Maxillary Central Incisor: A Case Report

Maxillary anterior teeth are often referred to as “social six”; if ectopically placed affect the quality of life of the patient. This article presents a case report of a skeletal class II patient with Angle’s class II malocclusion and ectopically erupted right maxillary central incisor which is managed with fixed orthodontics. This highlights the importance of proper history taking, careful examination, and proper investigations in reaching the diagnosis and formulation of the treatment plan. This case report also explains how the piggyback technique can be used for the traction of ectopically placed maxillary incisors and bring about satisfactory results and improve the confidence and self-esteem of the patient.

Hepatic Venous Outflow Obstruction in Adult Deceased Donor Liver Transplantation: Classic Piggyback Implantation Versus a Modified Technique that Widens the Ostium of the Recipient's Left and Middle Hepatic Veins

The classic piggyback technique uses the union of the 3 hepatic veins to perform the cavo-caval anastomosis. However, due to the lateral localization of the right hepatic vein, the partial clamping of the vena cava in this technique significantly reduces the venous return to the right atrium. To avoid this, we adopted in 2015 a modified piggyback technique, in which we use the common trunk of the middle and left hepatic veins and also perform a lateral incision toward the right in the anterior wall of the vena cava in order to widen the final ostium of the cavo-caval anastomosis. The aim of the study was to analyze the incidence of hepatic venous outflow obstruction between those 2 techniques. Retrospective study of liver transplant recipients undergoing venography for suspected hepatic venous outflow obstruction from January 2009 to June 2021. Patients undergoing transplantation with living donors or split grafts and pediatric cases were excluded from the study. From January 2009 to December 2014 and from January 2015 to June 2021, 587 (group 1) and 730 (group 2) deceased-donor liver transplants were performed with the classic and the modified piggyback techniques, respectively. The incidence of cases with suspected hepatic venous outflow obstruction in groups 1 and 2 were 1.87% (n=11) and 0.95% (n=7), respectively (P=0,15). The number of confirmed patients with outflow blockage that required endovascular treatment during venography in groups 1 and 2 were 4 (0.68%) and 5 (0.68%), respectively (P=0,31). This modified piggyback technique did not increase the incidence of hepatic venous outflow obstruction at our service.

Piggyback Stacking and Booster Clipping Technique: A Technical Note

In certain cases, the closing force of a single vascular clip is not sufficient for complete aneurysmal occlusion, and the use of multiple clips, or clip stacking, is required. Many stacking techniques have been described in the literature, such as in tandem stacking and overstacking. However, these may not be feasible during procedures with limited exposure or narrow corridors. Clip reinforcement with a second high-pressure booster clip, also known as the piggyback technique, is an alternative for these cases along with anatomically complex aneurysms or aneurysms demonstrating atypical morphological features. Although this technique has been cited as a potential resource for certain aneurysms, descriptions of its characteristics and advantages are scarce. The purpose of this technical note was to discuss our experience with the piggyback clipping technique and use of a booster clip for a partially embolized and recanalized saccular posterior communicating artery aneurysm in a 50 year-old patient.

Liver transplant program at Botkin Hospital. Experience of 100 surgeries

Objective: to present an analysis of the results of 100 cadaveric liver transplants performed at Botkin Hospital from July 2018 to October 2021. Materials and methods. From July 2018 to October 2021, 100 orthotopic liver transplantation (LTx) from a deceased donor were performed at the surgical clinic of Botkin Hospital. The recipients were 58 males (58%) and 42 females (42%). The mean age of the recipients was 48.73 ± 8.56 (24–66) years, while their mean MELD was 19.54 ± 4.35 (15–33). The main indications for LTx were cirrhosis resulting from chronic viral hepatitis (CVH) C (52%), nutritional-toxic cirrhosis (20%), autoimmune liver and bile duct disease (18%), CVH B (7%), and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) (3%). During the period under study, 119 potential liver transplant donors were evaluated. The mean age of the donors was 44.2 ± 11.12 (21–63) years. Median levels of sodium, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and bilirubin were 141 (138–146) mmol/L, 27 (20.7–47.4) units/L, 25 (17–41.5) units/L, and 9.65 (6.42–13.7) μmol/L, respectively. The median graft hepatic steatosis was 10% (5–15). LTx was performed using the piggyback technique (99/100 cases) and classic technique with inferior vena cava resection (1/100). End-to-end porto-portal vein anastomosis was performed (99/100 cases). Anastomosis of the donor organ’s portal vein with the recipient’s left gastric vein due to occlusive thrombosis of the recipient’s portal vein was carried out (1/100). In all cases, a continuous end-to-end arterial anastomosis was formed. End-to-end choledochocholedochal anastomotic strictures (95/100) and end-to-side hepaticojejunostomy (5/100) were formed. Results. Median cold ischemia time was 312.5 minutes (280–380). Mean operative time was 488.91 ± 65.34 (95% CI: 475.9–501.9) minutes, median intraoperative blood loss was 1000 (600–1500) mL. Thirty-day mortality was 2% (Clavien–Dindo class V). Early postoperative complications (Clavien–Dindo class IIIa–IVa) developed in 12/100 patients (12%). Graft arterial thrombosis occurred in 3 cases (3%), biliary anastomotic strictures in 6 (6%), and subhepatic hematoma in 2 (2%). The average intensive care unit (ICU) bed day was 2.34 ± 1.67 (1–8). Total postoperative bed-day was 14.63 ± 5.35 (10–39). During case follow-up, a prolonged form of calcineurin inhibitor (CNI) was administered as immunosuppressive therapy in mono regimen (85 patients), in combination with mycophenolic acid derivatives (7), and in combination with everolimus (6). Of the 93 patients, 46 patients (49.46%) had the new coronavirus infection (COVID-19) before or after transplantation; in no case did COVID-19 lead to death. Six patients (13.04%) were hospitalized due to COVID-19. To date, 33/93 (25.48%) patients have been vaccinated, resulting in 75 (75%) liver transplant recipients immune to COVID-19. The overall 1-year survival rate was 95% and the 3-year survival rate was 91%. Conclusion. Introduction of LTx in multidisciplinary hospitals allows to, already at the start of the program, achieve immediate and long-term treatment outcomes (in decompensated diffuse liver disease) that are comparable to those of leading transplantation centers.

Situs Inversus Totalis: A Clinical Review

Situs inversus totalis is a rare congenital abnormality characterized by a mirror-image transposition of both the abdominal and the thoracic organs. While this anomaly is known since the ancient times, practicing doctors do not have much experience with it. Laterality is established early in development, and any failure in that process might lead to a wide variety of disorders which may be partial or complete. Situs solitus describes the normal anatomy, situs inversus is the complete reversal, and situs ambiguous is used for any other abnormality of left-right development. Sidedness is regulated by genes: over 100 genes have been linked to laterality defects. Frequency of situs inversus is 1:10,000 and is more frequent in males: 1.5:1. Advanced imaging modalities can be used to assess fine anatomical details, which play a crucial role in these cases to plan radiologic or surgical interventions. Percutaneous biliary procedures, portal vein embolization are really challenging procedures in SIT patients due to the mirror effect. As most surgeons are right-handed, SIT operations can cause difficulties: handling the instruments with their left hand or the pedals with their left foot can be uncomfortable Organ, especially liver transplantation represents an extraordinary surgical challenge. Solutions to overcome the anatomic differences include the use of segment or reduced size graft with rotation, modified piggy-back technique, side to-side caval anastomosis, and vascular conduit. Because of its rarity and special nature, surgical patients with situs inversus may require more flexibility and creativity from the surgical team.