Biliary tract complications in orthotopic adult liver transplantation.
In a series of orthotopic liver transplantations performed between April and August 1987 at the University of Pittsburgh, the monofilament absorbable suture polyglyconate was compared with a braided absorbable suture, polyglactin 910, for its biliary complication rate over a 6-month postoperative period. Complications that were suture-related (obstruction or leak from the anastomotic site) occurred in 1 of 21 transplantations in the polyglyconate group compared with 8 of 26 in the polyglactin 910 group (p = 0.02). Even though the patient sample was relatively small, it appears that the type of suture used for the biliary anastomosis directly correlates with the outcome. A larger patient trial could confirm these initial results.
Wilson
B J
BJ
Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pennsylvania.
Marsh
J W
JW
Makowka
L
L
Stieber
A C
AC
Koneru
B
B
Todo
S
S
Tzakis
A
A
Gordon
R D
RD
Starzl
T E
TE
D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D001660:Biliary Tract Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D002768:Choledochostomy; D003135:Common Bile Duct / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D011098:Polyglactin 910 / Q000009:adverse effects; D011108:Polymers / Q000009:adverse effects; D013537:Sutures / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods
D011108:Polymers; D011098:Polyglactin 910; C046409:polyglyconate