Hepatic artery complications after liver transplantation.
We present the arterial complications arising from 100 orthotopic liver transplants (OLT) carried out in 87 consecutive patients. Mean patient age was 42.5 +/- 12.8 years (7-63). There was a predominance of male patients (67%). The most common indications were hepatic cirrhosis (53%) and severe acute hepatitis insufficiency (14%). The donor liver presented 29 arterial malformations, mainly a left hepatic artery arising from the left gastric artery, either as a single or associated anomaly. Only six arterial complications appeared in 4 of the 87 patients. Of these six, four corresponded to arterial thrombosis, and the remaining two to arterial stenosis and a ruptured mycotic aortic aneurysm. Two of the 4 patients had a double arterial complication (one had arterial thrombosis in 2 of the 3 grafts, and the other presented arterial thrombosis and aortic rupture). No arterial complications were related to arterial anomalies in the donor liver. Three of the 4 patients died from the complication. The 1-year actuarial survival rate in our series is 77.5%. In conclusion, arterial complications are infrequent in our series (6%) but do carry a high mortality rate (75%).
Sánchez-Bueno
F
F
Department of General Surgery, Virgen de la Arrixaca University Hospital, Murcia, Spain.
Robles
R
R
Ramírez
P
P
Acosta
F
F
Rodríguez
J M
JM
Luján
J
J
Pons
J A
JA
Aguilar
J
J
Parrilla
P
P
D000328:Adult; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006499:Hepatic Artery / Q000002:abnormalities; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017093:Liver Failure / Q000601:surgery; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D016019:Survival Analysis; D015996:Survival Rate; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000209:etiology*
D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents