title: Operative injury to the hepatic artery. Consequences of a biliary-enteric anastomosis and principles for rational management.
abstract: Although the interruption of the hepatic arterial flow usually is well tolerated, this is not always the case, and it is important to predict in which circumstances complications are likely to occur. The main determinants that should guide the surgeon confronted with this problem are (1) whether the portal circulation is normal, (2) whether structures carrying collateral blood supply have been interrupted, and (3) whether some form of biliary reconstruction is needed. We present our experience with three patients in whom the hepatic artery was damaged at operation as examples of how this injury can be dealt with in practice and discuss the measures to prevent or treat the complications that developed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Cantonal University Hospital, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: P E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Majno
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Prêtre
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mentha
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Morel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000465:Algorithms; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003097:Collateral Circulation; D003135:Common Bile Duct / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006499:Hepatic Artery / Q000293:injuries*; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D007583:Jejunum / Q000601:surgery*; D008102:Liver Circulation; D008875:Middle Aged; D010180:Pancreatectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000601:surgery; D012086:Reoperation; D012307:Risk Factors