title: Hepatic artery reconstruction in living-donor liver transplantation: a review of its techniques and complications.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hepatic arterial reconstruction is one of the most difficult procedures in living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT) because the artery used is generally small in diameter and has a short stalk. If hepatic artery thrombosis (HAT) occurs, the recipient clinical course will be unstable. The introduction of microvascular hepatic arterial reconstruction has significantly decreased the incidence of HAT.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-two cases of LDLT were performed from October 1995 to May 2001 in our institution. Hepatic arterial reconstruction was performed under microscopic guidance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HATs were recognized in 2 cases (3.8%), both of which needed reoperation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Surgeons who perform hepatic arterial reconstruction in LDLT should be highly trained in microvascular techniques to decrease the incidence of HAT. This commentary reviews the surgical techniques of hepatic arterial reconstruction and possible complications that may arise in a reconstructed hepatic artery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Hideaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Uchiyama
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.forename: Shoji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hiroshige
authors.forename: Noboru
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Harada
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Soejima
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nishizaki
authors.forename: Mitsuo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shimada
authors.forename: Taketoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Suehiro
mesh_terms: D006499:Hepatic Artery / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D019520:Living Donors; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods