Duct-to-duct biliary reconstruction in living-related liver transplantation.
BACKGROUND
Bile duct-to duct reconstruction is now used in living-related liver transplantation for adult patients. However, the feasibility remains controversial.


METHODS
Bile duct-to-duct reconstruction was performed in 25 adult patients. In the total hepatectomy of the patients, the hilar plate was dissected at the second-order branch of the bile ducts. The anastomosis was performed using an interrupted suture with an external stent tube. A C tube was inserted from the stump of the cystic duct and introduced into the duodenum.


RESULTS
All of the patients survived the operation. During the observation period ranging from 34 to 345 days, biliary complications were observed in 8% cases. Dilation of the bile ducts and an absence of bile output were recognized in one patient each, and necessitated surgical revision.


CONCLUSIONS
Our preliminary experience in biliary reconstruction seems to warrant its long-term observation in the postoperative period.
Sugawara
Yasuhiko
Y
Artificial Organ and Transplantation Division, Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan.
Makuuchi
Masatoshi
M
Sano
Keiji
K
Ohkubo
Takao
T
Kaneko
Junichi
J
Takayama
Tadatoshi
T
D000328:Adult; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D001652:Bile Ducts / Q000601:surgery*; D005190:Family; D006498:Hepatectomy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D019520:Living Donors; D008875:Middle Aged; D012086:Reoperation; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative / Q000379:methods*