The value of color Doppler ultrasonography in monitoring normal orthotopic liver transplantation and postoperative complications.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the value of color Doppler ultrasonography in monitoring normal orthotopic liver transplantation and postoperative complications.


METHODS
Forty-one patients after orthotopic liver transplantation were examined by using color Doppler flow imaging to observe the hepatic blood flow and change of ultrasonography of the hepatic parenchyma and bile duct. The measured indexes included maximum blood flow velocity, time-average blood flow velocity (TAV), resistance index (RI) and diameter of the bile duct.


RESULTS
Among 41 patients, 17 (41.5%) suffered from liver transplant rejection. Of the 17 patients, 13 (76.4%) showed decrease of TAV of the portal vein, 15 (88.25%) low-amplitude single-phase serrated wave or negative biphasic wave of the hepatic vein, 9 (52.9%) increased hepatic arterial RI, and 5 (29.4%) slightly dilated bile duct. Sonography showed disappearance of the hepatic artery blood flow around the portal vein in 5 (12.2%) of the 41 patients with hepatic artery thrombosis in the postoperative period. Slight dilatation of the intrahepatic bile duct was found in 3 (7.3%) of the 41 patients in the early postoperational period and it normalized within 2 weeks. Ultrasonography of 20 patients (48.8%) revealed a visible dilatation of the intrahepatic bile duct, which was worsening gradually. The causes of bile duct dilatation included biliary stricture in 2 patients (10%), stone in 15 patients (75%) and others in 3 patients (15%).


CONCLUSIONS
Color Doppler ultrasonography is valuable for monitoring normal liver transplantation and postoperative complications.
Department of Ultrasound, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China. hdz027@hotmail.com
Dao-Zhong
DZ
Huang
Gui-Rong
GR
Le
Qing-Ping
QP
Zhang
Kai-Yan
KY
Li
Qi-Fa
QF
Ye
Wei
W
Zhu
Yun-Chao
YC
Chen
D001649:Bile Duct Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D001652:Bile Ducts / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008102:Liver Circulation / Q000502:physiology; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color / Q000379:methods*