Surgical anatomy of the bile ducts at the hepatic hilum as applied to living donor liver transplantation.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate anatomic variations of the biliary tree as applied to living donor liver transplantation.


BACKGROUND
Anatomic variability is the rule rather than the exception in liver surgery. However, few studies have focused on the anatomic variations of the biliary tree in living donor liver transplantation in relation to biliary reconstruction.


METHODS
From November 1992 to June 2002, 165 patients underwent major hepatectomy with extrahepatic bile duct resection; right-sided hepatectomy in 110 patients and left-sided hepatectomy in 55. Confluence patterns of the intrahepatic bile ducts at the hepatic hilum in the surgical specimens were studied.


RESULTS
Confluence patterns of the right intrahepatic bile ducts were classified into 7 types. The right hepatic duct was absent in 4 of the 7 types and in 29 (26%) of the 110 livers. Confluence patterns of the left intrahepatic bile ducts were classified into 4 types. The left hepatic duct was absent in 1 of the 4 types and in 1 (2%) of the 55 livers.


CONCLUSIONS
In harvesting the right liver from a donor without a right hepatic duct, 2 or more bile duct stumps will be present in the plane of transection in the graft in 3 patterns based on their relation to the portal vein. Accurate knowledge of the variations in the hepatic confluence is essential for successful living donor liver transplantation.
Ohkubo
Masayuki
M
Department of Surgery, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan.
Nagino
Masato
M
Kamiya
Junichi
J
Yuasa
Norihiro
N
Oda
Koji
K
Arai
Toshiyuki
T
Nishio
Hideki
H
Nimura
Yuji
Y
D001652:Bile Ducts / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D017734:Bile Ducts, Extrahepatic; D001653:Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000517:prevention & control; D006498:Hepatectomy / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D019520:Living Donors; D008297:Male; D011168:Portal System / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity