Implantable Doppler probe for continuous monitoring of blood flow after liver transplantation.
OBJECTIVE
Hepatic artery and portal vein thromboses after liver transplantation remain significant causes of graft loss. Doppler ultrasonography is useful for detecting the thrombosis early. Doppler examination requires specialized equipment and training. However the results depend on the skill of the operator.


METHODS
We developed a new Doppler probe that can be implanted in the abdominal cavity. The probe was used for 48 hours in 10 living donor liver transplantation patients.


RESULTS
In all recipients, hepatic arterial and portal flows were monitored continuously. The medical staff could easily operate the ultrasonography system at the bedside.


CONCLUSIONS
The technique was useful for detecting hepatic blood flow for 48 hours after liver transplantation.
Kaneko
Junichi
J
Artificial Organ and Transplantation Division, Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
Sugawara
Yasuhiko
Y
Akamatsu
Nobuhisa
N
Kishi
Yoji
Y
Kokudo
Norihiro
N
Makuuchi
Masatoshi
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006499:Hepatic Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000295:instrumentation; D011169:Portal Vein / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*; D011182:Postoperative Care; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000502:physiology; D014159:Transducers; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler / Q000295:instrumentation*