Cryopreserved iliac artery is indispensable interposition graft material for middle hepatic vein reconstruction of right liver grafts.
Cryopreserved iliac vein grafts (IVGs) have often been used for reconstruction of middle hepatic vein (MHV) branches in right liver grafts, but their storage pool has often been exhausted in our institution due to the low incidence of deceased donor organ procurement. To overcome this shortage of IVG, we started to use cryopreserved iliac artery graft (IAG). During September and October 2004, we carried out 41 cases of adult living donor liver transplantation, including 29 right lobe grafts with MHV reconstruction. Interposition vessel grafts were autologous vein (n = 6), IVG (n = 13), and IAG (n = 10). IAG was used in 3 (21%) of 13 cases during the first month. For the next month, it was more frequently used (7 [44%] of 16) because handling of cryopreserved IAG was not difficult and its outcome was favorable. On follow-up with computed tomography for 3 months, outflow disturbance occurred in 1 (17%) of 6 autologous vein cases, in 2 (15%) of 13 IVG cases, and in 1 (10%) of 10 IAG cases. Two-month patency rate of IAG was not lower than that of IVG. In conclusion, we feel that cryopreserved IAG can be used as an interposition vessel graft for MHV reconstruction of right liver graft when cryopreserved IVG is not available.
Hwang
Shin
S
Division of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery and Liver Transplantation, Department of Surgery, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Lee
Sung-Gyu
SG
Ahn
Chul-Soo
CS
Park
Kwang-Min
KM
Kim
Ki-Hun
KH
Moon
Deok-Bog
DB
Ha
Tae-Yong
TY
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical / Q000379:methods; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015925:Cryopreservation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006084:Graft Rejection; D006085:Graft Survival; D006503:Hepatic Veins / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007083:Iliac Artery / Q000637:transplantation*; D008102:Liver Circulation / Q000502:physiology; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D019520:Living Donors; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods