title: Hepatic vein reconstruction in living donor liver transplantation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Living donor liver transplantation has emerged as a response to the cadaveric graft shortage, especially for adult recipients. Both right and left liver grafts are widely used, although some technical problems remain unresolved. Herein we describe our technique for reconstruction of the venous outflow in living donor liver transplantation.
  
  
  METHODS
  From April 1986 to September 2004, 1012 liver transplantations were performed including 30 living donor liver transplantations between April 1995 and September 2004. We have selected the first 28 cases to ensure a mean follow-up of 21.07 +/- 13.11 months. We transplanted 18 right lobe grafts, 7 left lobe grafts, and 3 left lateral segment grafts. A surgical technique is described herein.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No venous outflow obstruction developed among living donor liver transplantation recipients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We recommend reconstruction of the hepatic veins in living donor liver transplantation including joining together the three hepatic veins in the recipient to avoid venous outflow obstruction.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Cirugia General, Aparato Digestivo y Trasplante de Organos Abdominales, Hospital 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain. morenoalmudena@hotmail.com
authors.forename: A Moreno
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Elola-Olaso
authors.forename: E Moreno
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
authors.forename: J C Meneu
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Diaz
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Garcia García
authors.forename: M Abradelo
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Usera
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Romero
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Perez-Saborido
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fraile
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Manrique
mesh_terms: D005190:Family; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006498:Hepatectomy / Q000379:methods*; D006503:Hepatic Veins / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D019520:Living Donors; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020858:Tissue and Organ Harvesting / Q000379:methods*