title: [Surgical techniques in liver transplantation].
abstract: Liver transplantation (LT) is probably the biggest surgical aggression that a patient can endure. It was considered only as a last option in the era of experimental LT, yet it evolved into the definitive treatment for some types of acute and chronic end stage liver disease. In terms of technique LT is the most complex of all types of transplantations. The surgical procedure in itself is well established and has changed little through time. Liver transplantation owes its improvement to better and more systematic anesthetic procedures and to perioperative care more than being due to improvement of the surgical technique. The first surgical procedure was described by Thomas Starzl in 1969. His initial work has been strengthened with the development of venous bypass, the refinement in vascular and biliary reconstruction technique and the development of the split liver. Up to date technical aspects of orthotopic liver transplantation are described in the present article.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Cirugía, Programa de Trasplante Hepático del Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, México, DF. carchan@quetzal.innsz.mx
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Juan José
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Plata-Muñoz
authors.forename: Bernardo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Franssen
mesh_terms: D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D001652:Bile Ducts / Q000601:surgery; D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical; D004386:Duodenum / Q000601:surgery; D006498:Hepatectomy / Q000379:methods; D006499:Hepatic Artery / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000098:blood supply / Q000601:surgery; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D011169:Portal Vein / Q000601:surgery; D014019:Tissue Donors; D020858:Tissue and Organ Harvesting / Q000379:methods; D014682:Vena Cava, Inferior / Q000601:surgery