Hepatic artery thrombosis after adult living donor liver transplantation: the effect of center volume.
BACKGROUND
To investigate whether center volume impacts the rate hepatic artery thrombosis (HAT) and patient survival after adult living donor liver transplantation (ALDLT).


METHODS
Patients with HAT who were listed as Status 1 in the Organ Procurement Transplant Network database were included in the study. Recipients of ALDLT were compared to those who received a deceased donor liver transplant (DDLT).


RESULTS
Recipients of ALDLT had a higher rate of HAT than recipients of DDLT. Centers that performed less than four adult ALDLT had a higher rate of HAT than other higher volume centers. "Novice" centers had a worse graft and patient survival than those with more experience in ALDLT. Recipients who had HAT experienced a worse patient survival than those who did not.


CONCLUSIONS
Centers with higher volume have a lower rate of HAT and a better patient and graft survival in ALDLT. Clearer regulations and focus on overcoming the learning curve might be needed to increase the utilization of ALDLT.
Salvalaggio
Paolo R
PR
Department of Surgery, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63131, USA. psalvala@slu.edu
Modanlou
Kian A
KA
Edwards
Erick B
EB
Harper
Ann M
AM
Abecassis
Michael M
MM
D016208:Databases, Factual; D006085:Graft Survival; D006499:Hepatic Artery / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D019520:Living Donors; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D013997:Time Factors; D020858:Tissue and Organ Harvesting; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement; D016896:Treatment Outcome