Use of the splenic artery for arterial reconstruction in living donor liver transplantation.
BACKGROUND
The present study sought to evaluate the possibility of using the splenic artery for arterialization of a living donor liver graft.


METHODS
In the period between August 2004 and April 2006, we performed 31 adult-to-adult living donor liver transplantations. In 27 patients (group A), the right or left hepatic artery was used to arterialize the graft, whereas in the other four cases (group B), we used the recipient splenic artery.


RESULTS
The Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD) score of the patients averaged 17 (17.2 and 15.2 for groups A and B, respectively) ranging between 7 and 28. We did not observe pancreatitis, splenic infarction, or other complications related to ligation of the splenic artery. Two cases (6.4%) of arterial complication were observed, both in group A patients.


CONCLUSIONS
The use of the splenic artery is a safe, practical alternative for arterial reconstruction in living donor liver transplantation procedures, when the hepatic artery is not adequate or in cases of portal hypertension with splenomegaly.
D'Albuquerque
L A C
LA
Hospital Beneficência Portuguesa.
Gonzalez
A M
AM
Letrinda
R F
RF
Copstein
J L M
JL
Larrea
F I S
FI
Mansero
J M P
JM
Peron
G
G
Ribeiro
M A F
MA
Oliveira e Silva
A
A
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008102:Liver Circulation; D017093:Liver Failure / Q000601:surgery; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D019520:Living Donors; D008297:Male; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013157:Splenic Artery / Q000601:surgery*