[Evaluation of living donor liver transplantation for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the donor risks and potential recipient benefits of living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) for adult patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).


METHODS
From January 2002 to December 2006, a total of 27 LDLT for HCC patients were performed in our center, of which 25 received right lobe grafts and 2 received dual grafts. The clinical and follow-up data of these 27 recipients and 29 donors were analyzed retrospectively.


RESULTS
Of the 29 donors, the overall complication rate was 17.24% (5 cases). Two cases (6.90%) experienced major complications (one with intra-abdominal bleeding and one with portal vein thrombosis) and three cases (10.34%) experienced minor ones (fat necrosis and infection of the surgical skin wound in one, pleural effusion in another and transient chyle leakage in the third). All donors were fully recovered and returned to their previous work. No recipients developed small-for-size syndrome. The overall HCC patients survival rate at 1- and 3-years was 84.01% and 71.40%, respectively, similar to that of patients undergoing LDLT for various nonmalignant diseases during the same period (P > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Although further study is needed to fully assess the risks and benefits of LDLT for the HCC patients and donors, our present results preliminarily suggest that LDLT offers an acceptable chance and duration of survival in patients with HCC, and it is a relatively safe procedure.
Jiang
Xiao-zhong
XZ
Center of Liver Transplantation, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
Yan
Lv-nan
LN
Li
Bo
B
Wen
Tian-fu
TF
Zeng
Yong
Y
Zhao
Ji-chun
JC
Wang
Wen-tao
WT
Yang
Jia-yin
JY
Xu
Ming-qing
MQ
Chen
Zhe-yu
ZY
Ma
Yu-kui
YK
Li
Fu-gui
FG
Gong
Guang
G
D000328:Adult; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods / Q000401:mortality; D019520:Living Donors; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013534:Survival; D055815:Young Adult