Left lateral segmentectomy for pediatric live-donor liver transplantation: special attention to segment IV complications.
BACKGROUND
During left lateral segmentectomy for live-donor liver transplant, the vascular inflow to segment IV can be compromised. An area of ischemia can be seen intraoperatively and further segment IV resection may be needed to prevent necrosis and abscess formation.


METHODS
From July 1995 to February 2007, 324 consecutive living donor liver transplantations were performed at Hospital A. C. Camargo and Hospital Sirio-Libanes, Sao Paulo, Brazil. Two hundred eleven left lateral segments were transplanted in this period. Data on 204 left lateral segments donors were available for this analysis.


RESULTS
There were 108 female and 96 male donors. Median age was 29 years (range, 16-48 years). Median follow-up time was 2.2 years (range, 2 months-11.8 years). Median intensive care unit stay was 1 day (range, 1-3 days), and median hospital stay was 5 days (range, 4-47 days). Postoperative complications were encountered in 39 donors (19.1%). Partial segment IV resection on the course of the primary surgery due to parenchyma discoloration was required in 107 cases (52.5%). Ten patients (4.9%) developed segment IV necrosis or abscesses, although four of them had had segment IVB resection intraoperatively. Segment IV necrosis or abscess significantly increased hospital stay and the number of readmissions, from 5.5+/-3.5 days to 8.4+/-3.7 days (P=0.012) and from 6 of 194 (3%) to 5 of 10 (50%) (P=0.001), respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Middle hepatic segment abscess or necrosis was the most frequent complication after left lateral segmentectomy (4.9%). Objective intraoperative strategies need to be developed to evaluate middle hepatic segment ischemia to identify and treat patients at higher risk.
Seda-Neto
Joao
J
Department of Hepatology, Hospital Sirio- Libanes, Hospital A. C. Camargo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Godoy
Andre L
AL
Carone
Eduardo
E
Pugliese
Vincenzo
V
Fonseca
Eduardo A
EA
Porta
Gilda
G
Pugliese
Renata
R
Miura
Irene K
IK
Baggio
Vera
V
Kondo
Mario
M
Chapchap
Paulo
P
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006498:Hepatectomy / Q000145:classification / Q000379:methods*; D006499:Hepatic Artery / Q000601:surgery; D006503:Hepatic Veins / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D019520:Living Donors; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D012086:Reoperation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D020858:Tissue and Organ Harvesting / Q000379:methods*