title: Sonographic evaluation of vessel grafts in living donor liver transplantation recipients of the right lobe.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the vessel grafts (VG) used to reconstruct the middle hepatic vein (MHV) tributaries with ultrasonography.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-four patients undergone living donor liver transplantation were enrolled in our study. MHV tributaries larger than 5 mm in diameter were reconstructed with interposition VG. Blood flow of the graft and interposition VG was checked by Doppler ultrasonography daily in the first 2 postoperative weeks and monthly followed up after discharge. The sensitivity of VG detected by ultrasonography was assessed using surgical records as references. Student's t test was used to compare the velocity of VG and occluded VG in chronic patents (> 3 mo).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-one VG were used to reconstruct the MHV tributaries. Ultrasonography identified 96.7% (30/31) of large MHV tributaries and 90.3% (28/31) of VG. The diameter of VG was 5.6 +/- 0.8 mm and the velocity of VG was 19.7 +/- 8.1 cm/s. Two VG (2/31, 6.5%) were occluded on the first postoperative day in one patient who suffered from persistent ascites and had a prolonged recovery of liver function. Twenty-six VG (26/31, 83.9%) were patent 2 wk after operation. Six (6/31, 19.4%) VG were patent over 3 mo after operation. Intrahepatic venous collaterals were detected in 29.2% (7/24) patients. The velocity of VG and occluded VG was 30.1 +/- 5.6 cm/s, 16.5 +/- 5.8 cm/s, respectively, in chronic patents. The difference between two groups was statistically significant (P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicate that most VG are patent in the first postoperative week while only a small portion with a higher velocity remains patent after 3 mo. Intrahepatic venous collaterals can be observed in some patients after occlusion of VG.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sonography, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Yu-Ting
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Zhong-Wei
authors.initials: ZW
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation; D005260:Female; D006503:Hepatic Veins / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000601:surgery; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D019520:Living Donors; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011184:Postoperative Period; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler; D014654:Vascular Patency; D055815:Young Adult