title: A technique of recipient portal venoplasty and cuff insertion for portal revascularization in orthotopic rat liver transplantation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In addition to suprahepatic vena cava anastomosis in two-cuff rat liver transplantation, recipient portal vein revascularization is one of the most difficult procedures that must be performed, especially for beginners.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 43 cases of liver transplantation were performed. Rats in Group 1 and Group 2 were subjected to transplant procedures that used the conventional and portal venoplasty techniques, respectively. The portal vein anastomosis duration, anhepatic phase length, portal vein surgical complications, and 1 wk post-transplant survival rates were recorded for each group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The portal revascularization duration was statistically significantly less for Group 2 versus Group 1 (1.50 ± 0.61 min and 4.32 ± 0.67 min, respectively, P < 0.05). The anhepatic phase length of Groups 1 and 2 were 21.79 ± 1.27 min and 18.55 ± 1.47 min, respectively (P < 0.05). No significant differences between the groups were observed in relation to either portal vein surgery complications or 1-week survival rates.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The recipient portal venoplasty and cuff insertion technique is a safe and fast alternative surgical option for portal revascularization in two-cuff rat liver transplantations performed by a single trainee.
authors.affiliation: Liver Transplantation Center, Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Transplantation Research Institute of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Ning
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Chang-Jie
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Yong-Rong
authors.initials: YR
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Min-Qiang
authors.initials: MQ
authors.lastname: Lu
mesh_terms: D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical / Q000379:methods*; D000818:Animals; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000502:physiology; D008102:Liver Circulation / Q000502:physiology; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000379:methods* / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D023421:Models, Animal; D011169:Portal Vein / Q000601:surgery*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*