Continuous versus interrupted suture for hepatic artery reconstruction using a loupe in living-donor liver transplantation.
BACKGROUND
Partial liver transplantation from live donors is now widely performed to compensate for the shortage of deceased donors' organs. Operative microscopy is often used to achieve hepatic artery anastomosis. Here we report our experience of hepatic artery reconstruction using loupe magnification.


METHODS
We used operative microscopy (12-16× magnification) in our early experience. We changed to loupe magnification (3.5×) in 43 cases. Reconstructions were done with continuous, end-to-end anastomoses with 8-0 nylon and a 3.5× loupe was used for the arterial anastomosis.


RESULTS
The mean follow-up time was 8 months. There were no cases of hepatic artery thrombosis.


CONCLUSIONS
Hepatic artery reconstruction in living donor liver transplantation with continuous end-to-end suturing using loupe magnification can yield good results.
Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, No. 325 Sec.2 Cheng-Kung Road, Nei-Hu 114,Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China.
Yuan-Sheng
YS
Tzeng
Chung-Bao
CB
Hsieh
Shyi-Gen
SG
Chen
D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical / Q000379:methods; D006499:Hepatic Artery / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D019520:Living Donors; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000379:methods; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013536:Suture Techniques