title: Early respiratory complications after liver transplantation.
abstract: The poor clinical conditions associated with end-stage cirrhosis, pre-existing pulmonary abnormalities, and high comorbidity rates in patients with high Model for End-Stage Liver Disease scores are all well-recognized factors that increase the risk of pulmonary complications after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) surgery. Many intraoperative and postoperative events, such as fluid overload, massive transfusion of blood products, hemodynamic instability, unexpected coagulation abnormalities, renal dysfunction, and serious adverse effects of reperfusion syndrome, are other factors that predispose an individual to postoperative respiratory disorders. Despite advances in surgical techniques and anesthesiological management, the lung may still suffer throughout the perioperative period from various types of injury and ventilatory impairment, with different clinical outcomes. Pulmonary complications after OLT can be classified as infectious or non-infectious. Pleural effusion, atelectasis, pulmonary edema, respiratory distress syndrome, and pneumonia may contribute considerably to early morbidity and mortality in liver transplant patients. It is of paramount importance to accurately identify lung disorders because infectious pulmonary complications warrant speedy and aggressive treatment to prevent diffuse lung injury and the risk of evolution into multisystem organ failure. This review discusses the most common perioperative factors that predispose an individual to postoperative pulmonary complications and these complications' early clinical manifestations after OLT and influence on patient outcome.
authors.affiliation: Paolo Feltracco, Cristiana Carollo, Stefania Barbieri, Tommaso Pettenuzzo, Carlo Ori, Department of Medicine, Anesthesia and Intensive Care Unit, Padova University Hospital, 35128 Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Feltracco
authors.affiliation: Paolo Feltracco, Cristiana Carollo, Stefania Barbieri, Tommaso Pettenuzzo, Carlo Ori, Department of Medicine, Anesthesia and Intensive Care Unit, Padova University Hospital, 35128 Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Cristiana
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Carollo
authors.affiliation: Paolo Feltracco, Cristiana Carollo, Stefania Barbieri, Tommaso Pettenuzzo, Carlo Ori, Department of Medicine, Anesthesia and Intensive Care Unit, Padova University Hospital, 35128 Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barbieri
authors.affiliation: Paolo Feltracco, Cristiana Carollo, Stefania Barbieri, Tommaso Pettenuzzo, Carlo Ori, Department of Medicine, Anesthesia and Intensive Care Unit, Padova University Hospital, 35128 Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Tommaso
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pettenuzzo
authors.affiliation: Paolo Feltracco, Cristiana Carollo, Stefania Barbieri, Tommaso Pettenuzzo, Carlo Ori, Department of Medicine, Anesthesia and Intensive Care Unit, Padova University Hospital, 35128 Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ori
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008168:Lung / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D011379:Prognosis; D012119:Respiration; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Liver transplantation; Post-transplant pneumonia; Postoperative edema; Postoperative respiratory failure; Respiratory complications