title: Venous outflow reconstruction using an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene vascular graft in living-donor liver transplant: a single-center experience.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Limited studies have focused on the feasibility and technical requirements of using expanded polytetrafluoroethylene vessel grafts for venous outflow reconstruction in a living-donor liver transplant using right liver grafts without the middle hepatic vein.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between August 2007 and December 2012, thirty-two patients who had received an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene vascular graft for outflow reconstruction during a living-donor liver transplant using a right liver graft without the middle hepatic vein were retrospectively reviewed. Preoperative and operative data, complications, and mortality were compared among patients who received the expanded polytetrafluoroethylene grafts with individual anastomoses (n = 18) or confluent anastomoses (n =14).
  
  
  RESULTS
  For patients who had received an individual and a confluent anastomosis, graft reconstruction time was 25.8 and 14.9 minutes (P = .000). No cases of graft occlusion occurred during first 72 hours after surgery. Although 5 patients (15.6%) died within 90 days, none of the deaths were associated with the vascular grafts. Operative mortality was not statistically different between patients who had received an individual anastomosis (3/18, 16.7%) and those who had received a confluent anastomosis (2/14, 14.3%) (P = 1.000).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Individual and confluent anastomoses using an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene vascular graft is a feasible approach to venous outflow reconstruction in a living-donor liver transplant using right liver grafts without the middle hepatic vein.
authors.affiliation: Division of General Surgery and Liver Transplantation, Department of Surgery, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chia-Yu
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Shao-Min
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Yi-Ju
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Shou-Sen
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Cheng-Chung
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Shao-Bin
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Cheng
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000401:mortality; D002681:China; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006503:Hepatic Veins / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000401:mortality; D019520:Living Donors; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000401:mortality; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014654:Vascular Patency
chemical_list: D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene