title: Splenic artery trunk embolization reduces the surgical risk of liver transplantation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Portal hypertension is one of the most important clinical conditions that cause intraoperative intensive hemorrhage in cirrhotic patients undergoing liver transplantation. Pre-transplant portal decompression may reduce the intraoperative bleeding during liver transplantation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Splenic artery trunk embolization (SATE) was performed one month prior to liver transplantation. Platelet count, prealbumin, international normalized ratio, and blood flow in the portal vein and hepatic artery were monitored before and one month after SATE. The measurements above were collected on admission and before surgery in the non-SATE patients, who served as controls. We also recorded the intraoperative blood loss, operating time, required transfusion, post-transplant ascites, and complications within three months after operation in all patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  SATE significantly reduced portal venous blood flow, increased hepatic arterial blood flow, normalized platelet count, and improved prealbumin and international normalized ratio in the patients before liver transplantation. Compared to the non-SATE patients, the pre-transplant SATE significantly decreased the operating time, intraoperative bleeding, post-transplant ascites and severe surgical complications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pre-transplant SATE decreases portal pressure, improves liver function reserve, and reduces the surgical risk of liver transplantation effectively in patients with severe portal hypertension.
authors.affiliation: Organ Transplantation Center, Department of Surgery, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, China. hezhijun@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Yi-Ning
authors.initials: YN
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xiong-Ying
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Miao
authors.forename: Hai-Zhi
authors.initials: HZ
authors.lastname: Qi
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Zhong-Zhou
authors.initials: ZZ
authors.lastname: Si
authors.forename: Jie-Qun
authors.initials: JQ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Zhi-Jun
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: He
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001201:Ascites / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001777:Blood Coagulation; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical / Q000517:prevention & control; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006499:Hepatic Artery / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D006975:Hypertension, Portal / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D019934:International Normalized Ratio; D008102:Liver Circulation; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061646:Operative Time; D010976:Platelet Count; D017082:Portal Pressure; D011169:Portal Vein / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D011228:Prealbumin / Q000378:metabolism; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013157:Splenic Artery; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D011228:Prealbumin