title: Usefulness of the Pinch-Burn-Cut (PBC) technique for recipient hepatectomy in liver transplantation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Surgical bleeding during recipient hepatectomy is a major concern in liver transplantation (LT). Effective intraoperative control of bleeding is necessary. In the Pinch-Burn-Cut (PBC) technique, a small amount of tissue around the dissection plane is pinched with forceps, electocauterized and gently cut. The present study sought to estimate the usefulness of the PBC technique in LT.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between June 2007 and December 2010, 123 adult cases underwent LT in our center. Of these, 72 involved a recipient hepatectomy using the PBC technique (PBC group). and 51 involved the conventional technique (non-PBC group). Clinical parameters were compared between two groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The amount of blood loss and related transfusions were significantly reduced, and the operating time was shorter in the PBC group than in the non-PBC group (p=0.006, p<0.05 and p=0.002, respectively). There was also shorter duration of mechanical ventilation after LT in the PBC group (p=0.017). The incidence of postoperative hemorrhage was lower in the PBC group than in the non-PBC group, but had no statistical significance between two group (19.6% vs. 8.3%, p=0.101).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data suggest that the PBC technique is effective for bleeding control during recipient hepatectomy in LT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea.
authors.forename: Yong Keun
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea.
authors.forename: Bong-Wan
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea.
authors.forename: Hee-Jung
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea.
authors.forename: Weiguang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xu
keywords: Hepatectomy; Liver transplantation; Surgical outcome