Role of Doppler Ultrasonography in Defining Normal and Abnormal Graft Hemodynamics After Living-Donor Liver Transplant.
OBJECTIVE
Our aim was to investigate the early changes that occur after graft perfusion in living-donor liver transplant by Doppler ultrasonography.


METHODS
We prospectively evaluated liver grafts of 30 patients who underwent living-donor liver transplant during an 18-month period and who were followed for 1 year postoperatively. The hepatic artery peak systolic velocity, resistivity index, portal vein velocity, portal vein anastomotic velocity ratio, and hepatic vein pattern were compared after excluding patients who developed vascular complications and acute rejection episodes.


RESULTS
We observed intraoperative increases in the mean hepatic artery peak systolic velocity (96.3 ± 65 cm/s), the resistivity index (0.78 ± 0.091), and the portal vein velocity (99.6 ± 48 cm/s), which started to normalize after 2 weeks. In comparing the mean portal vein velocity, portal vein anastomotic velocity ratio, hepatic artery peak systolic velocity, and resistivity index after excluding 5 patients who developed vascular complications, we observed overall significance levels of P < .001, P = .039, P < .001, and P = .040. After we excluded 9 patients who developed acute rejection, our comparison of the portal vein velocity, hepatic artery peak systolic velocity, and resistivity index showed overall significance (P < .001, P < .001, and P = .043).


CONCLUSIONS
Early and transient increases in portal vein velocity, anastomotic velocity ratio, hepatic artery peak systolic velocity, and resistivity index are common after living-donor liver transplant, with significant declines in the first 2 weeks posttransplant.
From the Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Cairo University Teaching Hospitals (Kasr Al-Ainy), Cairo, Egypt.
Omar
O
Abdelaziz
Sally
S
Emad-Eldin
Ahmed
A
Hussein
Ayman M A
AMA
Osman
D000328:Adult; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006499:Hepatic Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006503:Hepatic Veins / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008102:Liver Circulation; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D019520:Living Donors; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055420:Perfusion Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D011169:Portal Vein / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D055815:Young Adult