Live Donor Liver Transplantation: A Valid Alternative for Critically Ill Patients Suffering From Acute Liver Failure

We report the outcome of live donor liver transplantation (LDLT) for patients suffering from acute liver failure (ALF). From 2006 to 2013, all patients with ALF who received a LDLT (n = 7) at our institution were compared to all ALF patients receiving a deceased donor liver transplantation (DDLT = 26). Groups were comparable regarding pretransplant ICU stay (DDLT: 1 [0–7] vs. LDLT: 1 days [0–10]; p = 0.38), mechanical ventilation support (DDLT: 69% vs. LDLT: 57%; p = 0.66), inotropic drug requirement (DDLT: 27% vs. LDLT: 43%; p = 0.64) and dialysis (DDLT: 2 vs. LDLT: 0 patients; p = 1). Median evaluation time for live donors was 24 h (18–72 h). LDLT versus DDLT had similar incidence of overall postoperative complications (31% vs. 43%; p = 0.66). No difference was detected between LDLT and DDLT patients regarding 1‐ (DDLT: 92% vs. LDLT: 86%), 3‐ (DDLT: 92% vs. LDLT: 86%), and 5‐ (DDLT: 92% vs. LDLT: 86%) year graft and patient survival (p = 0.63). No severe donor complication (Dindo–Clavien ≥3 b) occurred after live liver donation. ALF is a severe disease with high mortality on liver transplant waiting lists worldwide. Therefore, LDLT is an attractive option since live donor work‐up can be expedited and liver transplantation can be performed within 24 h with excellent short‐ and long‐term outcomes.     

Impact of Human T Cell Leukemia Virus Type 1 in Living Donor Liver Transplantation

Human T cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV‐1) is an endemic retrovirus in southwestern Japan, which causes adult T cell leukemia (ATL) or HTLV‐1 associated myelopathy in a minority of carriers. Here, we investigated the impact of HTLV‐1 status in living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). Twenty‐six of 329 (7.9%) HTLV‐1 carriers underwent primary LDLT. One recipient negative for HTLV‐1 before LDLT received a graft from an HTLV‐1 positive donor. Eight donors were HTLV‐1 positive. Twenty‐seven recipients (13 male and 14 female; mean age 52.5 years) were reviewed retrospectively. ATL developed in four recipients who ultimately died. The intervals between LDLT and ATL development ranged from 181 to 1315 days. Of the four ATL recipients, two received grafts from HTLV‐1 positive donors and two from negative donors. The 1‐, 3‐ and 5‐year HTLV‐1 carrier survival rates were 91.3%, 78.3% and 66.3%, respectively. Fulminant hepatic failure as a pretransplant diagnosis and a pretransplant MELD score ≥ 15 was identified as risk factors for ATL development in this study (p = 0.001 and p = 0.041, respectively). In conclusion, LDLT can be performed for HTLV‐1 positive recipients. However, when fulminant hepatic failure is diagnosed, LDLT should not be performed until further studies have revealed the mechanisms of ATL development.     

First‐Degree Living‐Related Donor Liver Transplantation in Autoimmune Liver Diseases

Liver transplantation (LT) is the treatment of choice for end‐stage autoimmune liver diseases. However, the underlying disease may recur in the graft in some 20% of cases. The aim of this study is to determine whether LT using living donor grafts from first‐degree relatives results in higher rates of recurrence than grafts from more distant/unrelated donors. Two hundred sixty‐three patients, who underwent a first LT in the Toronto liver transplant program between January 2000 and March 2015 for autoimmune liver diseases, and had at least 6 months of post‐LT follow‐up, were included in this study. Of these, 72 (27%) received a graft from a first‐degree living‐related donor, 56 (21%) from a distant/unrelated living donor, and 135 (51%) from a deceased donor for primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) (n = 138, 52%), primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) (n = 69, 26%), autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) (n = 44, 17%), and overlap syndromes (n = 12, 5%). Recurrence occurred in 52 (20%) patients. Recurrence rates for each autoimmune liver disease were not significantly different after first‐degree living‐related, living‐unrelated, or deceased‐donor LT. Similarly, time to recurrence, recurrence‐related graft failure, graft survival, and patient survival were not significantly different between groups. In conclusion, first‐degree living‐related donor LT for PSC, PBC, or AIH is not associated with an increased risk of disease recurrence.     

Adult Living Donor Liver Transplantation

Adult living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) begun in response to deceased donor organ shortage and waiting list mortality, grew rapidly after its first general application in the United States in 1998. There are significant risks to the living donor, including the risk of death and substantial morbidity, and two highly publicized donor deaths have led to decreased LDLT since 2001. Significant improvements in outcomes have been seen over recent years that have not been reported in single center studies; however, LDLT still comprises less than 5% of adult liver transplants, significantly less than in kidney transplantation where living donors now comprise the majority. The ethics, optimal utility and application of LDLT remain to be defined. In addition, studies to date have focused on post-transplant outcomes and not included the potential impact of LDLT on waiting time mortality. Future analyses should include appropriate control or comparison groups that capture the effect of LDLT on overall mortality from the time of listing. Further growth of LDLT will depend on defining the optimal recipient and donor characteristics for this procedure as well as broader acceptance and experience in the public and in transplant centers.     

Resource Utilization of Living Donor Versus Deceased Donor Liver Transplantation Is Similar at an Experienced Transplant Center

Although living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) has been shown to decrease waiting-list mortality, little is known of its financial impact relative to deceased donor liver transplantation (DDLT). We performed a retrospective cohort study of the comprehensive resource utilization, using financial charges as a surrogate measure—from the pretransplant through the posttransplant periods—of 489 adult liver transplants (LDLT n = 86; DDLT n = 403) between January 1, 2000, through December 31, 2006, at a single center with substantial experience in LDLT. Baseline characteristics differed between LDLT versus DDLT with regards to age at transplantation (p = 0.02), male gender (p < 0.01), percentage Caucasians (p < 0.01) and transplant model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score (p < 0.01). In univariate analysis, there was a trend toward decreased total transplant charges with LDLT (p = 0.06), despite increased surgical charges associated with LDLT (p < 0.01). After adjustment for the covariates that were associated with financial charges, there was no significant difference in total transplant charges (p = 0.82). MELD score at transplant was the strongest driver of resource utilization. We conclude that at an experienced transplant center, LDLT imposes a similar overall financial burden than DDLT, despite the increased complexity of living donor surgery and the addition of the costs of the living donor. We speculate that LDLT optimizes transplantation by transplanting healthier and younger recipients.     

成人间双供体活体肝脏移植成功2例报告

目的供肝短缺是影响肝脏移植发展的主要因素之一，活体供肝是解决这一矛盾的重要措施，供者提供足够的肝脏是影响活体肝脏移植的重要因素。方法施行成人间双供体活体肝移植2例，1例由受者的两位姐姐分别提供左半肝作为供肝，另1例由受者母亲提供右半肝，由无心跳供者提供左半肝(采用劈裂方式，其另一部分肝脏同时为另一成人受者实施肝脏移植)作为供肝。结果术后供、受者肝功能均恢复良好。结论成人问双供肝活体肝脏移植可以为受者提供更大重量的肝脏，又可减少供者提供较多肝脏所带来的风险；双供肝一受者肝脏移植手术操作复杂。     

Auxiliary Partial Orthotopic Living Donor Liver Transplantation: Kyoto University Experience

Auxiliary partial orthotopic liver transplantation (APOLT) was initially indicated as a potentially reversible fulminant hepatic failure and non-cirrhotic metabolic liver disease to compensate for enzyme deficiency without complete removal of the native liver. We expand our indication of APOLT for small-for-size grafts to support the function of implanted grafts during the early post-operative period, and for ABO-incompatibility to sustain a patient's life if the patient has a graft failure. We retrospectively reviewed 31 patients undergoing APOLT from living donor. The indication of APOLT was fulminant hepatic failure in 6, non-cirrhotic metabolic liver disease in 6, small-for-size grafts in 13 and ABO-incompatible cases in 6. The cumulative survival rate for APOLT at 1 and 5 years was 57.9% and 50.6%, and 78.8% and 73.8% for standard LDLT. None of the patients who underwent transplantation with APOLT for fulminant hepatic failure had long-term patient survival. The incidence of acute cellular rejection was higher in APOLT (58.1%) than standard LDLT (35.0%). Biliary complication was higher and the need for retransplantation was greater in APOLT than standard LDLT (p < 0.01). The results suggest that the indications of APOLT should be reconsidered in view of the risk for complications and retransplantation.     

The Risk of End‐Stage Renal Disease Among Living Donor Liver Transplant Recipients in the United States

Since initiation of model for end‐stage liver disease (MELD)‐based allocation for liver transplantation, the risk of posttransplant end‐stage renal disease (ESRD) has increased. Recent US data have demonstrated comparable, if not superior survival, among recipients of living donor liver transplants (LDLT) when compared to deceased donor liver transplant (DDLT) recipients. However, little is known about the incidence of ESRD post‐LDLT. We analyzed linked Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR) and US Renal Data System (USRDS) data of first‐time liver‐alone transplant recipients from February 27, 2002 to March 1, 2011, and restricted the cohort to recipients with a laboratory MELD score ≤25 not on dialysis prior to transplantation, in order to evaluate the incidence of ESRD post‐LDLT, and to compare the incidence among LDLT versus DDLT recipients. There were 28 707 DDLT and 1917 LDLT recipients included in the analyses. The 1‐, 3‐ and 5‐year unadjusted risk of ESRD was 1.7%, 2.9% and 3.4% in LDLT recipients, compared with 1.5%, 3.0% and 4.8% in DDLT recipients (p > 0.05), respectively. In multivariable competing risk Cox regression models, there was no association between receiving an LDLT and risk of ESRD (sub‐hazard ratio: 0.99, 95% CI: 0.77–1.26, p = 0.92). In conclusion, the incidence of ESRD post‐LDLT in the United States is low, and there are no significant differences among LDLT and DDLT recipients with MELD scores ≤25 at transplantation.     

Living donor liver transplantation for biliary atresia: An analysis of 2085 cases in the registry of the Japanese Liver Transplantation Society

Biliary atresia (BA) is the most common indication for liver transplantation (LT) in pediatric population. This study analyzed the comprehensive factors that might influence the outcomes of patients with BA who undergo living donor LT by evaluating the largest cohort with the longest follow‐up in the world. Between November 1989 and December 2015, 2,085 BA patients underwent LDLT in Japan. There were 763 male and 1,322 female recipients with a mean age of 5.9 years and body weight of 18.6 kg. The 1‐, 5‐, 10‐, 15‐, and 20‐year graft survival rates for the BA patients undergoing LDLT were 90.5%, 90.4%, 84.6%, 82.0%, and 79.9%, respectively. The donor body mass index, ABO incompatibility, graft type, recipient age, center experience, and transplant era were found to be significant predictors of the overall graft survival. Adolescent age (12 to <18 years) was associated with a significantly worse long‐term graft survival rate than younger or older ages. We conclude that LDLT for BA is a safe and effective treatment modality that does not compromise living donors. The optimum timing for LT is crucial for a successful outcome, and early referral to transplantation center can improve the short‐term outcomes of LT for BA. Further investigation of the major cause of death in liver transplanted recipients with BA in the long‐term is essential, especially among adolescents     

Risk Factors for Recurrence of Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis after Living Donor Liver Transplantation in Japanese Registry

The outcomes of primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) after living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) in a large series have not been reported. We aimed to determine long‐term patient and graft survival, risk factors for PSC recurrence, and the significance of recurrence after LDLT in a Japanese registry. Questionnaires concerning patient characteristics, treatments, and clinical courses were used. Data of 114 patients undergoing primary LDLT for PSC from July 1996 to December 2008 in 29 institutions were evaluated. For strict diagnoses of recurrence, patients with hepatic artery thrombosis (n = 8), ABO‐blood‐type‐incompatible transplantation (n = 8), and established ductopenic rejection (n = 2) were excluded and 96 patients were analyzed for risk factors. Recurrence was diagnosed in 26 patients (27%) at 8 to 79 months after transplantation. Patient, graft, and recurrence‐free survivals were 78, 74 and 57% at 5 years after LDLT, respectively. The graft loss rate was 69 versus 23% in patients with versus without recurrence, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that high MELD scores, first‐degree‐relative donors, postoperative CMV infection, and early biliary anastomotic complications were significant risk factors for recurrence. PSC recurrence was a significant risk factor of graft loss but not patient death. PSC recurrence was frequent and had significant impacts on outcomes after LDLT.     

Pediatric Liver Transplantation Using Reduced and Hyper‐Reduced Left Lateral Segment Grafts: A 10‐Year Single‐Center Experience

Few studies have examined the long‐term outcomes and prognostic factors associated with pediatric living living‐donor liver transplantation (LDLT) using reduced and hyper‐reduced left lateral segment grafts. We conducted a retrospective, single‐center assessment of the outcomes of this procedure, as well as clinical factors that influenced graft and patient survival. Between September 2000 and December 2009, 49 patients (median age: 7 months, weight: 5.45 kg) underwent LDLT using reduced (partial left lateral segment; n = 5, monosegment; n = 26), or hyper‐reduced (reduced monosegment grafts; n = 18) left lateral segment grafts. In all cases, the estimated graft‐to‐recipient body weight ratio of the left lateral segment was more than 4%, as assessed by preoperative computed tomography volumetry, and therefore further reduction was required. A hepatic artery thrombosis occurred in two patients (4.1%). Portal venous complications occurred in eight patients (16.3%). The overall patient survival rate at 1, 3 and 10 years after LDLT were 83.7%, 81.4% and 78.9%, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that recipient age of less than 2 months and warm ischemic time of more than 40 min affected patient survival. Pediatric LDLT using reduced and hyper‐reduced left lateral segment grafts appears to be a feasible option with acceptable graft survival and vascular complication rates.     

Long-Term Outcome of Adult-to-Adult Living Donor Liver Transplantation for Post-Kasai Biliary Atresia

Our objective was to analyze problems in the perioperative management and long-term outcome of living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) for biliary atresia (BA). Many reports have described the effectiveness of liver transplantation (LT) for BA, particularly in pediatric cases, but little information is available regarding LT in adults (> or =16 years old). Between June 1990 and December 2004, 464 patients with BA underwent LDLT at Kyoto University Hospital, of whom 47 (10.1%) were older than 16 years. In this study, we compared the outcomes between adult (> or =16 years old) and pediatric (<16 years old) patients. The incidence of post-transplant intestinal perforation, intra-abdominal bleeding necessitating repeat laparotomy and biliary leakage was significantly higher (p < 0.0001, <0.001 and <0.001, respectively) in adults. Overall cumulative 1-, 5- and 10-year survival rates in pediatric patients were significantly higher (p < 0.005) than in adults. Two independent prognostic determinants of survival were identified: a MELD score over 20 and post-transplant complications requiring repeat laparotomy. Outcome of LDLT in adult BA patients was poorer than in pediatric patients. It seems likely that LT will be the radical treatment of choice for BA and that LDLT should be considered proactively at the earliest possible stage.     

Intraoperative ‘No Go’ Donor Hepatectomies in Living Donor Liver Transplantation

Donor safety is the paramount concern of living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). Although LDLT is employed worldwide, there is little data on rates and causes of ‘no go’ hepatectomies—patients brought to the operating room for possible donor hepatectomy whose procedure was aborted. We performed a single‐center, retrospective review of all patients brought to the operating room for donor hepatectomy between October 2000 and November 2008. Of 257 right lobe donors, the donor operation was aborted in 12 cases (4.7%). The main reasons for stopping the operation were aberrant ductal or vascular anatomy (seven cases), unsuitable liver quality (three cases) or unexpected intraoperative events (two cases). Over the median period of follow‐up of 23 months, there were no long‐term complications of patients with aborted donor procedures. This report focuses exclusively on an important issue: the frequency and causes of no go decisions at a single large volume North American LDLT center. The rate of no go donor hepatectomies should be as low as possible without compromising donor safety—however, even with rigorous preoperative evaluation the rate of donor abortions will be significant. The default surgical position should always be to abort the donor operation if there is an unexpected finding that places the donor at increased risk.     

Surgical Techniques and Long-Term Outcomes of Living Donor Liver Transplantation for Budd-Chiari Syndrome

We have developed the surgical techniques of living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) for Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS) and evaluated long-term outcomes including specific complications. BCS is characterized by hepatic outflow obstruction. Liver transplantation from living donors poses a unique challenge as liver replacement therapy does not replace the retrohepatic segment of inferior vena cava (IVC). We have performed 1105 LDLTs in 1055 patients from January 1990 to March 2005. Of these, nine patients (eight males and one female) underwent LDLT for BCS. Five out of nine patients underwent LDLT as a primary procedure and four patients had received other treatments before transplantation. Eight patients presented with chronic and one with fulminant liver failure. Predisposing factors were identified in three patients. IVC reconstruction without patch plasty was performed on four patients. Five patients needed cavoplasty using a replacement vein graft. Of the nine patients, seven are alive at a median follow-up of 58 months (range 1 month to 15.2 years) with two patients developing recurrent hepatic vein stenosis which were treated successfully with metallic stent placement. Two patients died: one from multiorgan failure and the other from pulmonary embolism secondary to disease recurrence. LDLT for BCS is highly effective by using modified cavoplasty and provides good long-term survival which may be obtained by life-long anticoagulant treatment and nonsurgical interventions.     

Selective Use of Older Adults in Right Lobe Living Donor Liver Transplantation

Many centers are reluctant to use older donors (>44 years) for adult right-lobe living donor liver transplantation (RLDLT) due to concerns about possible increased morbidity in donors and poorer outcomes in recipients. Since 2000, 130 adult RLDLTs have been performed at our institution. Recipients were divided into those who received a right lobe graft from a donor ≤age 44 (n = 89, 68%; median age 30) and those who received a liver graft from a donor age >44 (n = 41, 32%; mean age 52). The two donor and recipient populations had similar demographic and operative profiles. With a median follow-up of 29 months, the severity and number of complications in older donors were similar to those in younger donors. No living donor died. Older donor allografts had initial allograft dysfunction compared to younger donors. Complication rates were similar among recipients in both groups but there was a higher bile duct stricture rate with older donor grafts (27% vs. 12%; p = 0.04). One-year recipient graft survival was 86% for older donors and 85% for younger donors (p = 0.95). Early experience with the use of selected older adults (>44 years) for RLDLT is encouraging, but may be associated with a higher rate of biliary complications in the recipient.     

Left Lobe Living Donor Liver Transplantation in Adults

Adult left lobe (LL) living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) has not generally been recognized as a feasible procedure because of the problem of graft size. The objectives of this study were to assess the feasibility and short‐ and long‐term results of adult LL LDLT in comparison with right lobe (RL) LDLT. Data on 200 consecutive LL LDLTs, including five retransplants, were retrospectively compared with those of 112 RL LDLTs, in terms of survival, complications and donor morbidity. The mean graft weight to standard volume ratio of LL grafts was 38.7% whereas that of RL grafts was 47.6% (p < 0.0001). The 1‐, 5‐ and 10‐year patient survival rates of LL LDLT were 85.6%, 77.9% and 69.5%, respectively, which were comparable to those of RL LDLT (89.8%, 71.3% and 70.7%, respectively). The incidence of small‐for‐size syndrome was higher in LL LDLT (19.5%) than in RL LDLT (7.1%) (p < 0.01). The overall donor morbidity rates were comparable between LL (36.0%) and RL (34.8%), whereas postoperative liver function tests and hospital stay were significantly better (p < 0.0001) in LL donors. In conclusion, adult LL LDLT has comparable outcomes to that of RL LDLT. LL LDLT is viable and is the first choice in adult LDLT.     

Reduced Mortality with Right-Lobe Living Donor Compared to Deceased-Donor Liver Transplantation When Analyzed from the Time of Listing

Right lobe living donor liver transplantation (RLDLT) is not yet a fully accepted therapy for patients with end-stage liver failure in the Western hemisphere because of concerns about donor safety and inferior recipient outcomes. An outcome analysis from the time of listing for all adult patients who were listed for liver transplantation (LT) at our center was performed. From 2000 to 2006, 1091 patients were listed for LT. One hundred fifty-four patients (LRD; 14%) had suitable live donors and 153 (99%) underwent RLDLT. Of the remaining patients (DD/Waiting List; n = 937), 350 underwent deceased donor liver transplant (DDLT); 312 died or dropped off the waiting list; and 275 were still waiting at the time of this analysis. The LRD group had shorter mean waiting times (6.0 months vs. 9.8 months; p < 0.001). Although medical model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) scores were similar at the time of listing, MELD scores at LT were significantly higher in the DD/Waiting List group (15.4 vs. 19.5; p = 0.002). Patients in Group 1 had a survival advantage with RLDLT from the time of listing (1-year survival 90% vs. 80%; p < 0.001). To our knowledge, this is the first report to document a survival advantage at time of listing for RLDLT over DDLT.     

Living Donor Liver Transplantation for Patients Older Than Age 70 Years: A Single‐Center Experience

Over the past two decades, the age of liver transplantation (LT) recipients has been increasing. We reviewed our experience with LT for patients aged ≥70 years (range: 70–78 years) and investigated the feasibility of performing LT, especially living donor LT (LDLT), for older patients. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 25 patients (15 LDLT recipients, 10 deceased donor LT recipients) aged ≥70 years who underwent LT from January 2000 to April 2016. Their perioperative morbidity rate was 28.0%, and the in‐hospital mortality rate was 16.0%; these results were comparable to those of matched patients in their 60s (n = 73; morbidity, p = 0.726; mortality, p = 0.816). For patients in their 70s, the 1‐ and 5‐year patient survival rates were 84.0% and 69.8%, and the 1‐ and 5‐year graft survival rates were 83.5% and 75.1%, respectively. Comparisons of patient and graft survival rates between matched patients in their 60s and 70s showed no statistically significant differences (patient survival, p = 0.372; graft survival, p = 0.183). Our experience suggests that patients aged ≥70 years should not be excluded from LT, or even LDLT, based solely on age and implies that careful selection of recipients and donors as well as meticulous surgical technique are necessary for successful results.     

Allograft Survival Following Adult-to-Adult Living Donor Liver Transplantation

Adult-to-adult living donor liver transplantation (AALDLT) is emerging as a method to treat patients with end-stage liver disease. The aims of this study were to identify donor and recipient characteristics of AALDLT, to determine variables that affect allograft survival, and to examine outcomes compared with those achieved following cadaveric transplantation. Cox proportional hazards models were fit to examine characteristics associated with the survival of AALDLT. Survival of AALDLT was then compared with cadaveric allografts in multivariable Cox models. Older donor age (>44 years), female-to-male donor to recipient relationship, recipient race, and the recipient medical condition before transplant were factors related to allograft failure among 731 AALDLT. Despite favorable donor and recipient characteristics, the rate of allograft failure, specifically the need for retransplantation, was increased among AALDLT (hazard ratio 1.66, 95% C.I. = 1.30-2.11) compared with cadaveric recipients. In conclusion, among AALDLT recipients, selecting younger donors, placing the allografts in recipients who have not had a prior transplant and are not in the ICU, may enhance allograft survival. Analysis of this early experience with AALDLT suggests that allograft failure may be higher than among recipients of a cadaveric liver.     

The impact of meticulous management for hepatic artery thrombosis on long‐term outcome after pediatric living donor liver transplantation*

Abstract: To analyze the risk factors in the development of hepatic artery thrombosis (HAT) and assess the impact of our perioperative management for HAT on the long‐term outcome after pediatric living donor liver transplantation (LDLT), we reviewed 382 patients under 12 yr of age who underwent 403 LDLT from January 1996 to December 2005. One‐ and 10‐yr patient survival rates were 78% and 78% in the patients with HAT (27 patients; 6.7%), and 84% and 76% in the patients without HAT, respectively (p = n.s.). Univariate analysis showed gender (female), body weight (lower), and graft‐to‐recipient weight ratio (higher) were significant risk factors in the patients with HAT (p < 0.05). Patients with Doppler ultrasound signal loss of the hepatic artery (HA) accompanied by an increase of liver enzymes underwent thrombectomy and reanastomosis (S‐group, n = 13), and patients with a weak HA signal underwent anticoagulant therapy (M‐group, n = 13). One patient underwent re‐LDLT. One‐ and five‐yr patient survival rates were 83% and 83% in the S‐group, and 77% and 77% in the M‐group (p = n.s.). The incidence of biliary complications in the S‐group (58%) was significantly higher than that of the M‐group (15%). For a successful long‐term outcome, the early detection of HAT and prompt medical and surgical intervention are crucial to minimize the insult of HAT.