Techniques of reconstruction of hepatic veins in living-donor liver transplantation, especially for right hepatic vein and major short hepatic veins of right-lobe graft

Living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT) is now widely accepted as a therapeutic option for adult patients with acute and chronic end-stage liver disease. In the early period, the left lobe was the major liver graft used in adult LDLT to ensure donor safety, especially in Eastern countries. However, the frequent extremes of graft-size insufficiency in left-lobe LDLT represented a greater risk of small-for-size graft syndrome in the recipient, which has focused attention on transplantation of the right lobe from a living donor. The major concern of right-lobe LDLT has focused on its safety for the donor and the necessity for including the middle hepatic vein (MHV) in the graft to avoid congestion of the right anterior segment. The MHV carries out important venous drainage for the right anterior segment and is essential for perfect graft function. The decision of whether to take the MHV with the liver graft (extended right lobe graft) or whether to retain it in the donor, with reconstruction of the MHV tributaries in the liver graft (modified right lobe graft) has been extensively discussed in numerous studies. However, adequate right hepatic vein and major short hepatic vein (middle and inferior right hepatic vein [RHV]) drainage of the liver graft is perhaps equally important as MHV outflow drainage for the integrity of right-lobe graft function. Herein, the author describes various techniques of venoplasty of the right hepatic vein (RHV) and the major short hepatic veins to obviate venous outflow obstruction in these veins.     

肝脏手术对患者生存质量的影响

调查２６例病病人在接受各种肝脏手术前后生存质量的变化情况。结果显示，有平均ＧＬＱＩ前生存质量指数１０７．８分，术后２周和５周明显降低，分别为８５．５和９３．０分（Ｐ〈０．０１），术后第１０周和第１６周生存质量逐渐恢复，ＧＬＱＩ指数分别升为９８．３和１０６．６分。手术５周以后，术前肝功能情况对一生存的影响显得较为明显，ＣｈｉｌｄＡ级病人生存质量较Ｃｈｉｌｄ级恢复更快，肝段切除才较联合肝段切除和半肝切     

Reconstruction of inferior right hepatic veins in living donor liver transplantation using right liver grafts

Because revascularization of the inferior right hepatic vein (IRHV) is a major component of right liver graft (RLG) reconstruction, we assessed the surgical techniques and clinical outcomes of IRHV reconstruction so that we could formulate practical guidelines for standardized procedures. From July 2004 to February 2010, we performed separate IRHV reconstructions in 487 of 1142 adult RLG recipients (42.7%). These recipients included 364 patients with a natural single IRHV and 123 patients with multiple IRHVs; in the latter group, the IRHVs were unified by venoplasty, which enabled a single anastomosis. The 1-year stenosis rates for the single-vein and venoplasty groups were 23% and 18.9%, respectively, and the early stent insertion rates were 7.1% and 9.8%, respectively (P = 0.09). Late IRHV occlusion did not lead to graft dysfunction, and all large major IRHVs were patent. A morphometric analysis showed that IRHV stenosis was associated with IRHV stretching and an anastomotic level discrepancy. This led to refinements of the surgical techniques: IRHV orifices were shaped into funnels, and the IRHV anastomosis was accurately placed at the recipient inferior vena cava (IVC). In an ongoing prospective study of 35 patients, our funneling unification venoplasty resulted in only 1 episode (2.9%) of early IRHV stenosis requiring stenting at a median follow-up of 8 months. The final configurations of the reconstructed IRHVs after funneling unification venoplasty and extensive IVC dissection were very similar to those of the native donor liver. In conclusion, we suggest that in combination with extensive recipient IVC dissection, funneling and unification venoplasty techniques are useful for securely reconstructing single or multiple IRHVs during the implantation of RLGs.     

人肝静脉间侧支循环的标本观察和临床意义

目的通过观察30例人肝静脉间的侧支循环,分析肝静脉受阻后其血流方向、梯度的改变及其临床意义.方法预备30例用肝素灌洗保存的尸肝,用墨汁、泛影葡胺等造影剂逆行灌注各肝静脉,观察造影剂在肝内的分布情况并测定其组织含量.结果各肝静脉间肝实质内和肝表面被广泛染色和造影剂充盈,各肝静脉区泛影葡胺组织含量大至相同(P＞0.5),仅左、右肝静脉间泛影葡胺组织含量有一定差异.结论对于正常肝脏,肝静脉阻塞或结扎时肝静脉内血液可通畅地流向相邻的肝静脉;但当肝脏有明显硬化、纤维化时,相邻两支肝静脉同时受阻或结扎,则远侧肝组织血液循环可能受到一定影响.     

The role of hepatic resection in the management of blunt liver trauma

Forty-two (14%) of 306 patients with liver injuries presenting to Westmead Hospital over a 10-year period required hepatic resection as their definitive treatment. Two types of resection were performed: Resectional debridement utilized the plane of injury as the line of resection while anatomical resection utilized anatomical planes. Resectional debridement was used in 35 patients. In 29, the major technical problem was bleeding and 21 of these patients had associated hepatic vein injuries. In 5, the major problem was devitalized parenchyma, and, in 1, it was an intrahepatic bile duct injury. Anatomical resection was performed in 7 patients: 3 with bleeding, 2 with devitalized parenchyma, and 2 with intrahepatic bile duct injuries.Overall, 15 patients died (36%). The most common cause of death was bleeding in 9 of the 15 patients. Survivors spent a median of 32 days in hospital (range: 11–162 days) and sustained a median of 2 complications (range: 0–6). The most common complications were respiratory infection and/or failure, coagulopathy, and sepsis.Resection successfully addressed bleeding, devitalized parenchyma, and intrahepatic bile duct injuries with an acceptable mortality in critically ill patients who would otherwise have died.

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Resumen Cuarenta y dos (14%) de 306 pacientes con trauma hepático atendidos en el Westmead Hospital en un periodo de 10 años requirieron resección hepática como modalidad definitiva de tratamiento. Dos tipos de resección fueron empleados: En la resección por desbridamiento se hace uso del piano de la lesión como línea de resección, mientras que en la resección anatómica se utilizan los pianos anatómicos. El desbridamiento reseccional se utilizó en 35 pacientes; en 29 el mayor problema técnico fue el sangrado y 21 de éstos pacientes presentaban lesiones asociadas de las venas hepáticas. En 5 el mayor problema fue parénquima desvitalizado y en uno fue una lesión de un canal biliar intrahepático. Se efectuó la resección anatómica en 7 pacientes, 3 con sangrado, 2 con parenquima desvitalizado, y 2 con lesiones de canales biliares intrahepáticos.La mortalidad global fue de 15 pacientes (36%); la causa de muerte más común fue sangrado, el cual ocurrió en 9. Los sobrevivientes tuvieron una hospitalización promedio de 32 días (rango de 11 a 162 días) y presentaron un promedio de 2 complicaciones (rango de 0 a 6). Las complicaciones más comunes fueron la infección respiratoria y/o falla respiratoria, la coagulopatía, y la sepsis.La resección fue efectiva en el control del sangrado, del parenquima desvitalizado, y de las lesiones de los canales biliares, con una mortalidad aceptable en pacientes en estado crítico que, de otra manera, habrían fallecido.

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Résumé Sur 306 patients ayant une lésion traumatique du foie s'étant présentés à l'hôpital Westmead (Sydney) en 10 ans, 42 (14%) ont eu besoin d'une résection hépatique. Parage et résection utilisant le plan de la lésion comme ligne de résection a été effectué chez 35 patients. Chez 29 le problème technique essentiel était l'hémorragie et 21 d'entre eux avaient des lésions associées des veines hépatiques. Chez 5 patients, le plus grand problème a été la dévitalisation du parenchyme et chez un autre, une lésion intrahépatique des voies biliares. La résection anatomique, en passant par les plans anatomiques, a été accomplie chez 7 patients: 3 avec hémorragie, 2 avec parenchyme dévitalisé, et 2 avec lésions des voies biliaires intrahépatiques.Quinze patients (36%) en tout sont morts. La cause de décès la plus fréquente a été l'hémorragie pour 9 des 15 patients. La médiane de séjour hospitalier pour les survivants a été de 32 jours (11–162 jours) et celle des complications, de 2 (0–6). Les complications les plus fréquentes étaient infection et/ou défaillance respiratoire, coagulopathie, et septicémie.La résection a été utilisée avec succès pour hémorrhagie, parenchyme dévitalisé et lésions intrahépatiques des voies biliares avec un taux de mortalité acceptable chez des malades graves qui sans cela seraient morts.

     

前入路法肝静脉阻断切肝术

目的探讨前入路法肝静脉阻断技术在复杂肝切除术中的应用价值。方法2003年1月至2006年6月对第二军医大学东方肝胆外科的85例第二肝门区肿瘤,采用前入路法肝静脉阻断技术切除,其中右肝静脉阻断24例,左、中共干阻断31例,左、中、右三干阻断30例。分离第二肝门显露右肝静脉及左中共干前壁,从第二肝门处自上而下分离出肝腔静脉间隙,分离右裸区至腔静脉右侧壁,显露右肝静脉右侧壁,分离左裸区至左肝静脉左侧壁,用辛氏钳分别由上而下沿腔静脉纵轴夹住肝静脉根部,完成肝静脉阻断。结果分离过程中无一例肝静脉破裂,肝静脉平均分离时间(6.2±2.4)min,明显短于后入路法肝静脉分离所需时间[(18.3±6.2)min]。结论前入路法阻断肝静脉操作安全、简便,尤其适用于肿瘤压迫肝静脉根部或肿瘤巨大无法行后入路法分离肝静脉者。     

The role of hepatic biopsy to detect macrovacuolar steatosis during liver procurement

The ability to predict graft function before transplantation has proven to be a difficult task, especially for macrovacuolar steatosis that is considered a major cause of posttransplant dysfunction. It is well known that macrovacuolar steatosis greater than 25% influences the short- and long-term outcomes of liver transplantation. We retrospectively analyzed frozen sections from 43 donor livers comparing preoperative laboratory/clinical values, and liver ultrasound of a cohort of donors without (group A, n=21) versus with steatosis of 25% to 35% (group B, n=22) upon liver biopsy performed during harvesting. We analyzed the possible correlations between preoperative donor data and the degree of macrovacuolar steatosis. None of the biochemical and clinical parameters were related to the degree of hepatic steatosis. The only difference between the two groups was the echographic pattern, with evidence of 27% fatty liver by ultrasound in group B and 5% in group A (p=.04). The specificity of hepatic ultrasound for macrovacuolar steatosis was 95% and the sensitivity was only 27%, while the positive and negative predictive value were 86% and 55%, respectively. In conclusion, liver biopsy during donor harvesting remains the gold standard to identify macrovacuolar steatosis greater than 25%. Hepatic ultrasound has a role to exclude the presence of steatosis in normal livers due to its high specificity, but it is not useful to make the diagnosis of a fatty liver since it has a low sensitivity and negative predictive value. Thereafter a liver ultrasound positive for hepatic steatosis alone should not be considered a valuable tool to discard an organ from transplantation.     

Improved liver function due to decompression of the hepatic veins after extended left hepatectomy

Extended left hepatectomy was performed on a patient with hepatocellular carcinoma in the median segment of the liver. The impaired hepatic venous outflow demonstrated by preoperative duplex Doppler ultrasonography improved after surgery due to decompression of the hepatic veins, and liver function improved. A certain volume of hepatic venous outflow may be necessary to maintain liver function and allow compensatory hypertrophy after partial hepatectomy.     

灌注成像螺旋CT扫描法对肝静脉的三维图像重建

目的探索灌注成像螺旋CT扫描法对肝静脉数据进行三维图像重建的技术方法,为部分肝移植术供肝的合理分割提供可靠的解剖学依据。方法采集非肝病死亡成人新鲜尸体肝脏标本17例,冲洗、清除其管道内凝血块,分别经主肝静脉逆行注入含3％泛影葡胺的明胶。螺旋CT扫描肝脏标本,利用医学三维图像处理软件对二维图像数据进行三维重建。结果所获得的肝内肝静脉系统的三维图像清晰、画面逼真,立体感强,可虚拟肝静脉的具体分支情况、行程走行及其空间位置。结论灌注成像螺旋CT扫描法是肝内肝静脉系统进行三维重建的有效技术手段,为肝脏外科术前制定手术计划提供了精确丰富的信息。     

Primary hepatic malignancy: the role of liver transplantation

Between January 1982 and April 1989, 134 patients with a suspected liver neoplasm were referred to the liver unit, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham. In 105 (78 per cent), a primary hepatic neoplasm was histologically confirmed, and 47 patients (45 per cent) proved to have primary hepatocellular carcinoma. Twenty-nine orthotopic liver transplants were performed in 28 of these patients (27 per cent). Twenty patients (71 per cent) survived 30 days or longer (median 11.5 months; range 2-87 months), of whom nine are currently alive. We retrospectively analysed our data to determine the influence of preoperative evaluation, histological type and staging on outcome. Computed tomography proved to be superior to intraoperative assessment (86 versus 58 per cent) in diagnosing tumour positive nodes. Patients with tumour negative lymphadenopathy had a better prognosis. Postoperative stage I/II had a median survival of 16 months (range 3-87 months) compared with 7.5 months (range 2-20 months) for stage III. Non-cirrhotic patients with hepatocellular carcinoma had the best prognosis; cholangiocellular carcinoma and cirrhotic patients with hepatocelluar carcinoma had the worst outcome with no survivors beyond 1 year. Because of the advanced stage of disease at the time of presentation, the value of liver transplantation in primary liver cancer is limited. For those presenting with advanced disease confined to the liver (stage I/II) in whom conventional hepatic resection is not possible, significant benefit can be achieved in selected cases.     

One-step reconstruction of the right inferior hepatic veins using auto-venous grafts in living donor liver transplantation

Purposes

Reconstruction of the right inferior hepatic vein (RIHV) presents a major technical challenge in living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) using right lobe grafts.

Methods

We studied 47 right lobe LDLT grafts with RIHV revascularization, comparing one-step reconstruction, performed post-May 2007 (n = 16), with direct anastomosis, performed pre-May 2007 (n = 31).

Results

In the one-step reconstruction technique, the internal jugular vein (n = 6), explanted portal vein (n = 5), inferior vena cava (n = 3), and shunt vessels (n = 2) were used as venous patch grafts for unifying the right hepatic vein, RIHVs, and middle hepatic vein tributaries. By 6 months after LDLT, there was no case of occlusion of the reconstructed RIHVs in the one-step reconstruction group, but a cumulative occlusion rate of 18.2 % in the direct anastomosis group. One-step reconstruction required a longer cold ischemic time (182 ± 40 vs. 115 ± 63, p < 0.001) and these patients had higher alanine transaminase values (142 ± 79 vs. 96 ± 46 IU/L, p = 0.024) on postoperative day POD 7. However, the 6-month short-term graft survival rates were 100 % with one-step reconstruction and 83.9 % with direct anastomosis, respectively.

Conclusion

One-step reconstruction of the RIHVs using auto-venous grafts is an easy and feasible technique promoting successful right lobe LDLT.