Biliary anastomosis and biliary complications following living donor liver transplantation

Biliary complications are one of the most important problems in liver transplantation. Regardless of various improvements of surgical technique, liver transplantation is associated with significant biliary problems. In this article, we have described a biliary anastomosis method with a continuous suture (CS) technique in the posterior wall and interrupted suture (IS) technique for the anterior wall. We performed this biliary reconstruction in 28 adult patients between September 2003 and August 2007. Prior to that time our procedure was a CS anastomosis for both the anterior and posterior walls. A 5-Fr catheter is inserted into the biliary system. The current biliary complication was 3 cases (13.0%) of stenosis at the anastomosis, which is lower than that for a CS anastomosis. This anastomosis reduced biliary complications and is simple.     

活体肝移植的胆道重建技术及并发症分析

目的 探讨活体肝移植的胆道重建方法及并发症防治措施.方法 回顾性分析77例活体肝移植临床资料,其中74例行右半肝移植(带肝中静脉29例,不带肝中静脉45例),左半肝带肝中静脉1例,左外叶切取2例.胆道重建采用胆肠吻合或供肝肝管与受体肝管端端吻合.结果 供肝断面1个胆管开口为54例,多个胆管开口为23例;胆肠吻合2例,胆管端端吻合75例,63例留置T管;术后总体胆道并发症发生率为36.4%(28/77),其中胆漏为10.4%(8/77),胆道狭窄为26.0%(20/77).供肝单支胆道以及单个吻合口术后胆道狭窄的发生率明显低于多支胆道及多个吻合口(P<0.05).8例胆漏病人经过B超指引穿刺引流全部治愈,20例吻合口狭窄病人经T管窦道放置支撑管或通过ERCP进行扩张,肝功能全部或部分好转.结论 活体肝移植供肝切取术中注意对断面胆管血供的保护以及尽可能获得单一的肝管开口可有效减少术后胆道并发症的发生;内镜和放射介入技术是治疗胆道并发症的有效手段.     

活体肝移植的胆道重建与胆道并发症

To systematically summarize the current status of surgical techniques in biliary reconstruction and biliary complications following living donor liver transplantation and analyze the biliary reconstruction techniques and difficulties in the prevention of biliary complications.The refinements of surgical techniques and successful prevention and therapeutic strategies for reducing biliary complications after living donor liver transplantation are discussed.     

Biliary complications in orthotopic liver transplantation: experience with a modified technique of duct-to-duct reconstruction

Abstract. Biliary complications are described as frequent causes of morbidity during the postoperative course of orthotopic liver transplantation (OLTx), even in recent papers. The authors report here on their experience with duct-to-duct anastomosis as their method of choice for biliary reconstruction in a consecutive series of 100 OLTx in adult patients. The original technique, as described by Starzl, was modified by the authors by performing a wide, longitudinal plasty of both the donor and recipient bile ducts, joined together with two polidioxanone running sutures, producing the effect of a side-to-side anastomosis. This technique was used in all procedures, even when a significant discrepancy was evident between the ducts ( n = 10). Follow-up was completed in 100% of the patients for a period of 2–40 months (mean 13.1 months). Four major complications (4%) occurred including hepatic abscesses due to ascending cholangitis, T-tube dislocation, partial occlusion by a branch of the T-tube at the anastomotic site, and disruption of the bile duct after T-tube removal. In four other patients, transient abdominal pain followed removal of the stent. Neither strictures nor fistulas were observed. Choledochocholedochostomy on a T-tube stent represents, in our experience, the technique of choice for biliary reconstruction in OLTx. The procedure, as described in the present study, proved to be safe in preventing strictures and leakages and appears to be feasible in nearly 100% of all adult patients undergoing OLTx.     

Biliary complications in orthotopic liver transplantation: experience with a modified technique of duct-to-duct reconstruction

Biliary complications are described as frequent causes of morbidity during the postoperative course of orthotopic liver transplantation (OLTx), even in recent papers. The authors report here on their experience with duct-to-duct anastomosis as their method of choice for biliary reconstruction in a consecutive series of 100 OLTx in adult patients. The original technique, as described by Starzl, was modified by the authors by performing a wide, longitudinal plasty of both the donor and recipient bile ducts, joined together with two polidioxanone running sutures, producing the effect of a side-to-side anastomosis. This technique was used in all procedures, even when a significant discrepancy was evident between the ducts (n=10). Follow-up was completed in 100% of the patients for a period of 2–40 months (mean 13.1 months). Four major complications (4%) occurred including hepatic abscesses due to ascending cholangitis, T-tube dislocation, partial occlusion by a branch of the T-tube at the anastomotic site, and disruption of the bile duct after T-tube removal. In four other patients, transient abdominal pain followed removal of the stent. Neither strictures nor fistulas were observed. Choledochocholedochostomy on a T-tube stent represents, in our experience, the technique of choice for biliary reconstruction in OLTx. The procedure, as described in the present study, proved to be safe in preventing strictures and leakages and appears to be feasible in nearly 100% of all adult patients undergoing OLTx.     

同种原位肝移植术的胆管重建及其术后并发症的防治

目的探讨同种原位肝移植(OLT)的胆管重建方式及其术后并发症的防治。方法回顾性分析1999年2月至2003年1月间103例终末期肝病患者施行OLT胆管重建及术后并发症的防治情况。103例患者中,75例采用经典式原位肝移植伴体外静脉转流、17例采用经典式原位肝移植不伴转流、11例采用背驮式原位肝移植。胆道重建过程中有94例行胆管端端吻合,9例行胆肠吻合。胆管端端吻合的患者中,62例带T管引流,32例不带T管,但11例经受者胆囊管置入小橡胶管引流。术后胆管并发症的诊断主要依据临床表现、B型超声波、磁共振胰胆管成像或逆行胰胆管造影检查。所有患者均随访1年以上。结果103例OLT患者术后胆管并发症发生率为7.8%(8/103)。62例带T管引流的患者中,6例(9.6%)发生胆管并发症,其中4例术后发生胆漏,2例拔除T管后发生局限性腹膜炎;32例不带T管引流的患者中,1例(3.1%)发生胆管狭窄。9例胆肠吻合中,1例(11.1%)术后发生胆漏。7例胆漏患者,2例经再次手术引流,其余继续保持引流胆漏自愈。不带T管引流的患者中的胆管狭窄为吻合口狭窄,经内镜取出异物、球囊扩张与安放内支架后治愈。1例患者因胆漏导致肝动脉吻合口假性动脉瘤及腹腔大出血,经介入法明确诊断并行栓塞治疗后治愈。患者中无胆管并发症而引起的死亡。结论胆管吻合口的胆漏与狭窄是OLT术后最常见的胆管并发症。良好的胆管血供与胆管吻合技术是防止胆管并发症发生的关键。及时的内镜检查与放射学技术是诊断和治疗胆管并发症的有效手段。     

Biliary reconstruction and complications of left lobe living donor liver transplantation

Postoperative biliary tract complications remain one of the most serious problems facing patients who undergo living donor liver transplantation. The aim of this study was to analyze the clinical implications of three methods of biliary reconstruction in left lobe adult living donor liver transplantation. We retrospectively compared three groups of patients who underwent various biliary reconstructions: those who had Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy (HJ) (n = 11); duct to duct hepaticohepaticostomy (HH) with an external stent (n = 11); or HH with T-tube (n = 6). The median follow-up for each group was 29, 28, and 8 months, respectively. Bile leaks were observed in 45.5% of both the HJ and the HH with external stent groups. Biliary anastomotic strictures occurred in 9.1% of the Roux-en-Y HJ patients and in 27.2% of those who had HH with an external stent. No biliary complications were observed in the HH over a T-tube group (P = .049). Biliary reconstruction using HH with a T-tube may decrease the incidence of biliary complications. Despite the relatively short follow-up, these encouraging preliminary results warrant further studies of this biliary reconstruction technique for left lobe adult living donor liver transplantations.     

Biliary reconstruction and complications of right lobe live donor liver transplantation

OBJECTIVE: To identify the possible reasons of failure of biliary reconstruction in right lobe live donor liver transplantation (LDLT) and to devise the best method of reconstruction and treatment strategy for the complications. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Right lobe LDLT was associated with a high biliary complication rate (15-64%) in the reported series. The causes of failure were not completely understood and the best treatment strategy has not been defined. METHODS: From 1996 to 2001, 74 patients received right lobe LDLT. The operative procedures of the first 37 patients were critically reviewed to identify the possible reasons of leakage or stenosis from the anastomosis. The causes included right hepatic duct ischemia, double or triple hepaticojejunostomies, unrecognized branch of right hepatic duct, jejunal opening smaller than the size of right hepatic duct, and ductal plasty without division of newly created septum. The second 37 patients had biliary reconstruction by a modified technique that preserved blood supply to the right hepatic duct and aimed at avoidance of risk factors. RESULTS: The overall complication rate decreased from 43% in the first 37 patients to 8% in the second 37 patients. There was no leakage from the anastomosis in the second group of patients. Percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD) for the biliary complications resulted in right portal vein and hepatic artery injury in four patients and accounted for mortality in three of them. To avoid complications from PTBD, three patients in the second group developing stenosis of hepaticojejunostomy had repeated hepaticojejunostomy without preoperative PTBD and recovered. CONCLUSIONS: With identification of risk factors and modification of the surgical technique, the complication rate of biliary reconstruction of right lobe LDLT could be reduced. Repeated hepaticojejunostomy without preoperative PTBD is the preferred approach once a complication develops.     

Gastrointestinal complications of hepatic transplantation.

In this series of 150 orthotopic hepatic transplants, clinically significant gastrointestinal hemorrhage occurred in 34 patients (23%). Five patients (15%) survived this complication. Enteric perforations occurred in 20 patients following 198 biliary-enteric procedures. Only one patient survived. Enteric perforations unrelated to biliary procedures fared only slightly better with one survivor among eight perforations. These results clearly do not warrant complacency. Modifications advocated are an aggressive diagnostic approach and early reoperation with establishment of extensive peritoneal drainage where necessary.     

Modified sleeve anastomosis for reconstruction of the hepatic artery in rat liver transplantation

End-to-end sleeve anastomosis between a donor common hepatic artery and a recipient proper hepatic artery was proven to be the most physiological and simple method for hepatic rearterialization in rat liver transplantation. Current technical variants of the sleeve technique, however, are hampered by the high rate of bleeding from the anastomotic site. This report deals with a technical modification which inhibits postoperative bleeding efficiently. The procedure consisted of a guiding suture, as previously described in other technical variants, and a modified fixing suture. Instead of using a single stitch to fix the feeding vessel with the receiving vessel, a running suture between the edge of the donor common hepatic artery and the adventitia of the recipient proper hepatic artery was performed to avoid a possible backflow. The patency rate of 91% was as high as reported by others using a sleeve technique, which was also reflected in the histomorphological picture, being indistinguishable from normal liver histology. This technical modification simplified the procedure of reconstructing the hepatic artery and could contribute to a wider use of the arterialized liver transplantation model in rats.     

Biliary tract reconstruction in liver transplantation

Biliary tract complications are often referred to as the Achilles' heel of liver transplantation and various techniques have been developed to overcome them. The two major methods of bile duct reconstruction currently in use consist of either (1) choledochocholedochostomy over a T-tube or, when duct-to-duct approximation is not feasible, choledochojejunostomy over an internal stent, or (2) interposition of the donor gallbladder as a conduit between the donor bile duct and either the recipient bile duct or a jejunal loop. Although these standardizations of biliary tract reconstruction have resulted in a reduction of biliary complications after liver transplantation, further advancement in the elucidation of ampullary obstruction and viability of the donor bile duct is needed.     

Biliary tract reconstruction in liver transplantation

Refinements in biliary tract reconstruction and the frequent use of cholangiography have produced a marked decline in the number of deaths from biliary complications after liver transplantation. The authors' method of reconstruction differs from those of others in that it employs no stents or T tubes and retains the donor gallbladder, allowing access to the biliary tract for radiologic purposes in the post-transplant period. In a series of 161 consecutive liver transplants, the frequency of biliary complications was 13.6% (15 anastomotic and 7 gallbladder-related). Of three deaths that occurred in patients with biliary complications, one was due to the complication itself. A Roux-en-Y reconstruction with anastomosis to the donor duct was associated with the lowest anastomotic complication rate (2.2%). Upper abdominal surgery before transplantation, especially shunting, was a major risk factor for biliary complications.     

Biliary reconstruction following right adult living donor liver transplantation end-to-end or end-to-side duct-to-duct anastomosis

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Bile duct complications are the modern Achilles' heel of adult-to-adult living donor liver transplantation. A duct-to-duct anastomosis is currently performed in the presence of single graft ducts, while cholangiojejunostomy is used to drain multiple ducts. Our aim is to describe the feasibility of duct-to-duct anastomoses independent of the presence of one or multiple graft bile ducts. METHODS: The probe technique for right bile duct dissection in donors and a proximal hilar bile duct division in recipients are illustrated. The BARIGA LDLT (biliary anastomosis in right graft for adult living donor liver transplantation recipients) with end-to-side or end-to-end hepatico-hepaticostomy was used in five recipients of right grafts (segments 5-8). RESULTS: All donors and recipients are doing well; all grafts are functional at 13 months. Duct-to-duct anastomoses to single, double, or triple graft ducts have been performed. Two early anastomotic stenoses at 5 and 10 weeks were successfully treated endoscopically. CONCLUSION: The duct-to-duct anastomosis represents a valid alternative to the standard hepaticojejunostomy for right living donor liver grafts. Using this method, biliary complications can be treated endoscopically. End-to-side or end-to-end BARIGA LDLT has the potential to become a standard method in segmental transplantation, including split liver.     

Biliary complications in adult living donor liver transplantation with duct-to-duct hepaticocholedochostomy or Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy biliary reconstruction

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to compare the incidence of biliary complications after adult living donor liver transplantation (ALDLT) with Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy (R-Y HJ) or duct-to-duct hepaticocholedochostomy (D-D HC). METHODS: Biliary complications were reviewed in 20 consecutive ALDLT recipients surviving more than 1 month, including 10 patients who underwent R-Y HJ and 10 patients who underwent D-D HC reconstructions. RESULTS: Ten biliary complications were seen in 8 patients (40%) from the study group. Specifically, 1 case of biliary leakage and 1 case of biliary hemorrhage were observed in the R-Y HJ group (20%), and 2 biliary leakages, 4 biliary strictures, and 2 C-tube related biliary leakages were seen in 6 patients from the D-D HC group (60%). Three of the 5 patients (60%) who underwent right lobe graft ALDLTs experienced biliary stricture. All cases of biliary leakage and biliary hemorrhage were stopped spontaneously by continuous drainage. Three patients in the D-D HC group with anastomotic strictures were successfully treated with percutaneous interventions. Only 1 patient with anastomotic stricture in the D-D HC group with left lobe graft required intrahepatic R-Y HJ reanastomosis. Two cases of C-tube related biliary leakages were treated with endoscopic management. CONCLUSIONS: Biliary complications such as anastomotic strictures were common in the D-D HC group rather than in the R-Y HJ group. D-D HC reconstruction should be applied cautiously, especially in the right lobe graft ALDLT cases.     

Airway anastomosis complications in de novo lung transplantation with sirolimus-based immunosuppression.

A prospective, pilot trial was started to evaluate the effect of a sirolimus-based immunosuppressive regimen on acute and chronic rejection in de novo lung transplant patients. Primary lung transplant (LTx) recipients received a sirolimus- and tacrolimus-based immunosuppressive therapy immediately after transplantation. Both immunosuppressants were administered with trough level adjusted, while steroid administration was minimized. Four patients were enrolled (2 single-lung transplants, 1 double-lung transplant, 1 heart-lung transplant) in the study. Mean ischemia time was 387 +/- 92 minutes. Acute rejection (at least Grade A1 ISHLT) was detected in 1 patient. Incidence of infection was 0.6 infection per 100 patient-days (3 Aspergillus infections). Until hospital discharge mean sirolimus trough level was 6.2 +/- 1.2 ng/ml. Depending upon mean sirolimus trough levels of each patient, severe wound-healing complications were seen in 3 patients, resulting in bronchial airway dehiscence in 2 patients with lethal outcome in 1 patient. As a result of these complications, we revised the study design after inclusion of only 4 patients: Sirolimus administration is now started after completion of bronchial wound-healing. Sirolimus-based immunosuppressive therapy administered immediately after lung transplantation seems to be associated with severe wound-healing complications of the bronchial anastomosis.     

Biliary complications after living donor adult liver transplantation.

The highest rate of complications characterizing the adult living donor liver transplantation (ALDLT) are due to biliary problems with a reported negative incidence of 22-64%. We performed 23 ALDLT grafting segments V-VIII without the middle hepatic vein from March 2001 to September 2005. Biliary anatomy was investigated using intraoperative cholangiography alone in the first five cases and magnetic resonance cholangiography in the remaining 18 cases. In 13 cases we found a single right biliary duct (56.5%) and in 10 we found multiple biliary ducts (43.7%). We performed single biliary anastomosis in 17 cases (73.91%) and double anastomosis in the remaining six (26%) cases. With a mean follow up of 644 days (8-1598 days), patient and graft survivals are 86.95% and 78.26%, respectively. The following biliary complications were observed: biliary leak from the cutting surface: three, anastomotic leak: two, late anastomotic strictures: five, early kinking of the choledochus: one. These 11 biliary complications (47.82%) occurred in eight patients (34.78%). Three of these patients developed two consecutive and different biliary complications. Biliary complications affected our series of ALDLT with a high percentage, but none of the grafts transplanted was lost because of biliary problems. Multiple biliary reconstructions are strongly related with a high risk of complication.