Rescue for rare complications of the hepatic artery in living donor liver transplantation using grafts of autologous inferior mesenteric artery

This report describes two rescued cases with rare complications of the hepatic artery in living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT). In both cases a segment of the autologous inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) was successfully used as an arterial graft for re-vascularization under microsurgery. The first case was that of a pseudoaneurysm of the hepatic artery, which caused massive gastrointestinal bleeding. The hepatic arteries of the pre- and post-aneurysm were divided, and the arterial graft from the recipients IMA was interposed for reconstruction. The second case was that of an intimal dissection of the recipients hepatic artery. Because the dissection extended to the root of the common hepatic artery, the autologous IMA was interposed between the donors hepatic artery and the proximal stump of the recipients splenic artery. Reconstruction using the arterial graft of the autologous IMA is feasible for re-vascularization of the hepatic artery in liver transplantation.     

Transfer technique of an anomalous coronary artery from the anterior pulmonary artery

We describe a simple rerouting technique for an anteriorly situated anomalous left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery (ALCAPA), extending the left main coronary trunk with autologous aortic and pulmonary tissue. This technique is reproducible. It provides a tension-free aortocoronary anastomosis and a full potential for future growth.     

Hepatic artery aneurysm involving the proper hepatic and gastroduodenal artery treated using a gastroepiploic artery in situ bypass

We herein present the first known case of common hepatic artery aneurysm involving the proper hepatic artery treated with in situ bypass by using right gastroepiploic artery. A 55-year-old man was hospitalized after the incidental discovery of a low-echogenic mass with blood flow in the hepatic artery. Selective visceral arteriography demonstrated a hepatic artery aneurysm that filled via the superior mesenteric artery. The most proximal part of the common hepatic artery was occluded. A resection of aneurysm was performed, and the arterial blood flow was restored to the liver by mobilizing the right gastroepiploic artery and anastomosing the proper hepatic artery. This technique is preferable to grafting in that only one anastomosis is necessary and predicts that the results may be at least as good as with vein or prosthetic grafts.     

Left pulmonary artery coarctoplasty by using the right pulmonary artery flap near the arterial duct

Coarctation of the left pulmonary artery may coexist with tetralogy of Fallot or pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect. Various surgical methods, such as autologous pericardial patching and intraoperative pulmonary artery stenting, have been used for solving this condition. We proposed a simple and effective technique for treating patients with left pulmonary artery coarctation and pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect by using the right pulmonary artery flap for left pulmonary artery coarctoplasty, plus central shunt creation by V-Y plasty.     

Radical open endvenectomy with autologous pericardial patch graft for correction of Budd-Chiari syndrome

A surgical technique for the treatment of Budd-Chiari syndrome associated with vena caval obstruction has been devised. The occluded hepatic vena cava and hepatic veins were reconstructed by open endvenectomy, using an autologous pericardial patch graft and a femorofemoral bypass technique. The hepatic artery and portal vein were not controlled with vascular clamps during the surgery. Between 1979 and 1994, 29 patients were treated using this technique and achieved good results. All the patients did well with good function of the reconstructed vena cava and of the hepatic veins, and showed acceptable reduction of symptoms caused by portal hypertension and caval stagnation. Copyright © 1996 The International Society for Cardiovascular Surgery.     

Gastroduodenal artery as the inflow tract to repair the right hepatic artery in a combined vasculobiliary injury after laparoscopic cholecystectomy

The frequency and significance of right hepatic artery injury associated with bile duct injury after laparoscopic cholecystectomy is unknown. Many reports suggest that a concomitant arterial injury worsens the outcome and prognosis of the bile duct injury even after an initially successful biliary repair. The optimal management of this complicated injury is controversial. We report a surgical technique to repair the right hepatic artery injury in these cases. We believe this technique is useful for surgeons who opt to repair the arterial injury at the time of biliary reconstruction, especially if it is performed soon after the injury occurred, before permanent damage to the liver and biliary system is established. To the best of our knowledge, this technique was not reported in the literature previously.     

Surgical techniques for vascular reconstruction of the portal vein and hepatic artery in living-donor liver transplantation]

To decide how to reconstruct the portal vein and hepatic artery for liver transplantation, anatomical variation, diameter, length, and injury to vessels during surgery, and the quality of recipient vessels should be considered. Hence, it is of key importance for donor and recipient surgeries to prepare adequate vessels for reconstruction. For reconstruction of the portal vein, anastomosis with as large a diameter as possible is required to obtain good portal flow. In cases with sclerosing stenosis and old thrombus, technical innovations such as branch-patch, a conduit using a vein graft, and venoplasty using a venous patch are necessary. For reconstruction of the hepatic artery, selecting a satisfactory recipient artery, overcoming size mismatch, and gentle handling of a recipient artery with pathological changes are important. Arteries smaller than 3 mm are anastomosed with a surgical microscope using the united suture technique. The fishmouth technique or funnelization technique can be used for anastomoses with a significant size mismatch, and an autoarterial graft is used when arteries do not reach each other.     

An improved technique for regional perfusion chemotherapy in the presence of a replaced right hepatic artery using a single implantable pump

A new technique is described for regional perfusion chemotherapy in the presence of a replaced right hepatic artery. By anastomosis of the replaced right hepatic artery end-to-side to the left hepatic artery, a single implantable pump can be used to perfuse both lobes of the liver. This technique has the advantage of facilitating postoperative follow-up and substantially reducing the cost of the procedure.     

Innovative technique to reconstruct two branches of the right hepatic artery in living donor liver transplantation

Hepatic arterial thrombosis is a critical complication in living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). Two separate branches of the right hepatic artery (RHA) are sometimes observed and addressed by anastomosis of the larger branch first, then checking backflow from the smaller branch. If not good, the smaller branch must be reconstructed. We used the cystic artery as a conduit for the reconstruction. Meticulous dissection was performed to identify all branches of the hepatic artery in the donor operation. The length of cystic artery preserved was as long as possible. The cystic arterial stump was anastomosed to the stump of the posterior branch the of RHA under microscopic guidance on the back table. Patency was checked through the stump of the anterior branch of the RHA. With this technique, only one orifice, the stump of right anterior hepatic artery, was used for hepatic artery reconstruction. We have performed this technique in two patients. Both had good arterial flow after living donor liver transplantation. This innovative technique is easy and safe, and requires only one anastomosis, which, in theory, decreases the adds of developing hepatic arterial thrombosis.     

107例同种原位肝移植肝动脉重建的体会

目的探讨肝脏移植手术中肝动脉重建技术的要点和影响肝动脉重建结果的因素。方法回顾性总结 10 7例肝脏移植患者的临床资料 ,分析肝脏移植手术中可能影响肝动脉重建的因素 ,以及肝动脉重建的技术要点。结果肝脏移植术中肝动脉重建与外科手术方式相关。供肝动脉的完整性、供体受体动脉的重建方式以及显微外科技术的应用是影响肝动脉重建结果的重要因素。结论供肝动脉的质量、动脉的重建方式和显微外科技术的应用是肝动脉重建的关键。     

Hepatorenal artery bypass in the management of renovascular hypertension.

Infrequently, when the aorta cannot be used for a standard renal bypass operation because of a previous aortic operation, severe degenerative atherosclerosis or complete aortic thrombosis, a unilateral (hepatic) or bilateral (hepatic and splenic) visceral bypass should be contemplated. Patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms extending above the renal arteries might benefit from concomitant bilateral visceral bypass procedures followed by aortic replacement during the same operative session. The hepatic circulation with its common anatomic variations, indications, surgical technique and effects of hepatorenal artery bypass on the renal and hepatic circulation are discussed.     

源自肠系膜上动脉的变异肝动脉在胃癌D2根治术中的应用

目的 对源自肠系膜上动脉的变异肝动脉走行情况进行分型,并检测变异肝动脉旁淋巴组织是否有转移,从而指导胃癌D2根治术.方法 对2008年1月至2010年6月间由同一术者进行胃癌D2根治术的86例胃癌患者的临床资料进行研究.患者术前均通过多层螺旋CT血管造影(MSCTA)对存在源自肠系膜上动脉变异肝动脉的走行情况进行分型,并经术中验证,术后将变异肝动脉旁淋巴组织行重组人细胞角蛋白20(CK20)、癌胚抗原(CEA)免疫组化作对照,从而判断异常动脉旁是否有淋巴结转移的发生.结果 本组源自肠系膜上动脉变异肝动脉14例,其中男12例、女2例,平均62岁,其中变异肝总动脉3例,变异肝右动脉11例,总变异率为16.3%,其中走行于胰腺前方的1例、胰腺后方的13例,术中清扫此变异肝动脉,尤其胰后型其难度较大,易损伤异常血管及胰腺,并且手术时间较正常肝动脉者明显延长[(218.8±23.9)min比(179.6±18.5)min],术前可通过MSCTA了解变异肝动脉的走行情况,从而指导术中的操作;胰前、后型异常血管旁淋巴组织的CK20、CEA免疫组化未发现淋巴结转移.结论 源自肠系膜上动脉的变异肝动脉走行分为胰前型和胰后型;建议在D2胃癌根治术中若发现此变异肝动脉存在时,可不做此血管周围组织清扫.

Abstract：

Objectives To classify the courses of the abnormal hepatic arteries originated from superior mesenteric artery in patients with gastric cancer, and to define its application in the D2 radical gastrectomy in those patients. Methods Eighty-six patients with gastric cancer who had received D2 radical gastrectomy by the same surgeon between January 2008 and June 2010 were included in this study. All patients received the preoperative multislice spiral computed tomoangiography (MSCTA) to classify the abnormal hepatic artery originated from the superior mesenteric artery, which was verified during the surgery. Postoperative immunohistochemistry of the lymphoid tissues around the abnormal hepatic artery was performed by recombinant human cytokeratin 20 (CK20) and carcino-embryonic antigen (CEA) to verify the micrometastasis. Results In this group, the abnormal hepatic artery originated from the superior mesenteric artery were found with MSCTA and verified by operation in 14 patients, including 12 men and 2women. The mean age was 62 years. Of the 14 cases with abnormal hepatic artery, 3 cases were found with abnormal common hepatic artery and 11 cases with abnormal right hepatic artery. The total mutation rate is 16. 3%. In those patients, the hepatic artery ran in front of the pancreas in 1 case and behind the pancreas in 13 cases. It was difficult to dissect the abnormal hepatic artery, especially for the post-pancreas type in D2lymphadenectomy, for fear of damaging the abnormal blood vessel and pancreas. The operation time in cases with abnormal hepatic artery was significantly longer than that in patients with normal hepatic artery [(218.8±23.9) min vs. (179. 6 ± 18. 5 ) min]. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed no metastasis in the lymphoid tissues surrounding the abnormal artery. Conclusions Abnormal hepatic arteries originated from the superior mesenteric artery can be classified into pre-pancreas type and post-pancreas type. The dissection of the abnormal hepatic artery is not advocated in D2 radical gastrectomy for no lymph node metastasis is found around the abnornal hepatic artery in this study.     

A modified technique for repair of the anomalous origin of the right pulmonary artery from the ascending aorta.

We report a modified technique of right pulmonary artery implantation to the main pulmonary artery with interposition of a tube created from the great arterial wall for an anomalous origin of the right pulmonary artery from the right lateral aspect of the ascending aorta. This technique offers extra autologous tissue length and reduced tension at the anastomotic site. It also offers the possibility to place the anomalous right pulmonary artery anterior to the ascending aorta, avoiding the aortic compression. This technique was employed successfully in a 15-week-old female.     

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.     

Microsurgical technique used in right anterior segmentectomy and pancreatoduodenectomy with reconstruction of the right posterior hepatic artery for widespread bile duct cancer involving the hepatic hilus

A microsurgical technique was used in performing anterior hepatic segmentectomy and pancreatoduodenectomy with reconstruction of the posterior hepatic artery in a 64-year-old man with widespread bile duct cancer from the intrapancreatic bile duct over the hepatic hilus. The anterior hepatic artery was obviously involved and the posterior hepatic artery just behind common hepatic duct was very close to the cancer. Microsurgical anastomosis between the remnant gastroduodenal artery and the posterior hepatic artery at the hepatic hilus made it possible to preserve the posterior segment of the liver and to perform a curative resection of the cancer. The patient had pyrexia because of suprahepatic abscess after the operation, but the abscess drained spontaneously. Postoperative arteriogram showed neither obstruction nor kinking of the reconstructed artery. He was discharged 2 months after surgery and has been enjoying a normal quality of life for 10 months since, with no signs of recurrence. It is suggested that a microsurgical technique is useful for performing an accurate anastomosis with good patency that allows not only a safe but also a highly curative operation for advanced bile duct cancer.     

Hepatic artery reconstruction grafting with the right gastroepiploic artery for surgical treatment of upper bile duct cancer

The right gastroepiploic artery (GEA) was used as hepatic artery graft in 2 patients with advanced upper bile duct cancer. The pedicle, including the right GEA and surrounding tissues, was mobilized along greater curvature of the stomach. The GEA pedicle was raised up beyond the gastric pylorus and was anastomosed to the distal right hepatic artery by interrupted suture technique using 7-0 monofilament-nylon stitches. The patients recovered well without evidences of anastomotic dehiscence of hepatico-jejunostomy and prolonged liver dysfunction beyond three postoperative days. Angiograms at one week after operation showed good patency of the GEA graft. The method of hepatic artery grafting with the right GEA is very simple and useful for surgical treatment of upper bile duct cancer.     

Use of a branch patch with the cystic artery in living-related liver transplantation

Technical aspects in living-related liver transplantation are still under debate: the main pitfall is the arterial reconstruction due to the small diameter and the discrepancy between stumps, with a subsequent increased risk of arterial thrombosis. The gold standard is the microsurgical technique, that reports the lowest risk of thrombosis, but it is a time consuming procedure requiring a long training. Our method of choice reconstructing hepatic artery in right lobe is the use of the cystic artery as a branch patch with the recipient hepatic artery by loop magnification, saving time and with a low incidence of hepatic artery thrombosis.     

肝移植中使用受体脾动脉行肝动脉重建

目的探讨在肝移植中受体肝动脉存在病变的情况下肝动脉重建的方法。方法在二例肝移植病人中,选用受体脾动脉与供体肝动脉端端吻合以重建肝动脉。结果术后分别随访5个月和2年,肝动脉通畅,肝功能正常,无胆管并发症,无脾梗塞和脾功能异常。结论肝移植中受体的脾动脉可以用来行肝动脉重建。     

Hepatic artery reconstruction prior to orthotopic liver transplantation

BACKGROUND: This study examines the types of arterial reconstruction for grafts prepared for orthotopic transplantation procedures. METHODS: Between 1993 and February 2003, 200 organs were harvested for orthotopic liver transplantation. Arterial variations were found in 28 cases (14%), among which 16 cases (8%) required vascular reconstruction with 4 cases due to accidentally damaged during liver harvesting. RESULTS: Among the 200 organs harvested for liver transplantation, arterial variations requiring reconstruction were found in 12 cases (6%); these included: replacing an accessory left hepatic artery from the left gastric artery (9/1 reconstruction); replacing an accessory left hepatic artery from the upper mesenteric artery (2/1 reconstruction), and replacing an accessory right hepatic artery from the upper mesenteric artery (10/10 reconstructions). The splenic artery was typically used for anastomosis (seven cases, 58.3%) as well as the gastroduodenal artery (two cases, 16.7%) or the right gastric artery (one case, 8.3%). In the remaining two cases, a more complex technique was required. CONCLUSIONS: Reconstruction of graft vessels before an orthotopic liver transplantation procedure does not increase the risk of vascular complications.     

Ruptured hepatic artery aneurysm: a novel approach to distal control

We describe a unique method for obtaining distal control in a ruptured hepatic artery aneurysm. A 34-year-old man with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome type IV presented with a ruptured left hepatic artery aneurysm. The distal aneurysm was within the parenchyma of the liver. Proximal control was obtained with pledgeted sutures. The distal hepatic artery was difficult to control. Injection of 5 mL of thrombin into the distal left hepatic artery resulted in hemorrhage control. This technique should be considered in select patients in whom distal arterial control is challenging.