Postoperative liver regeneration and complication in live liver donor after partial hepatectomy for living donor liver transplantation

The safety of donor is the first priority during whole procedure in living donor liver transplantation. We evaluated the short-term results of partial living donor liver transplantation in the view of donor safety. We prospectively evaluated the extent of liver regeneration, the recovery of liver function, and the perioperative complications in 41 live liver donors for partial liver transplantation at our institution. We developed novel personal computer volumetry program for the evaluation of liver regeneration. Serial CAT scan was performed preoperatively, at postoperative day (POD) #7 and POD #30 and liver volume was measure by using volumetry program. The serum level of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and total bilirubin (T.bil.) was serially monitored. There were 34 males and 7 females. The mean preoperative liver volume was 1320.6 cm3. The remained mean liver volume was 687.8 cm3 after harvest, and increased to 954.4 cm3 (144.6%) at POD #7, and 1169.5 cm3 (81.4%) at POD #30, which was 88.5% of preoperative total liver volume. The serum level of ALT/ AST and T.bil. peaked at POD #1 and declined thereafter, and finally returned to preoperative level at POD #30. The regeneration rate was significantly different by age, type and size of graft according to the donors. Six donors experienced postoperative complications and they were four pleural effusions, one wound infection and one case of bile duct stenosis that was treated by endoscopic nasal biliary drainage. All of them were right lobe donors. In conclusion, the donor liver regenerated up to 88.5% of preoperative volume with full recovery of liver function at POD #30. Right lobe donors suffered more complications and need more meticulous operative and postoperative care than left lobe or left lateral segment donors.