Korean J Transplant.  2022 Jun;36(2):119-126. 10.4285/kjt.22.0010.

The first years of liver transplantation: experiences at a single center

• Pham PH
• Phan NP
• Tran VDK
• Dang VQ
• Le DT
• Nguyen TD
• Tran LCD
• Nguyen BH

• KMID: 2531135
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4285/kjt.22.0010

Abstract

Background
The aim of this study was to analyze the first stages of progress in liver transplantation (LT) at a single center in Vietnam.
Methods
This study analyzed data from patients and donors who participated in the LT program between August 2018 and December 2021 at University Medical Center, Ho Chi Minh City. Study measures included any difficulties encountered, as well as the post- LT outcomes for living donor LT (LDLT) and deceased donor LT (DDLT). The chi-square test and Kaplan Meier survival analysis were used to test the factors that influenced the outcomes.
Results
A total of 18 adult recipients with LT (LDLT, n=16; DDLT, n=2) were included (mean age, 55.2±2.6 years; male, 88.9%). The most common post-LT complications were middle hepatic venous stenosis (20%) and graft rejection (22.2%). These compli-cations were observed in LDLT patients. For DDLT, graft rejection (50%) was the only complication recorded. The survival rates for recipients at 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year were 100%, 88.9%, and 88.9%, respectively. The LDs had their right livers without the middle hepatic veins harvested, and biliary leakage (6.25%) was the only complica-tion observed. There were no deaths among recipients or LDs during the operations or hospital stays.
Conclusions
This study provides key details about the process of LT, and these positive outcomes support LT as an important therapy for end-stage liver disease and early hepatocellular carcinomas.

Keyword

Living donors; Deceased donors; Liver transplantation; Graft rejection

Figure

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  Fig. 1 (A, B) Ligation of the splenic vein and superior mesenteric vein before thrombectomy. (C, D) Spatula tool was used to remove the thrombosis.

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  Fig. 2 Venous outflow reconstruction by artificial interposition and the saphenous vein. (A) V5–V8 revascularization using the saphenous vein (diameter after suture ≥1 cm). (B) Inner suture between V5 or V8 with interposition. (C) Artificial middle hepatic vein in alignment with the right hepatic vein. One outflow (≥4 cm) of the right liver graft.

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  Fig. 3 (A) Right liver harvested from a living donor without a middle hepatic vein. (B) Computed tomography scan evaluating the donor’s abdominal condition after 1 month.

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