URGENT LIVING-RELATED LIVER-TRANSPLANTATION USING A GRAFT WITH MULTIPLE INTRAHEPATIC ARTERIOPORTAL FISTULAS

Background, We describe the case of a man with intrahepatic arteriopor tal fistulae located in the left lobe, whose left lateral segment was transplanted into his son who was suffering from severe acute hepatiti s B. Methods, A male infant with severe acute hepatitis B was consider ed to be a candidate for liver transplantation, The father was willing to be the donor, Preoperative evaluation of the donor revealed intrah epatic arterioportal fistulae, however, duplex ultrasonography showed normograde portal blood flow, A living-related liver transplantation w as performed, Results, The postoperative course for both the donor and recipient was uneventful, The recipient is free of recurrent hepatiti s B and has normograde portal blood flow. Conclusions. The present cas e suggests that there may be a symptomless population with intrahepati c arterioportal fistulae, which cause various degrees of disruption of the portal blood flow. Duplex ultrasonography might be helpful in the evaluation of candidates for liver donation.