EXPERIENCES OF 120 MICROSURGICAL RECONSTRUCTIONS OF HEPATIC-ARTERY INLIVING-RELATED LIVER-TRANSPLANTATION

Background. We reviewed 120 microsurgical reconstructions of a hepatic artery in living related liver transplantation and discussed the prob lems encountered. Methods. From January 1991 to July 1994 we performed a series of 105 living related liver transplantations on children wit h end-stage liver disease. Arterial reconstruction was performed under the optical field of a continuous room magnification of approximately 10 times with an operating microscope. Results. Twenty-six percent of the graft arteries were less than 2 mm in diameter: The time required for an arterial reconstruction was 49.5 +/- 1.8 minutes. In 15 of the 31 cases in which there were two graft arteries, two arterial reconst ructions were required. The caliber difference between the graft arter y and the recipient artery in 30 instances was dealt with by cutting a n undersized artery obliquely (17 instances), by fish-mouth method (10 instances), by end-to-side anastomosis (I instance), or by funnelizat ion method (2 instances). In one case we performed an intimal dissecti on of a recipient hepatic artery and substituted a splenic artery. con sequently, hepatic arterial thrombosis occurred in only two cases (1.7 %). Conclusions. Microsurgical technique has overcome the high risk of hepatic arterial thrombosis in cases of fine graft arteries, enabled the reconstruction of arteries with caliber difference, and decreased arterial complications with its delicate manipulation.