INTRAOPERATIVE INCREMENT OF PLATELET-ACTIVATING-FACTOR IN CLINICAL LIVER-TRANSPLANTATION

Recent studies have shown that platelet-activating factor (PAF) is inv olved in ischemia/reperfusion injury to the liver. We therefore examin ed changes in PAF in recipients during liver transplantation. The leve l of PAF increased after portal venous reperfusion, except in one case where veno-venous bypass was applied. A marked elevation was noted in another case where portal congestion occurred due to outflow block, f ollowed by prolonged graft dysfunction. These results suggest that ele vation of the PAF level is related to portal congestion, and that PAF might be involved in postoperative liver graft dysfunction.