THE APPEARANCE OF DONOR HEPARIN IN THE RECIPIENT AFTER REPERFUSION OFA LIVER GRAFT

The release of heparin has been mentioned as one of the causes of hypo coagulability after reperfusion of the liver graft. It has been ascrib ed to endogenous heparin released from the donor liver or to exogenous heparin in the preservation fluid that is released into the recipient after sequestration into the graft during preservation. The aim of th is study was to investigate whether systemic administration of heparin to the donor before the hepatectomy contributes to the appearance of heparin in the recipient after reperfusion. We studied 20 patients und ergoing an auxiliary heterotopic liver transplantation; 15 donors had received heparin immediately before circulation arrest (median 300 IU/ kg body weight), but 5 had not. The thrombin time (TT), activated par tial thromboplastin time (aPTT), and heparin neutralization test were determined at several intervals during the transplantation.