G. Neelakanta et al., Efficacy and safety of heat exchanger added to venovenous bypass circuit during orthotopic liver transplantation, LIVER TR S, 4(6), 1998, pp. 506-509
Hypothermia during orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) is common despite
measures to prevent this complication. We retrospectively analyzed two gro
ups of patients; those managed with (n = 113) or without (n = 109) a heat e
xchanger (HE) incorporated in the venovenous bypass (VVB) circuit to test t
he hypothesis that normothermia before liver reperfusion minimizes hypotens
ion during reperfusion and decreases neohepatic transfusion requirements. U
se of the HE resulted in significantly warmer patients during reperfusion a
nd at the end of surgery (P < .001). An increase in neohepatic transfusion
requirement was observed in patients with HE use: packed red blood cells, 4
+/- 4 Versus 3 +/- 3 units; fresh-frozen plasma, 5 +/- 5 versus 4 +/- 4 un
its; platelets, 8 +/- 8 versus 6 +/- 7 units; and cryoprecipitate, 5 +/- 7
versus 3 +/- 5 units. There was no difference between the two groups in the
untoward hemodynamic events during reperfusion of the liver (P = .31). We
conclude that during OLT, the use of an HE in a nonheparinized VVB circuit
helps maintain normothermia. Our limited experience suggests that its use i
s safe but does not improve hemodynamic stability during reperfusion or dec
rease blood loss during the neohepatic period. (C) 1998 by the American Ass
ociation for the Study of Liver Diseases.