Versatility of the inferior epigastric artery as an interpositional vascular graft in living-related liver transplantation

We have used the recipient inferior epigastric artery as an interpositional vascular graft in living-related liver transplantation cases with hepatic artery obstruction, enabling us to restore the arterial inflow sufficiently to the transplanted liver. The inferior epigastric artery is easy to access during abdominal surgery. Easy to harvest, it is anatomically constant and has a caliber equivalent t o that of the hepatic artery. Donor site morbidity is negligible. There is no risk of rejection because of the autograft. There has been no report on the availability of the inferior epigastric art ery for hepatic artery reconstruction. We consider this vessel as a good op tion for an arterial conduit in case of the inadequacy or thrombosis of the hepatic artery in living-related liver transplantation.