Intra-operative hyaluronic acid clearance predicts postoperative graft function in living related liver transplantation

Although infra-operative hyaluronic acid (RA) clearance has been reported t o be a predictive parameter for early graft function after the implantation of a cadaveric hepatic graft, it has yet to be evaluated as a parameter in assessing graft function in living related liver transplantation. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether infra-operative HA clearance can be a predictive parameter of early graft function in living related liver trans plant patients. Eight consecutive patients, who underwent a living related liver transplantation, were entered into the study. The HA clearance 180 mi n after reperfusion of the graft was evaluated. Significantly higher serum HA levels were found in the patients with fulminant hepatitis than in the p atients with non-fulminant hepatitis before operation (P < 0.01), just befo re reperfusion (P < 0.01), and 180 min after reperfusion (P < 0.05). The HA clearance correlated with the peak total bilirubin within 5 postoperative days (P < 0.05) and the lactic acid one day after operation (P < 0.01), The infra-operative HA clearance serves as a sensitive parameter for assessing the postoperative graft function after the implantation of the new liver, Based on our findings, measuring the HA clearance was thus found to be clin ically useful in the assessment of graft function in living related liver t ransplantation.