The impact of donor age on living donor liver transplantation

Background. The impact of the age of the donor on the outcome of living rel ated liver transplantation is yet to be clarified. Methods. During October 14, 1996 and December 20, 1999, 34 living related l iver transplantations were performed. Of these, 26 cases were performed usi ng the: extended left lobe graft, which were classified into three groups; younger donor group (group Y, donor age <30, n=7), middle-aged donor group (group M, 30<less than or equal to>donor age <50, n=13), and older donor gr oup (group O, donor age<50, n=6), Early allograft function and regeneration were compared between these groups. Results. There was no difference in standard lives volume, and predicted or harvested graft size between the three groups. Although serum transaminase and total bilirubin levels within postoperative day 7 were not different b etween the groups, the prothrombin time on postoperative day 3 was signific antly longer in group O than in group Y, One week after transplantation, gr oup Y had significantly greater graft/standard liver volume ratio than grou p O, and greater graft volume than group M and O, One month after transplan tation, however, there was no significant difference in such graft size par ameters between the groups Graft and patient survival were comparable betwe en the three groups. Conclusion. Although function and regeneration of the allografts from older donors in living donor lives transplantation is worse than those of their younger counterparts, the outcome is not affected by the age of the liver.