Biliary reconstruction and complications in living donor liver transplantation

Biliary reconstruction remains common in postoperative complications after liver transplantation. A systematic search was conducted on the PubMed database and 61 studies of retrospective or prospective institutional data were eligible for this review. The study comprised a total of 14,359 liver transplantations. The overall incidence of biliary stricture was 13%; 12% among deceased donor liver transplantation (DDLT) patients and 19% among living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) recipients. The overall incidence of biliary leakage was 8.2%, 7.8% among DDLT patients and 9.5% among LDLT recipients. An endoscopic strategy is the first choice for biliary complications; 83% of patients with biliary stricture were treated by endoscopic modalities with a success rate of 57% and 38% of patients with leakage were indicated for endoscopic biliary drainage. T-tube placement was not performed in 82% of duct-to-duct reconstruction. The incidence of biliary stricture was 10% with a T-tube and 13% without a T-tube and the incidence of leakage was 5% with a T-tube and 6% without a T-tube. A preceding bile leak and LDLT procedure are accepted risk factors for anastomotic stricture. Biliary complications remain common, which requires further investigation and the refinement of reconstruction techniques and management strategies. © 2010 The Authors. Transplant International © 2010 European Society for Organ Transplantation.

Biliary complications are still the major source of morbidity for liver transplant recipients. The reported incidence of biliary strictures is 5%-15% after deceased donor liver transplantation and 28%-32% after right-lobe live donor surgery. Presentation is usually within the first year, but the incidence is known to increase with longer follow-up. The anastomotic variant is due to technical factors, whereas the nonanastomotic form is due to immunological and ischemic events, which later may lead to graft loss. Endoscopic management of anastomotic strictures achieves a success rate of 70%-100%; it drops to 50%-75% for nonanastomotic strictures with a higher recurrence rate. Results of endoscopic maneuvers are disappointing for biliary strictures after live donor liver transplantation, and the success rate is 60%-75% for anastomotic strictures and 25%-33% for the nonanastomotic variant. Preventive strategies in the cadaveric donor include the standardization of the type of anastomosis and maintenance of a vascularized ductal stump. In right-lobe live donor livers, donor liver duct harvesting also involves a major risk. The concept of high hilar intrahepatic Glissonian dissection, dissecting the artery and the duct as one unit, use of microsurgical techniques for smaller ducts, use of ductoplasty, and flexibility in the performance of double ductal anastomosis are the critical components of the preventive strategies in the recipient. In the case of live donors, judicious use of intraoperative cholangiograms, minimal dissection of the hilar plate, and perpendicular transection of the duct constitute the underlying principals for obtaining a vascularized duct.

The growing disparity between the number of liver transplant candidates and the supply of deceased donor organs has motivated the development of living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). Over the last two decades, the operation has been markedly improved by innovations rendering modern results comparable with those of deceased donor liver transplantation (DDLT). However, there remains room for further innovation, particularly in adult living donor liver transplantation (ALDLT). Unlike whole-size DDLT and pediatric LDLT, size-mismatching between ALDLT graft and recipient body weight and changing dynamics of posttransplant allograft regeneration have remained major challenges. A better understanding of the complex surgical anatomy and physiologic differences of ALDLT helps avoid small-for-size graft syndrome, graft congestion from outflow obstruction and graft hypoperfusion from portal flow steal. ALDLT for high-urgency patients (Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score >30) can achieve results comparable to DDLT in high volume centers. Size limitations of partial grafts and donor safety issues can be overcome with dual grafts and modified right-lobe grafts that preserve the donor's middle hepatic vein trunk. Extended application of LDLT for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma above Milan criteria is an optional strategy at the cost of slightly compromised survival. ABO-blood group incompatibility obstacles have been broken down by introducing a paired donor exchange program and refined peri-operative management of ABO-incompatible ALDLT. This review focuses on recent innovations of surgical techniques, safe donor selection, current strategies to expand ALDLT with broadened patient selection criteria and important aspects of teamwork required for success.