[Efficacy of in-situ full-left/full-right split liver transplantation for adult recipients using the living donor liver transplantation technique:a single-center report of 25 cases].

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of in-situ full size split liver transplantation(fSLT) for adult recipients using the living donor liver transplantation(LDLT) technique and to compare the characteristics of the left hemiliver graft (LHG) and the right hemiliver graft(RHG)transplantation. Methods: Deceased donor and recipient data of 25 consecutive cases of fSLT at Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, Ningbo Medical Center Lihuili Hospital from March to December 2021 was retrieved and the patients divided into two groups:LHG group and RHG group. Among the 13 donors,11 were male and 2 were female,aged (M(IQR))38(19) years(range: 25 to 56 years),with height of 168(5) cm(range:160 to 175 cm) and weight of 65(9) kg(range: 50 to 75 kg). The median age of the 25 recipients was 52(14) years(range:35 to 71 years),17 were male and 8 were female,15 had primary liver cancer and 10 had benign end-stage liver disease,model for end-stage liver disease score was 10(9) points(range:7 to 23 points). Of the 25 recipients,10 recipients had previously undergone hepatobiliary surgery. The follow-up period was to January 2022. Demographic,clinicopathological,surgical outcomes and postoperative complications were evaluated and compared between the two groups. Continuous quantitative data were compared using Mann-Whitney U test. Classification data were expressed as frequencies,and were compared between groups using χ2 test or Fisher exact probability method. Results: Using LDLT technique,in-situ full-left/full-right liver splitting was performed and 13 viable pairs of hemiliver grafts were harvested with acquisition time of 230(53) minutes(range:125 to 352 minutes) and blood loss of 250(100) ml(range:150 to 1 000 ml). A total of 25 hemiliver grafts(13 LHG and 12 RHG) were allocated to patients listed for liver transplantation in our center by China Organ Transplant Response System. In the LHG group(13 cases),there were more females and more patients with benign end-stage liver disease than in the RHG group(12 cases)(P<0.05). The body weight and graft weight of recipients in the LHG group were lower than that in RHG group(both P<0.05). There were no significant differences in other baseline data between the two groups(all P>0.05). The graft to recipient weight ratio(GRWR) was 1.2(0.4)%(range:0.7% to 1.9%) for 25 recipients,1.1(0.5)%(range:0.7% to 1.6%)for the LHG group and 1.3(0.5)%(range:0.9% to 1.9%)for the RHG group. There was no significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05). Sharing patterns of hepatic vessels and the common bile duct are as follows:all the trunk of middle hepatic vein were allocated to the LHG group. The proportion of celiac trunk,main portal vein and common bile duct assigned to LHG and RHG was 10∶3 (P=0.009), 9∶4 (P>0.05) and 4∶9 (P=0.027),respectively. The vena cava of 12 donors in early stage retained in LHG and that of last one was shared between LHG and RHG (P<0.01). The median cold ischemia time of 25 hemiliver grafts was 240(90) minutes(range:138 to 420 minutes). For the total of 25 fSLT,the median anhepatic phase was 50(16) minutes(range:31 to 98 minutes) and the operation time was 474(138)minutes(range:294 to 680 minutes) with blood loss of 800(640) ml(range:200 to 5 000 ml). There were no significant differences in all of operation data between two groups. In the LHG group,3 patients with GRWR≤0.8% had postoperative small-for-size syndrome which improved after treatment. Postoperative Clavien-Dindo grade≥Ⅲ complications were observed in 6 cases(24.0%),4 cases(4/13) in the LHG group and 2 cases(2/12) in the RHG group,respectively. The difference was not statistically significant. Among them,5 cases improved after re-operation and intervention,1 case in LHG group died of secondary infection 2 weeks after operation,and the mortality was 4.0%. Analysis of serious postoperative complications and death has suggested that conventional caval interposition should not be used for LHG transplantation. Conclusion: Relying on accurate donor-recipient evaluation and the apply of LDLT technique,the morbidity and mortality of in-situ fSLT in adults is acceptable.