Living donor liver transplantation in patients weighing ≥100 kg: Low graft weight and obesity do not impact outcomes.

Living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) in obese patients raises concerns with regards to obtaining grafts of "adequate" graft-to-recipient weight ratio (GRWR) and the impact of obesity on the outcomes of LDLT. LDLT outcomes in patients weighing ≥100 kg were compared with those weighing <100 kg. Patients weighing ≥100 kg were divided into 3 categories based on the GRWR of the grafts they received. Groups 1, 2, and 3 included patients with GRWR ≥0.8%, between 0.65% and 0.8%, and <0.65%, respectively. The 56 (6.5%) adult liver transplants were performed in patients weighing 100 kg or more. Except for higher mean body mass index (35.8 versus 25.2 kg/m2 ; P value < 0.01) and grafts of lower GRWR in obese patients (0.74% versus 1.02%; P value < 0.01), all other parameters were similar between the 2 groups. Despite obesity and smaller grafts, the posttransplant outcomes such as day to normal bilirubin and international normalized ratio; infective, respiratory, and biliary complications; and hospital mortality were similar between the 2 groups. On comparing obese patients in the 3 GRWR categories, except for graft weight (985 versus 769 versus 646 g; P value < 0.01), all the pretransplant parameters were comparable. There was no significant difference in terms of graft function, postoperative morbidity, and hospital mortality between patients with grafts of normal GRWR and those with grafts of low and very low GRWR. Grafts of low GRWR give satisfactory results in obese patients undergoing LDLT and obesity does not adversely impact the outcome of LDLT. Liver Transplantation 23:35-42 2017 AASLD.

HPi: A Novel Parameter to Predict Graft-related Outcome in Adult Living Donor Liver Transplant.

BACKGROUND: Portal hyperperfusion is frequently associated with early allograft dysfunction (EAD). It is imperative to identify patients who would require portal inflow modulation. We aimed to identify factors associated with hyperperfusion-related graft injury and develop a predictive index for the same. METHODS: Prospectively maintained database was queried to identify 135 adult living donor liver transplant recipients between September 2016 and July 2020. According to the calculated sample size, 96 patients were randomly selected for "test cohort". The remaining 39 patients made the "validation cohort." EAD was defined according to the A2ALL study. "Hyperperfusion index (HPi)," defined as posttransplant portal pressure gradient (ΔPpost)/graft-to-recipient splenic volume ratio (GRSVR), was devised on the basis of laws of flow dynamics and regression analysis. RESULTS: Overall, 40 patients (29.6%) had EAD, six 90-d mortalities (4.4%) were attributable to EAD. In the test cohort, EAD patients (n = 29, 30.2%) had lower GRSVR (1.00 versus 2.22, P < 0.001), higher ΔPpost (14.8 versus 11.9, P = 0.004), and HPi (20.89 versus 8.67, P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed GRSVR, ΔPpost, and HPi as significant factors to predict EAD. Receiver operating characteristic determined cutoff of HPi ≥9.97 could predict EAD with sensitivity of 90% and specificity of 73% (F-score = 0.712). HPi ≥16.25 predicted 90-d mortality with sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 78.9%. Patients with higher HPi had delayed graft-related recovery. Non-EAD patients had a higher 1-y (96% versus 79%) and 2-y (88% versus 79%) survival. The cutoff of HPi was validated well in the validation cohort (F-score = 0.645) (Hosmer-Lemeshow test, P = 0.89). CONCLUSIONS: While predicted GRSVR may help identify at-risk patients preoperatively, intraoperatively calculated HPi is more accurate in identifying patients who would require portal inflow modulation. Achieving an HPi below target cutoff significantly decreases the risk of EAD even in low-GRSVR patients.

In Situ Splitting of the Cadaver Liver for Two Adult Recipients by LDLT Technique.

BACKGROUND: To expand the donor pool, split liver transplantation is conventionally performed for one adult and one pediatric recipient. Application of this technique for two adult recipients can produce remarkable impact on the waiting list. Proper donor and recipient selection is crucial for the favorable outcome following full-right and full-left liver split. Right lobe adult to adult living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) is essentially a full right and full left split. However, LDLT techniques have not been used for full right and left split. METHODS: We performed in situ splitting of the whole liver using LDLT techniques from a hemodynamically stable young deceased donor and transplanted into two adult recipients, both with model for end-stage liver disease score of 17. The transection was carried out through the midplane of liver, generating a right lobe and a left lobe graft. RESULTS: Both the recipients had uneventful postoperative recovery. At ten months of follow up, both the recipients are doing well with good liver function. CONCLUSION: Based on the concept of living related liver transplantation, our case explores the technical feasibility of full-right and full-left in situ liver split.

Emergency liver transplant in patient with Child-Pugh class C cirrhosis and strangulated umbilical hernia.

The authors report the case of a patient who presented with small bowel obstruction while awaiting liver transplant for Child-Pugh class C cirrhosis. He underwent emergency liver transplant with resection of the small bowel after the obstruction did not improve with conservative management. The authors believe this is the first case of successful emergency liver transplant with resection of the small bowel in a patient with decompensated Child-Pugh class C liver cirrhosis and strangulated umbilical hernia. This case suggests the possibility of improved outcomes of emergency hernia repair in patients with liver cirrhosis when small bowel resection is combined with liver transplant.