The positive impact of the COVID 19 pandemic on organ utilisation in liver transplantation.

Background: As the world recovers from the aftermath of devastating waves of an outbreak, the ongoing Coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has presented a unique perspective to the transplantation community of ''organ utilisation'' in liver transplantation, a poorly defined term and ongoing hurdle in this field. To this end, we report the key metrics of transplantation activity from a high-volume liver transplantation centre in the United Kingdom over the past two years. Methods: Between March 2019 and February 2021, details of donor liver offers received by our centre from National Health Service Blood & Transplant, and of transplantation were reviewed. Differences in the activity before and after the outbreak of the pandemic, including short term post-transplant survival, have been reported. Results: The pandemic year at our centre witnessed a higher utilisation of Donation after Cardiac Death livers (80.4% vs. 58.3%, p = 0.016) with preserved United Kingdom donor liver indices and median donor age (2.12 vs. 2.02, p = 0.638; 55 vs. 57 years, p = 0.541) when compared to the pre-pandemic year. The 1- year patient survival rates for recipients in both the periods were comparable. The pandemic year, that was associated with increased utilisation of Donation after Cardiac Death livers, had an ischaemic cholangiopathy rate of 6%. Conclusions: The pressures imposed by the pandemic led to increased utilisation of specific donor livers to meet patient needs and minimise the risk of death on the waiting list, with apparently preserved early post-transplant survival. Optimum organ utilisation is a balancing act between risk and benefit for the potential recipient, and technologies like machine perfusion may allow surgeons to increase utilisation without compromising patient outcomes.

Liver transplantation for isolated unresectable colorectal liver metastases - Protocol for a service evaluation in the United Kingdom - UKCoMET study.

BACKGROUND: Liver transplantation (LT) for unresectable colorectal liver metastases (CRCLM) demonstrates good overall survival for selected patients in contemporary studies, with 5-year survival of 80%. A Fixed Term Working Group (FTWG), set up by NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) Liver Advisory Group (LAG), advised whether CRCLM should be considered for LT in United Kingdom. Their recommendation was that LT may be undertaken for isolated and unresectable CRCLM using strict selection criteria as a national clinical service evaluation. METHODS: Opinions were sought from colorectal cancer/LT patient representatives, experts in colorectal cancer surgery/oncology, LT surgery, hepatology, hepatobiliary radiology, pathology, and nuclear medicine, and appropriate patient selection criteria, referral and transplant listing pathways were identified. RESULTS: This paper summarises selection criteria for LT in United Kingdom for isolated and unresectable CRCLM patients, and highlights referral framework and pre-transplant assessment criteria. Finally, oncology-specific outcome measures to be utilised for assessing applicability of LT are described. CONCLUSION: This service evaluation represents a significant development for colorectal cancer patients in United Kingdom and a meaningful step forward in the field of transplant oncology. This paper details the protocol for the pilot study, scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter of 2022 in United Kingdom.

Do Natural Portosystemic Shunts Need to Be Compulsorily Ligated in Living Donor Liver Transplantation?

BACKGROUND: Natural portosystemic shunt ligation practices in liver transplant vary widely across transplant centres and are frequently undertaken to prevent the serious consequence of portal steal phenomenon. No concrete indications have so far been convincingly identified for their management in living donor liver transplant. METHODS: We retrospectively studied the outcome of 89 cirrhotic patients who either did (n = 63) or did not (n = 25) undergo shunt ligation during living donor liver transplantation between 2017 and 2020. RESULTS: The incidence of early allograft dysfunction/nonfunction (P = 1.0) and portal venous complications (P = 0.555) were similar between the two groups. Although overall complications, biliary complications, and the composite of Grade III and IV complications were significantly higher in the nonligated group (P = 0.015, 0.052 and 0.035), 1- year graft and patient survival were comparable between them (P = 0.524). CONCLUSION: We conclude that shunt ligation in living donor liver transplantation may not always be necessary if adequate portal flow, good vascular reconstruction, and good graft quality have been ensured.

Outcomes of Right and Left Hepatic Arterial Anastomosis in Right Lobe Living Donor Liver Transplant.

OBJECTIVES: Living donor liver transplant is a complex surgery with well-known complications. Here, we report the use of the right and left hepatic arteries of the recipient for anastomosis and the effects of each procedure on overall outcomes and any associated short-term or long-term biliary complications. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a prospective observational study with long-term follow-up of 200 patients (100 in the right hepatic artery group and 100 in the left hepatic artery group). RESULTS: The average donor age was 28.9 years in the left hepatic artery group and 30.9 years in the right hepatic artery group. Most of the donors (60%) were female. Overall, there was 10.5% mortality in the early postoperative period. Among survivors, there were more late strictures in the right hepatic artery group (29.7% vs 22.7%). Bile leak (P = .42), mortality (P = .71), and incidence of late-onset biliary strictures (P = .83) were less common in the left hepatic artery group. CONCLUSIONS: Left artery anastomosis was found to be technically safe and feasible and did not adversely affect patient outcome compared with right artery anastomosis. Left hepatic artery anastomosis may also reduce the incidence of the biliary complications compared with the right hepatic artery anastomosis.

Cystic duct anastomosis can be a viable option for biliary reconstruction in case of multiple ducts in right lobe living-donor liver transplantation.

BACKGROUNDS/AIMS: Multiple ducts in right lobe living-donor liver transplant (LDLT) pose a technical challenge in biliary reconstruction. In the absence of separate recipient hepatic ducts for duct-to-duct anastomoses and certain demerits of hepaticojejunostomy, duct to duct anastomoses with the recipient cystic duct might be a possible solution. METHODS: A total of 329 recipients of LDLT who underwent two or more separate biliary anastomoses at our centre between January 2014 and November 2019 were studied retrospectively. Records of demographic data, donor and graft characteristics, operative details, postoperative biochemical parameters, and biliary complications were analysed. RESULTS: Of 329 recipients, 236 patients (71.7%) underwent purely duct-to-duct (DD group) anastomoses, 38 patients (11.5%) underwent at least one anastomosis with the cystic duct (CD group), and 55 patients (16.7%) underwent at least one hepaticojejunostomy (HJ group). At one year, biliary complication rates of these three groups were 20.3%, 26.3%, and 20.0%, respectively (p = 0.68). Postoperative intensive care unit and overall hospital stay were similar among the three groups. Grades IIIa, IIIb, IV, and V Clavien-Dindo complications were identical. One-year patient survival and graft survival were also similar among the three groups. CONCLUSIONS: Biliary outcomes using the cystic duct may have acceptable outcomes. Similar postoperative results as other means of biliary reconstruction could be anticipated with the cystic duct anastomoses in case of multiple ducts in the graft.

Living Donor Liver Transplant for Budd-Chiari Syndrome Without Caval Replacement: A Single-Center Study.

OBJECTIVES: Adequate venous outflow is one of the most important factors responsible for optimal graft function in liver transplantation. Thrombosis of the inferior vena cava in cases of Budd-Chiari syndrome poses a major challenge to a transplant surgeon in establishing proper graft outflow. In deceased donor liver transplant, this problem can be dealt with relative ease as the liver graft includes donor inferior vena cava. However, this is not the case in living donor liver transplant. We present our findings of living donor liver transplant for Budd-Chiari syndrome and discuss techniques that have helped overcome this unique problem without the need for complete inferior vena cava replacement. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Our retrospective analysis included living donor liver transplant recipients from November 2006 to March 2020 at our center and selected patients who underwent this transplant for Budd-Chiari syndrome. We studied the extent and severity of inferior vena cava involvement in these cases. We developed a classification that not only helped to stratify patterns of venacaval disease but also helped to plan the surgical technique. The role of interventional radiology combined with surgery in management of extensive inferior vena cava stenosis was studied. RESULTS: Among 2952 cases of liver transplant in our unit from November 2006 to March 2020, 36 patients had Budd-Chiari syndrome; 21 had significant level of inferior vena cava thrombosis, which was managed with inferior vena cava thrombectomy with either patchplasty (n = 20) or segmental replacement (n = 1). None of our patients showed recurrence of primary disease during the median follow-up of 36 months (range, 8-158 mo). CONCLUSIONS: Establishment of adequate venous ouflow in thrombosed inferior vena cava is possible with proper planning of surgical technique and timely involvement of interventional radiology-guided interventions in patients with Budd-Chiari syndrome.