Demonstrating the Non-inferiority of a Plastic Surgery Microscopic Technique for Hepatic Artery Anastomosis in Pediatric Liver Transplant: A Single-Institution Study.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Before advancements in liver transplantation, conditions such as acute liver failure, decompensated liver cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma were associated with poor prognosis. Orthotopic liver transplantation has since emerged as a curative treatment. Despite its benefits, liver transplantation can lead to complications, including hepatic artery thrombosis (HAT), which is especially significant in pediatric patients. This study evaluates the utility of microsurgical anastomosis by plastic surgeons in reducing postoperative HAT compared to standard loupe-assisted anastomosis performed by transplant surgeons. METHODS: This retrospective chart review included pediatric patients who underwent orthotopic liver transplantation at a single institution between September 2015 and September 2023. Patients were divided into two groups one receiving standard loupe-assisted anastomosis by transplant surgeons (n = 28) and the other receiving microsurgical anastomosis by plastic surgeons (n = 22). The primary outcomes measured were the rates of HAT. Secondary outcomes included graft survival, patient survival, postoperative hospital stay, resistive indices, bleeding, biliary complications, venous complications, transplant rejection, and reoperation rates. RESULTS: In 50 pediatric patients who underwent orthotopic liver transplantation, we compared outcomes between standard anastomosis (n = 28) and microscope-assisted anastomosis (n = 22). Demographic characteristics were similar between the groups. Hemorrhage occurred significantly more frequently in the standard anastomosis group (35.7%) compared to the microscope-assisted group (9.1%), with a p-value of 0.045. Other complications, including HAT (28.6% vs. 13.6%, p = 0.306), biliary leak (14.3% vs. 27.3%, p = 0.302), and organ rejection (21.4% vs. 13.6%, p = 0.713), did not differ significantly between the groups. Additionally, survival rates were comparable, with 71% in the standard group and 86% in the microscope group (p = 0.306). These findings suggest that while microscope-assisted anastomosis may reduce the risk of hemorrhage, other outcomes remain similar between the techniques. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that microsurgical anastomosis techniques performed by plastic surgeons are non-inferior to standard loupe-assisted techniques in pediatric liver transplantation and may decrease the rate of postoperative hemorrhage. Microsurgical anastomosis is a viable alternative to standard loupe-assisted techniques in pediatric hepatic artery transplants. Further research with larger sample sizes is warranted to confirm these findings and optimize surgical techniques.