In conclusion, the use of a fatty liver graft up to the moderate level can be justified in LDLT, even though ischemia-reperfusion injury tends to be severe in such grafts.

Hypothesis: Few studies have investigated the results of research focused on living-donor adult liver transplantation. Different characteristics between right-and leftlobe grafts have not yet been clarified in living-donor adult liver transplantation. Left-lobe graft remains an important option, even in adult recipients. Setting: A single liver transplantation center with a long history of hepatic resection. Patients: Forty-five donors received left-lobe (n=39) and right-lobe (n=6) grafts. The clinicopathological data for the donor, graft, and recipient were compared. All leftlobe grafts were extended grafts that included the middle hepatic vein, and 24 of the 39 left-lobe grafts included the left caudate lobe. No right-lobe graft included a middle hepatic vein. Results: The postoperative aspartate aminotransferase and total bilirubin values of the donor in the right-lobe graft group were higher, and the postoperative hospital stay was longer than in the left-lobe graft group. Graft weight in the left-lobe graft group was lighter than in the right-lobe graft group (median weight, 450 vs 675 g). The median graft weight divided by the standard liver volume in the left-lobe graft group was 41% (range, 21%-66%), compared with 52% (range, 47%-75%) in the rightlobe graft group. We found no difference in terms of the incidence of postoperative complications between groups. No difference in induced complications of smallfor-size grafts such as intractable ascites and persistent hyperbilirubinemia was evident between groups. The survival rate for grafts at 18 months was 75.0% in the rightlobe graft group compared with 85.6% in the left-lobe group. In the right-lobe graft group, we found a few cases in which a marked poor-perfusion area in the anterior segment caused liver dysfunction. Conclusions: Left-lobe grafts are a feasible option for living-donor adult liver transplantation, and in the case of right-lobe grafts, hepatic venous drainage is one of the most critical problems.

A Roux-en-Y choledochojejunostomy (CDJ) has been the sole method of choice for the reconstruction of the bile duct in living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT) using left-lobe grafts. In this study, we evaluated the feasibility of duct-to-duct (DD) biliary reconstruction in adult-to-adult LDLT using left-lobe grafts. Between October 1996 and October 2001, 46 adult-to-adult LDLTs using the left lobe were performed at our institution. The DD biliary reconstruction (hepaticocholedochostomy) over a T-tube was performed for seven of the last nine recipients (DD group, n=7), whereas the conventional Roux-en-Y CDJ was used for the remaining cases (CDJ group, n=39). The technical problems and the incidence of biliary complications were compared between the groups. Bile leakage developed in only 1 of 7 (14%) in the DD group (leakage from a T-tube exit site), whereas it occurred in 8 of 39 (20%) in the CDJ group. Up to now, no patients from the DD group developed anastomotic stricture, whereas twelve (30.7%) patients from the CDJ group did. Other complications included bleeding from the Roux-en-Y jejunojejunostomy (n=1) and anastomotic occlusion caused by an internal stent (n=1), and both complications were associated with CDJ. In conclusion, DD anastomosis is a simple and viable option for biliary reconstruction in left-lobe LDLTs. A long-term follow-up, especially regarding the incidence of biliary stricture, is thus warranted in such patients.

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Biliary complications, including bile leak, biliary stricture, and cholangitis, are seen in 15% to 29% of all cases after living related liver transplantation. We investigate risk factors and discuss the management of biliary complications after living related liver transplantation in adults using left-lobe grafts. We studied 37 adult patients who underwent living related liver transplantation using left-lobe grafts. Perioperative variables were evaluated as risk factors for biliary strictures. The overall incidence of biliary complications was 43.2% (16 of 37 patients). Anastomotic strictures occurred in 8 patients, whereas bile leaks and cholangitis occurred in 9 and 8 patients, respectively. Anastomotic stricture was strongly related to a partial artery reconstruction (P < .02) and cholangitis (P < .01). Anastomotic biliary stricture was not associated with bile leak, acute cellular rejection, or infection. Our results suggest that an important risk factor for biliary anastomotic biliary strictures is a partial artery reconstruction. To minimize the risk for biliary anastomotic strictures, we will reconstruct both the middle and left hepatic artery. (Liver Transpl 2002;8:495-499.)