A two-step strategy for enlargement of left arterial branch in a living related liver graft with dual arterial supply
Douard, R.; Ettorre, G.Maria.; Sommacale, D.; Jan, D.; Révillon, Y.; Farges, O.; Belghiti, J.
Transplantation 73(6): 993-994
2002
ISSN/ISBN: 0041-1337 PMID: 11923706 Document Number: 548038
The use of small caliber arteries is probably responsible for the higher hepatic artery thrombosis rate initially reported after living related liver transplantation. We described a two-step strategy generating flow-induced enlargement of a small diameter artery in case of left graft dual arterial supply. The smaller arterial branch was ligated during a laparoscopic first-step procedure inducing a 30% enlargement of the remaining branch. The second-step donor hepatectomy was performed 1 week later using a larger artery for successful vascular anastomosis. The flow-induced enlargement of donor hepatic artery may help to reduce hepatic artery thrombosis risk after pediatric living related liver transplantation.