Clinical Research
Copyright ©2008 The WJG Press and Baishideng. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. May 28, 2008; 14(20): 3159-3164
Published online May 28, 2008. doi: 10.3748/wjg.14.3159
Analysis of surgical and perioperative complications in seventy-five right hepatectomies for living donor liver transplantation
Salvatore Gruttadauria, James Wallis Marsh, Giovan Battista Vizzini, Fabrizio di Francesco, Angelo Luca, Riccardo Volpes, Amadeo Marcos, Bruno Gridelli
Salvatore Gruttadauria, Giovan Battista Vizzini, Fabrizio di Francesco, Angelo Luca, Riccardo Volpes, Bruno Gridelli, Department of Abdominal Transplant Surgery, Istituto Mediterraneo Trapianti e Terapie ad Alta Specializzazione, Palermo 90127, Italy
Salvatore Gruttadauria, James Wallis Marsh, Amadeo Marcos, Bruno Gridelli, Department of Abdominal Transplant Surgery, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Palermo 90127, Italy
Author contributions: Gruttadauria S, Marsh JW, Marcos A and Gridelli B contributed equally to perform all surgical cases; Gruttadauria S, Vizzini GB, di Francesco F, Volpes R and Luca A designed research; Gruttadauria S and di Francesco F performed research; Gruttadauria S, Marsh JW, Marcos A and Gridelli B analyzed data; Gruttadauria S and di Francesco F wrote the paper.
Correspondence to: Salvatore Gruttadauria, MD, Department of Abdominal Transplant Surgery, Istituto Mediterraneo Trapianti e Terapie ad Alta Specializzazione, Palermo 90127, Italy. sgruttadauria@ismett.edu
Telephone: +39-91-2192111  
Fax: +39-91-2192400
Received: February 15, 2008
Revised: April 17, 2008
Accepted: April 24, 2008
Published online: May 28, 2008
Abstract

AIM: To present an analysis of the surgical and perioperative complications in a series of seventy-five right hepatectomies for living-donation (RHLD) performed in our center.

METHODS: From January 2002 to September 2007, we performed 75 RHLD, defined as removal of a portion of the liver corresponding to Couinaud segments 5-8, in order to obtain a graft for adult to adult living-related liver transplantation (ALRLT). Surgical complications were stratified according to the most recent version of the Clavien classification of postoperative surgical complications. The perioperative period was defined as within 90 d of surgery.

RESULTS: No living donor mortality was present in this series, no donor operation was aborted and no donors received any blood transfusion. Twenty-three (30.6%) living donors presented one or more episodes of complication in the perioperative period. Seven patients (9.33%) out of 75 developed biliary complications, which were the most common complications in our series.

CONCLUSION: The need to define, categorize and record complications when healthy individuals, such as living donors, undergo a major surgical procedure, such as a right hepatectomy, reflects the need for prompt and detailed reports of complications arising in this particular category of patient. Perioperative complications and post resection liver regeneration are not influenced by anatomic variations or patient demographic.

Keywords: Right hepatectomy; Surgery; Living-related liver transplantation; Surgical complications