Anesthetic Management in Pediatric Orthotopic Liver Transplant For Fulminant Hepatic Failure and End-stage Liver Disease

Abstract

Objectives: We assessed the anesthetic management and short-term morbidity and mortality in pediatrics patients who underwent an orthotopic liver transplant for fulminant hepatic failure or end-stage liver disease in a university hospital.

Material and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the records of children who underwent orthotopic liver transplant from May 2002 to May 2012. Patients were categorized into 2 groups: group fulminant hepatic failure (n=22) and group end-stage liver disease (n=19). Perioperative data related to anesthetic management and intra-operative events were collected along with information related to postoperative course and survival to hospital discharge.

Results: Mean age and weight for groups fulminant hepatic failure and end-stage liver disease were 8.6 +/- 2.7 years and 10.8 +/- 3.8 years (P= .04) and 29.2 +/- 11.9 kg and 33.7 +/- 16.9 kg (P= .46). There were no differences between the groups regarding length of anhepatic phase (65 +/- 21 min vs 73 +/- 18 min, P= .13) and operation time (9.1 +/- 1.6 h vs 9.5 +/- 1.8 h, P= .23). When compared with the patients in group fulminant hepatic failure, those in group end-stage liver disease more commonly had a Glasgow Coma score of 7 or less (32% vs 6%, P= .04). Compared with patients in group fulminant hepatic failure, those in group end-stage liver disease were more frequently extubated in the operating room (31.8% versus 89.5% P <.001). Postoperative duration of mechanical ventilation (2.78 +/- 4.02 d vs 2.85 +/- 10.21 d, P = .05), and the mortality rates at 1 year after orthotopic liver transplant (7.3% vs 0%, P = .09) were similar between the groups.

Conclusions: During pediatric orthotopic liver transplant, those children with fulminant hepatic failure require more intraoperative fluids and more frequent perioperative mechanical ventilation than those with end-stage liver disease.