Reconstruction of the Hepatic Venous Outflow in Piggyback Liver Transplantation

Abstract

Objectives: The “piggyback” hepatic vein reconstruction and orthotopic liver transplantation (PBOLT) is a technique of liver transplantation that leaves the recipient inferior vena cava (IVC) intact, often avoiding the use of venovenous bypass (VVBP). Our study investigated whether patient morbidity and mortality after PB-OLT was comparable to that of the standard technique of orthotopic liver transplant (STD-OLT), which generally requires VVBP.

Materials and Methods: We reviewed 220 consecutive adult OLTs performed at a single institution. In the PB-OLT technique, the IVC was left intact. The suprahepatic IVC was anastomosed to a cuff, fashioned from the confluence of the recipient left and middle hepatic veins. The donor infrahepatic IVC was oversewn. The STD-OLT technique was used when patient conditions precluded PB-OLT. VVBP was required in 83% of STD-OLT cases and no cases of PB-OLT.