Incidence and Risk Factors of Intraoperative Adverse Events During Donor Lobectomy for Living-Donor Liver Transplantation: A Retrospective Analysis

Abstract

Objectives: To evaluate the frequency, type, and predictors of intraoperative adverse events during donor hepatectomy for living-donor liver transplant.

Materials and Methods: Retrospective analyses of the data from 182 consecutive living-donor liver transplant donors between May 2002 and September 2008.

Results: Ninety-one patients (50%) had at least 1 intraoperative adverse event including hypothermia (39%), hypotension (26%), need for transfusions (17%), and hypertension (7%). Patients with an adverse event were older (P = .001), had a larger graft weight (P = .023), more frequently underwent a right hepatectomy (P = .019), and were more frequently classified as American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status class II (P = .027) than those who did not have these adverse events. Logistic regression analysis revealed that only age (95% confidence interval 1.018-1.099; P = .001) was a risk factor for intraoperative adverse events. Patients with these adverse events more frequently required admission to the intensive care unit and were hospitalized longer postoperatively. A before and after analysis showed that after introduction of in-line fluid warmers and more frequent use of acute normovolemic hemodilution, the frequency of intraoperative adverse events was significantly lower (80% vs 29%; P < .001).

Conclusions: Intraoperative adverse events such as hypothermia and hypotension were common in living-donor liver transplant donors, and older age was associated with an increased risk of these adverse events. However, the effect of these adverse events on postoperative recovery is not clear.