Early Diagnosis and Management of Hepatic Artery Complications Following Living Donor Liver Transplantation

Abstract
Background: Liver Transplantation (LT) has become the treatment of choice for patients with end-stage liver disease. However vascular problems are considered the most serious complications reported after LT. These complications can lead to increased morbidity, graft loss, and patient death. Hepatic Artery Thrombosis (HAT) represents a major cause of graft loss and mortality after liver transplantation.
Aim of Study: To assess hepatic artery complications after Living-Donor Liver Transplantation (LDLT) and to make an early diagnosis with different ways of management, with clinical follow-up.
Design: Historical cohort study.
Patients and Methods: Between March 2008 and February 2018, 323 adult to adult LDLT were performed at Ain Shams Organ Transplant Center (ASCOT) in Ain Shams Specialized Hospital. The overall male/female ratio was 280/43. We retrospectively identified and analyzed hepatic artery compli-cations in recipients.
Results: The overall incidence of hepatic artery compli-cations was 4.3% (n=14) and early HA thrombosis 1.8% (n=6); all treated surgically, two patients were retransplanted, late HAT 1.2% (n=4); treated medically and HA stenosis 0.6% (n=2) treated with stenting by interventional radiology.
Conclusion: Prevention and proper treatment of hepatic artery complications is required to achieve better survival among patients undergoing LDLT.