A Case of Successful Hepatic Retransplantation

Kim, Dong Goo; Lee, Jae Woo; Lee, Myung Duk; Kim, Eung Kook; Kim, Seung Nam; Kim, In Chul

Abstract

Despite recent improvements in operative techniques, immunosuppression and organ procurement, failure of a hepatic allograft remains an important risk to liver recipients. In the absence of any effective method of extracorporeal support, the only alternative to death for these patients is retransplantation. The causes of hepatic allograft failure were listed as primary nonfunction, technical included hepatic artery thrombosis or portal vein thrombosis, and rejection. Hepatic artery thrombosis remain one of most serious complication after liver transplantation and can be associated with one of three typical syndrome: acute, massive hepatic necrosis, biliary tract necrosis and leakage, relapsing bacteremia. The early diagnosis of hepatic artery thrombosis is very important and screening with duplex ulrtasound can allow the recognition of early hepatic artery thrombosis. The emgent revascularization of hepatic artery thrombosis in asymptomatic patient and retransplantation in symptomatic patient lead to improved graft salvage and patient survival. We report one case of hepatic retransplantation due to hepatic artery thrombosis. The patient with 30 years old man underwent primary hepatic transplantation due to liver cirrhosis with hepatocellular carcinoma. After 6th postoperative day of primary transplantation, liver transaminase began to elevate and not responded to steroid pulse therapy. Thereafter bile leakage, evident in T-tube cholangiogram was noted. Explolaparotomy was performed and showed hepatic artery thrombosis and necrosis of donor aspect of extrahepatic biliary tree. On next day, retransplantation was performed. Thereafter secondary graft function was slowly regained but the patient was recoverd and discharged.