Intraoperative stent placement for the treatment of acute portal vein complications in pediatric living donor liver transplantation.

PURPOSE: Pediatric living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) in low weight recipients remains one of the most complex surgical procedures, with portal vein (PV) complications occurring in up to 19% of cases. When decreased PV flow is diagnosed intra- or perioperatively, intraoperative stent placement is a good substitute for surgical adjustment. Still, at the present moment, little is known about the technical feasibility, safety, efficacy, and long-term outcome of intraoperative stenting in LDLT.

METHODS

Between 2006 and 2017, seven pediatric recipients underwent PV stent placement during the transplant or in the immediate post-operative setting. Preoperative, operative, and post-operative parameters were documented retrospectively.

RESULTS

In total, nine stents were placed in seven patients. Procedures were technically successful in all patients. During the mean imaging follow-up period of 1313 days, none of the patients showed PV abnormality and PV stent remained patent throughout the post-transplant course. There were no deaths or graft loses during the follow-up period.

CONCLUSIONS

Intraoperative stenting through the inferior mesenteric vein approach offers both a high feasibility and satisfactory results, with the potential for excellent long-term primary patency despite continued growth in children.