Changes in left portal vein diameter in live liver donors after right hemihepatectomy for living donor liver transplantation.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To evaluate changes in left portal vein(LPV) diameter and its effect on changes of remnant liver volume(RLV) and splenic volume(SV) in live liver donors after right hemihepatectomy.

METHODOLOGY: From November 2008 to May 2009, 92 live liver donors were included. On preoperative, postoperative 1-week and 1-month CT, we measured LPV diameters(LPVB, LPV1W, LPV1M), RLVs(RLVB, RLV1W, RLV1M) and SVs(SVB, SV1W, SV1M). Percentage-intervalchanges were analyzed. The relationships between %LPV1W-B and other parameters were evaluated by univariate regression analyses.

RESULTS

On postoperative 1-week, LPV1W invariably decreased. However, RLV1W and SV1W increased. %RLVB and %RLV1W-B were significantly associated with %LPV1W-B(P=.016,.011). On postoperative 1-month, mean %LPV1M-1W, %LPV1M-B, %SV1M-1W and %SV1M-B were 108.1±9.8%, 82.9±11.8%, 99.3±11.4% and 146.9±23.0%. Although %RLV1M-B or %RLV1M-1W were not related with %LPV1W-B(P=.034,.401), there were negative correlations between %LPV1W-B and %SV1M-1W or %SV1M-B(P=.004,.007).

CONCLUSIONS

LPV diameter mostly decreases following right hemihepatectomy and improves spontaneously. Besides extent of hepatectomy, %LPV1W-B may be another indicator predicting splenic enlargement.