Intramucosal gastric pH during liver transplantation

Intramucosal gastric pH (pHi) was measured during liver transplantation in a 3-year-old girl. The basal value was below that reported as normal for paediatric patients under stable normal ventilatory and haemodynamic conditions. Additional reductions of the pHi were observed during the hepatectomy and anhepatic phase, in the absence of haemodynamic or ventilatory alterations. The reperfusion phase was characterized by a progressive return toward normal values. Because we did not measure oxygen delivery and consumption, we cannot determine whether the reduction of the pHi was due to insufficient oxygen delivery or a result of the vascular anatomical alterations due to the surgical procedure.