Living-related liver transplantation: implication for the anaesthetist

Living donor liver transplantation, originally introduced about a decade ago to overcome paediatric cadaveric organ shortage, has rapidly gained acceptance within the transplant community and is nowadays almost routinely applied to the growing number of adult and paediatric patients awaiting a live-saving liver transplantation. In fact its introduction has contributed to a continuing decrease of waiting list deaths.

The risk of potential complications and even death for the donor increases with the extent of liver tissue resected. Better preoperative evaluation of suitability, refinement of surgical technique and smarter anaesthetic management, based on extended knowledge of underlying pathophysiology, have made the procedure safer for donors, with low morbidity and even lower mortality rates, tending towards zero in experienced centres. Despite these improvements, a certain risk is inherent. Yet from an ethical point of view it has to remain unacceptable especially because donors are otherwise healthy people and their only motives are altruistic. The procedure of living donor liver transplantation like conventional liver transplantation involves various disciplines, each of which contributes in a specific manner. There is a broad scope of issues that anaesthetists are responsible for and these largely depend on the department and hospital requirements. These issues may range from perioperative anaesthetic management and pain relief, to--and there are definite continental differences--the coordination of donor evaluation, intensive care management, postoperative complication management, as well as psychological support for donors, recipients and their relatives.

In this paper we review and summarize the potential impact of findings and advances made in this particular field as described by the most important articles published during the past year.