Experience of living donor liver transplantation in Iran: a single-center report

Living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) has been accepted as a valuable treatment for patients with end-stage liver disease seeking to overcome the shortage of organs and the waiting list mortality. The aim of this study was to report our experience with LDLT.

We retrospectively analyzed 50 LDLTs performed in our organ transplant center from January 1997 to March 2008. We reviewed the demographic data, family history, operative and hospital stay durations as well as postoperation complications among donors and recipients. We also performed a retrospective analysis of recipient chemical and biochemical data.

Among 50 patients (30 males and 20 females) of overall mean age of 7.21 +/- 5.35 who underwent LDLT (10 right lobe, 38 left lobe, and 2 left lateral segments), 47 received a liver graft from their parent, two from a brother, and one from an uncle. The most common indications for LDLT were end-stage liver disease due to Wilson's disease (16%), cryptogenic cirrhosis (16%), tyrosinemia (14%), biliary atresia (12%), autoimmune hepatitis (12%), and progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis (12%). The mean follow-up was 16.91 +/- 23.74 months. There were 13 (26%) recipient mortalities including vascular complications; three to sepsis after bowel perforation, two from liver dysfunction, two from chronic rejection due to noncompliance, and one from diffuse aspergillosis. The morbidity rate was 50%, including 19 reexplorations during the hospital course and five biliary complications.

This study demonstrated that LDLT can decrease the number of patients awaiting liver transplantation especially in the pediatric group. However, because of relatively high mortality and morbidity, we must improve our treatment outcomes.