[Initial experience of split liver transplantation in National Center for Child Health and Development, Japan]

We reviewed our initial experience of deceased split liver transplantation in National Center for Child Health and Development and report the results herein.

We have listed 50 patients with end-stage liver disease for deceased liver transplantation, and done 6 cases of split liver transplantation during October 2010 through October 2012. Variables including indication of liver transplantation outcome were reviewed.

The indication for split liver transplantation was acute liver failure in 4, re-transplantation in 1 and primary sclerosing cholangitis in 1. The age of recipient ranged 17 days-15 yeras and body weight ranged 2.4 kg-55 kg. The split grafts were hyper-reduced left lateral segment in 1, left lateral segment in 3, left lobe in 1 and right lobe in 1. Although case #2 received retransplantation with living donor, all the patients are currently doing well with acceptable liver function with minimum follow-up of 2 months.

Satisfactory result can be achieved on initial experience of split liver transplantation in National Center for Child Health and Development. The follow-up period was too short to make definitive conclusion, however, split liver transplantation could be expand potential donor pool and may reduce the waiting list mortality without alterations of the results.