Endotoxaemia, pulmonary complications, and thrombocytopenia in liver transplantation

Plasma endotoxin was measured in 64 patients undergoing primary liver replacement. Endotoxin concentrations increased during the anhepatic phase of the operations, and remained high for several days. Although the severity of endotoxaemia did not correlate with duration of the anhepatic phase, there was a correlation between endotoxaemia and the need for perioperative platelet transfusions, ventilator dependency postoperatively, and one-month case-fatality.