Assessment of right liver graft perfusion effectiveness between one and two-catheter infusion methods

Conventional graft perfusion method using one small-caliber catheter takes a relatively long time for right liver graft perfusion, thus some modification is needed. In this study, we intended to assess the effectiveness of right liver graft perfusion methods through comparison of different infusion catheters.

The study consisted of two parts including one bench experiment to obtain data of hydraulic infusion and one clinical trial of 40 cases on graft perfusion with one- versus two-catheter infusion methods. These two graft infusion methods were compared in terms of the perfusion time and washing-out efficiency.

At bench experiment, the infusion flow rate and infusion pressure were 3.3 ml/sec and 1.9 cmH20 in one blood transfusion catheter group, and 11.7 ml/sec and 3.1 cmH20 in single transurethral resection of prostate irrigation catheter group, and 6.6 ml/sec and 2.0 cmH20 in two blood transfusion catheters group, respectively. In clinical trial with 40 right liver grafts, two-catheter group had a shorter graft portal perfusion time for the first 2 L of histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate (HTK) solution than the conventional one-catheter group (375±25 seconds vs. 662±34 seconds; p=0.001) and a lower rate of incomplete blood washing-out after the initial 2 L portal perfusion (40% vs. 85%; p=0.03).

The two-catheter infusion method appears to be more effective than the conventional one-catheter infusion method for right liver graft perfusion at the back table. Large size of right liver grafts seems to be its good indication.