Single-Center Experience with Hepatic Artery Reconstruction During Living Donor Liver Transplantation: Microscope...

BACKGROUND Hepatic artery reconstruction during living donor liver transplantation is a critical step. To perform this risky procedure, a microscope has been used. However, it takes a long time to complete the procedure and it has a long and steep learning curve. Recently, some transplant surgeons have performed the procedure using a surgical loupe. We conducted this study to compare the outcomes after hepatic artery reconstruction using a microscope versus using a surgical loupe. MATERIAL AND METHODS We retrospectively reviewed the outcomes of 300 patients at our institution from April 2014 to July 2020. From April 2014 to September 2017 (era 1), hepatic artery reconstruction was performed using a microscope by an experienced plastic surgeon. From September 2017 to the end date (era 2), it was performed using a loupe (×5.0) by an experienced transplantation surgeon. RESULTS There was no difference in most perioperative outcomes between the 2 groups, including the major postoperative complications of hepatic artery complications (2/150 versus 2/150, P=1.000), postoperative bleeding (10/150 versus 5/150, P=0.185), and biliary leakage (18/150 versus 13/150, P=0.343). There was a statistically significant difference between the 2 groups in anastomosis time (42.4±11.8 versus 24.2±7.8, P<0.001) and the entire operation time (436.6±83.9 versus 415.3±68.5, P=0.035). CONCLUSIONS We suggest that when the surgeon is familiar with a loupe and vascular anastomosis, hepatic artery reconstruction using a surgical loupe is a safe and feasible method with a shorter operation time.