Small-For-Size Syndrome and Graft Inflow Modulation Techniques in Liver Transplantation

Partial liver transplantation has recently been proposed to alleviate organ shortages. However, transplantation of a small-for-size graft is associated with an increased risk of posttransplant hepatic dysfunction, commonly referred to as small-for-size syndrome (SFSS). This review describes the etiology, pathological features, clinical manifestations, and diagnostic criteria of SFSS. Moreover, we summarize strategies to improve graft function, focusing on graft inflow modulation techniques. Finally, unmet needs and future perspectives are discussed.

In fact, posttransplant SFSS can be attributed to various factors such as preoperative status of the recipients, surgical techniques, donor age, and graft quality, except for graft size. With targeted improvement measures, satisfactory clinical outcomes can be achieved in recipients at increased risk of SFSS. Given the critical role of relative portal hyperperfusion in the pathogenesis of SFSS, various pharmacological and surgical treatments have been established to reduce or partially divert excessive portal inflow, and recipients will benefit from individualized therapeutic regimens after careful evaluation of benefits against potential risks. However, there remain unmet needs for further research into different aspects of SFSS to better understand the correlation between portal hemodynamics and patient outcomes.

Contemporary transplant surgeons should consider various donor and recipient factors and develop case-specific prevention and treatment strategies to improve graft and recipient survival rates.