Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) Could Predict Graft Quality in Adult Liver Donors

Area of Science:

• Hepatology
• Transplantation Medicine
• Medical Device Technology

Background:

• Increased use of expanded criteria donors for liver transplantation.
• Hepatic steatosis (HS) is a critical factor in donor liver assessment.
• Need for improved methods to evaluate donor liver quality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the utility of regional hepatic oxygen saturation (rSO2) monitoring using INVOS somatic oximetry.
• To assess the correlation between rSO2 and hepatic steatosis in liver donors.

Main Methods:

• Prospective observational study of adult liver transplant donors.
• Measurement of rSO2 on donor skin and liver surface using INVOS oximeter.
• Correlation analysis between rSO2 values and donor characteristics, including HS.

Main Results:

• rSO2 measurements on the donor liver were feasible in 62.1% of cases.
• A significant relationship was found between liver rSO2 and HS (p=0.001).
• rSO2 >57% on the liver was associated with HS <30% (Sensitivity: 92%, Specificity: 75%).
• Lower preoperative GOT values correlated with higher skin rSO2 (p=0.046).

Conclusions:

• Hepatic rSO2 measurements using NIRS devices are associated with key donor graft characteristics.
• rSO2 monitoring shows potential for assessing the degree of hepatic steatosis in liver donors.
• This technique may aid in optimizing donor selection for liver transplantation.