Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 5, 2026
12:27
Technique of Porcine Liver Procurement and Orthotopic Transplantation using an Active Porto-Caval Shunt
Published on: May 7, 2015
Partial hepatic grafting: porcine study on critical volume reduction
K Yanaga1, K Kishikawa, T Suehiro
1Department of Surgery II, Kyushu University Faculty of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan.
Surgery
|September 1, 1995
Summary
Transplanting less than 30% of the liver volume in partial hepatic transplantation risks graft nonfunction. This study in pigs identified critical volume limits for successful liver grafts.
Area of Science:
- Hepatobiliary surgery
- Transplantation immunology
- Surgical pathology
Background:
- The safe volume reduction limit for partial liver transplantation is not well-defined.
- Extracorporeal hepatic resection requires understanding of critical remnant liver volume.
- Pathologic features of reduced-volume grafts need further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the safe volume limit for partial hepatic transplantation.
- To evaluate pathologic changes in reduced-volume liver grafts.
- To assess the impact of graft volume on post-transplantation outcomes.
Main Methods:
- A porcine orthotopic autotransplantation model was used.
- Animals were divided into three groups based on remnant liver volume: 73.8%, 52.6%, and 29.4%.
- Survival and graft function were monitored for three days.
Main Results:
- Three-day survival rates were 100%, 80%, and 0% for the three groups, respectively.
- Graft nonfunction in the lowest volume group (29.4%) was linked to impaired bile acid clearance.
- Histologic analysis revealed severe ischemic changes in grafts <30% volume.
Conclusions:
- Partial hepatic grafting with less than 30% of the full liver volume can result in primary graft nonfunction.
- A remnant liver volume below 30% is critically insufficient for graft survival.
- Maintaining adequate graft volume is crucial for preventing nonfunction after partial liver transplantation.
