[Problems of living-related partial liver transplantation to adult patients]

Here, we describe the clinical course of an adult patient who had living-related liver transplantation (LRLT) from a donor with Gilbert's syndrome and problems of living-related liver transplantation to adult patients. A 22-year-old woman had been diagnosed as having liver cirrhosis at the age of 5. She had undergone devascularization and transsection of the esophagus, and splenectomy for esophageal varices at the age of 8. Complications such as spontaneous bacterial peritonitis and nonspecific colitis sometimes appeared from 17 years old, and icterus and ascites had appeared on all such occasions. Such complications had frequently occurred from 21 years old. Total bilirubin was 5.5 mg/dl and direct bil. was 4.2 mg/dl. The patient and her family members were informed that LRLT might be possible, and they indicated that the patient's 57-year old father was willing to act as the donor. His liver function was examined. His hepatic function was normal except for hyperbilirubinemia (T. Bil. 2.3 mg/dl, D. Bil. 0.3 mg/dl). He was diagnosed with Gilbert's Syndrome because of an increase of unconjugated bilirubin levels during low caloric intake and nicotinic acid test. The standard liver volume for the patient was calculated to be 900 ml on the basis of body weight. Volumetric analysis with computed tomography revealed that the left lobe volume of the donor's liver was 512 ml, corresponding to 56% of the recipient standard liver volume. This proposal was submitted to the ethical committee of Tokushima University School of Medicine and was accepted. In March 28, 1995, the patient underwent LRLT with the donor's left lobe as the graft. The graft weight was 440 g and the graft corresponded to 49% of the recipient's standard liver volume. Volumetric analysis showed rapid enlargement of graft to 683 ml as early as one week after the operation. The donor has returned to work after discharge from the hospital. The recipient is well 11 months after surgery. Total bilirubin was 1.8 mg/dl and D. Bil 0.5 mg/dl. LRLT may become an option for adult recipients, if graft of more than 30% of the recipient standard liver volume is transplanted even from a donor with Gilbert's syndrome.