Technical details for safer venous and biliary anastomoses for liver transplantation in the rat

Although orthotopic liver transplantation in the rat is a well-established experimental model, no detailed illustrated description of the procedure is available in the literature. As a result, achieving success in the technique without prolonged learning time requires training in specialized centers where the step-by-step details essential to success in the technique can be learnt. The aim of this paper is to provide beginners with the culminative experience of 15 years of improvements made to Kamada's original model, clearly illustrating the necessary steps and fine detail of each anastomosis to help beginners avoid unnecessary complications. We hope that this complete description of orthotopic liver transplantation in the rat, which remains the most difficult rodent transplant model to master, will greatly help microsurgeons acquire this demanding procedure.