[Etiologic factors and incidence of ischemic type biliary lesions (ITBL) after liver transplantation]

Ischemic type biliary lesions (ITBL) are defined as non-ischemic and non-immunological destruction of the graft's biliary tree after liver transplantation. In a retrospective analysis we investigated possible etiological factors and the incidence of ITBL. Differing from previous studies, the incidence of ITBL was low (2.6%) and we did not observe a significant effect of cold ischemic time or initial peak transaminases, as indicator of the reperfusion injury. However, we detected a significant decrease in the incidence of ITBL in self-retrieved organs and in organs preserved with arterial pressure perfusion.