Reconstructing Both Hepatic Arteries in Right Lobe Grafts Is Safe in Living-Donor Liver Transplantation

Researchers conducted a single-center retrospective study on 1,601 living-donor liver transplant recipients to evaluate the risks of hepatic artery thrombosis (HAT) and the efficacy of reconstructing two hepatic arteries (HA) in right lobe grafts. They found that HAT occurred in 1.2% of patients, and risk factors included pretransplant hepatectomy, female donor, smaller graft-to-recipient weight ratio, and undergoing extraanatomical reconstruction. However, having two HA openings in right liver grafts was not a risk factor for HAT. The study suggests that reconstructing both HAs when possible is a safe approach.