ADULT LIVING DONOR LIVER TRANSPLANTATION USING A RIGHT HEPATIC LOBE

Abstract

Living donor liver transplantation has gained wide acceptance as an alternative for children with end-stage liver disease. The standard left lateral segment used in this operation does not provide adequate parenchymal mass to broaden its application to larger children or adults. We report two cases of adult to adult living donor liver transplantation using a right hepatic lobe in patients with chronic liver disease. Both recipients experienced excellent initial graft function and have normal liver function 4 and 9 months postoperatively. Both donors are alive and well and returned to normal life 4 weeks postoperatively. Our initial experience suggests that this technique is a safe and reliable option for adults with chronic end-stage liver disease. A conservative application of this procedure in the adult population could significantly reduce the mortality on the adult waiting list.