Section 7. A new therapeutic strategy on portal flow modulation that increases donor safety with good recipient outcomes

Abstract

The goal of this study was to examine whether the lower limit of the graft-to-recipient weight ratio (GRWR) can be safely reduced to make better use of the left lobe graft in adult-to-adult living donor liver transplantation in combination with portal pressure control. Beginning December 2007, the acceptable limit for GRWR was lowered to ≥0.7% and by April 2009, it was further lowered to ≥0.6%. A portal pressure control program targeting a final portal pressure <15 mm Hg was also introduced. The donor complication rate decreased from 13.8% to 9.3%. The overall survival of recipients with GRWR <0.8% did not differ from recipients with a GRWR ≥0.8%. In conclusion, the lower limit of the GRWR can be safely reduced to 0.6% using a left lobe graft in adult-to-adult living donor liver transplantation in combination with portal pressure control.