Venovenous Bypass During Liver Transplantation: A New Look at an Old Technique

Abstract

Venovenous bypass (VVB) is a technique that was developed in the 1980s to mitigate untoward hemodynamic effects of complete cross-clamping of the inferior vena cava during liver transplantation (LT). Since the introduction of nonclassic surgical techniques, the interest in using VVB has decreased. Despite this, VVB is still commonly practiced today. In the last 2 decades, significant changes have been made in many aspects of LT. New developments in VVB have been also reported. A percutaneous technique appears safer and easier to perform compared with the surgical cut-down method. Recent data suggest that patients with high acuity may benefit more from VVB. Advances in extracorporeal technologies offer new opportunities for VVB in managing critically ill patients in LT. Here, we review these new developments in VVB.