Immediate and Late Complications After Liver Transplantation

Abstract

Other than rejection, hepatic artery and portal vein thrombosis are the most common complications in the immediate postoperative period with hepatic arterial thrombosis more common and more devastating. Hepatic artery stenosis is more common 1 month after transplantation, whereas portal and hepatic vein stenosis is more often seen as a late complication. Ultrasound is the first-line imaging examination to diagnose vascular complications with contrast-enhanced CT useful if ultrasound findings are equivocal. MR cholangiography is often most helpful in diagnosing bile leaks, biliary strictures, and biliary stones.

Keywords: Bile leak; Biliary stones; Biliary strictures; Hepatic artery thrombosis; Liver transplantation complications; Portal vein stenosis; Posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder; Recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma.