Aim: Even though Spain has the highest donation rate in the world, our needs cannot be satisfied, specially in younger children. Living-related donor transplant is an alternative in those cases.
Patients and method: We performed a retrospective study of 57 living-related donor transplants performed in our hospital between June 1993 and December 2007. Median age and weight were 1.2 years old (0.5-14.8) and 8.5 kg (5-62). Indications for transplant were as follow: biliary atresia in 42 cases (73.7%), hepatic tumor in 8 (14%) and others in 7 patients. Type of graft was: monosegment (n=1), left lateral segment (n=45), extended left lateral segment (n=5), left liver (n=4), right liver (n=2). We studied the following factors: graft and patient survival (Kaplan Meier), perioperative conditions, complications, causes of graft lost, donor complications and technique difficulties.
Results: Patient survival at 3 months, 1 year, 5 years and 10 years was 98.2%, 98.2%, 95% and 95% respectively. Three grafts werelost due to arterial thrombosis, two due to rejection, one due to portal thrombosis and three due to other causes. Complications were as follow: biliary fistula in the cut surface (6), biliary anastomosis complications (6), cut surface abcess (1), portal stenosis (2), suprahepatic stenosis (1) and intestinal perforation (2). Most common complication in donors was biliary leak (4). Among the technique difficulties, 8 patients needed major reconstruction of suprahepatic vein; 4 needed complex portal reconstruction, 6 patients had double biliary tract and 4 patients needed multiple arterial anastomosis. Wall closure was delayed (Goretex) in 35% of cases (20).
Conclusions: Despite technical complications, results after living-related donor transplantation are excellent. It is particularly favourable for children with low weight, since Spanish policy for organ allocation does not make easy to find an adecuate donor in short periods of time. Without living-related donor transplantations, mortality pretransplant would be much higher.