Objective: To review the experience of donor selection and right lobe hepatectomy in adult-to-adult live donor liver transplantation.
Methods: From May 1996 to December 2001, 89 live donor liver transplants using right lobe grafts were performed at Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong. All donors had received psychological counseling before donor operations. They were screened by laboratory tests including complete blood cell count, liver and renal biochemistry, and viral serology studies. Computed tomography (CT), CT volumetry and hepatic arteriography were routinely performed. All donors underwent the operations using the method designed by us.
Results: The median duration of the operations was 8.8 hours. The median blood loss recorded 466 ml. The median intensive care unit and hospital stays were 2 and 10 days, respectively. There was no donor mortality. Complications of donor operations included wound infection, urinary tract infection, biliary stricture, cholestasis, subphrenic collection, bowel obstruction and incision hernia, etc. All donors have recovered and returned to their previous occupations.
Conclusions: Live donation of right lobe grafts for adult-to-adult liver transplantation is safe, provided that donor selection is strict and utmost care is exercised during the operation.