J Pediatr Surg 1988 Oct;23(10):927-30

Hepatic artery thrombosis in pediatric liver transplantation

Tan KC, Yandza T, de Hemptinne B, Clapuyt P, Claus D, Otte JB
Department of Pediatric Surgery, University of Louvain Medical School, Brussels,
Belgium

Abstract
The incidence of hepatic artery thrombosis was analyzed in a series of 59
consecutive liver transplants performed in 52 children less than 15 years of age
at the University of Louvain Medical School, Brussels, from March 1984 to March
1987. This incidence was 17% for the whole series; it was increased in small
recipients less than 3 years of age and less than 15 kg (23%) in weight, as well
as when the liver was harvested from a small donor less than 15 kg in weight
(38%). It was also increased when the donor liver was supplied by more than one
artery. This incidence was markedly reduced by arterial revascularization from
the aorta, either directly or by interposition of an iliac segment; the
reduced-size livers had a much lower incidence of arterial thrombosis (5%) than
the whole livers (23%). In the present series, we did not find any argument to
support the view that poorly controlled rejection could be implicated in the
pathogenesis of arterial thrombosis