Early respiratory complications after liver transplantation

Abstract

The poor clinical conditions associated with end-stage cirrhosis, pre-existing pulmonary abnormalities, and high comorbidity rates in patients with high Model for End-Stage Liver Disease scores are all well-recognized factors that increase the risk of pulmonary complications after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) surgery. Many intraoperative and postoperative events, such as fluid overload, massive transfusion of blood products, hemodynamic instability, unexpected coagulation abnormalities, renal dysfunction, and serious adverse effects of reperfusion syndrome, are other factors that predispose an individual to postoperative respiratory disorders. Despite advances in surgical techniques and anesthesiological management, the lung may still suffer throughout the perioperative period from various types of injury and ventilatory impairment, with different clinical outcomes. Pulmonary complications after OLT can be classified as infectious or non-infectious. Pleural effusion, atelectasis, pulmonary edema, respiratory distress syndrome, and pneumonia may contribute considerably to early morbidity and mortality in liver transplant patients. It is of paramount importance to accurately identify lung disorders because infectious pulmonary complications warrant speedy and aggressive treatment to prevent diffuse lung injury and the risk of evolution into multisystem organ failure. This review discusses the most common perioperative factors that predispose an individual to postoperative pulmonary complications and these complications’ early clinical manifestations after OLT and influence on patient outcome.

Keywords: Respiratory complications; Postoperative respiratory failure; Liver transplantation; Postoperative edema; Post-transplant pneumonia

Core tip: This “minieview” underlines the most important perioperative factors that predispose to early post-liver transplant respiratory complications. Despite advances in surgical techniques and anesthesiological management the lung may still suffer throughout the perioperative period from various types of injury, with different ensuing ventilatory impairments, and different clinical outcomes. The incidence, etiology, pathophysiological features, clinical manifestations, preventing measures, and outcomes of post-operative respiratory disorders in this setting are also reported.