Changes of duplex parameters and splenic size in liver transplant recipients during a long period of observation

Table 1 Clinical characteristics of the patients included in this study

Parameter	Value
Gender (M/F)	165/95
Age (yr)	49.8±0.8
Age (yr)	18.5–74.5
Mean time after OLT (d)	1 523.3±97.6
Mean US evaluation time after OLT (d)	2–8 912
Full size OLT (n)	244
Split liver OLT (n)	16

Table 2 Etiologies of liver diseases leading to OLT

Etiology	Cases (n)
Chronic hepatitis B	37
Primary sclerosing cholangitis	36
Chronic hepatitis C	33
Chronic hepatitis and hepatocellular carcinoma	24
Primary biliary cirrhosis	18
Cryptogenic liver disease	18
Cystic liver degeneration	12
Autoimmune hepatitis	12
Budd-Chiari syndrome	12
Alcoholic cirrhosis	10
Primary hepatocellular carcinoma	8
Wilson’s disease	8
Others1	32

¹Includes: Oxalosis n = 1 (0.4%), acute hepatitis A, n = 1 (0.4%), CMV infection, n = 1 (0.4%), veno occlusive disease, n = 1 (0.4%), Halothane induced hepatic failure, n = 1 (0.4%), cystic fibrosis, n = 1 (0.4%), tyrosinemia, n = 1 (0.4%), amyloidosis, n = 2 (0.8%), hemochromatosis, n = 2 (0.8%), toxic liver failure, n = 2 (0.8%), secondary sclerosing cholangitis, n = 3 (1.2%), alpha 1 antitrypsin deficiency, n = 3 (1.2%), Caroli’s syndrome, n = 3 (1.2%), adenomatosis of the liver, n = 3 (1.2%), carcinoid disease, n = 3 (1.2%), biliary atresia, n = 4 (1.5%).

Table 3 Ultrasound findings and complications in liver graft recipients

US finding	US frequency in this study (%)	Reported frequency (%)
Thrombosis of the hepatic artery	0.4	12 [21]
Stenosis of the hepatic artery	1.9	3–5 [8]
Stenosis of the portal vein	2.7	1–6.2 [3,17]
Biliary complications generally	22.3	18 [22]
Bile duct dilatations	17.7	7.3–48.8 [20]
Thickening of bile ducts	6.9
Abscess	0.8
Calculi of biliary system	6.2	36.6 [20]
Bile duct stricture	0.4	5–14 [21]
Ascites	5.4
Splenomegaly	43.8

US, ultrasound.

Table 4 Ultrasound data (mean±SE)

Parameter	Value	Unit
(P)Vmax	30.0±1.5	cm/s
(A)Vmax	67.1±4.2	cm/s
(A)Vmin	20.4±1.6	cm/s
RI	0.69±0.01
Spleen size	12.9±0.2	cm
Liver size in MCL	12.2±0.2	cm

Table 5 Reasons of vascular complications after liver transplantation

Arterial system
Reperfusion damage	(n = 2)
Thrombosis of the celiac trunk	(n = 1)
Thrombosis of the hepatic artery1	(n = 1)
Dissection of the common hepatic artery	(n = 1)
Unknown	(n = 1)
Portal system
Over average length of the portal anastomosis	(n = 3)
Intraoperative thrombectomy2	(n = 2)
Intraoperative thrombectomy of malign thrombus3	(n = 1)
Leakage of the biliary anastomosis and consequently	(n = 1)
Systemic infection leading to portal thrombosis

¹The patient suffered from fulminant acute hepatitis A with thrombosis of the arterial and portal vascular system at the time of OLT.

²The patients had Budd-Chiari syndrome as an underlying liver disease.

³In this particular case, infiltration of a tumor thrombus in the portal venous trunk was observed which led to portal vein stenosis after OLT.