Evaluation of Factors Affecting Rehospitalization and Survival After Living Donor Liver Transplantation

Background

Complications and comorbidities that may develop after living donor liver transplantation may necessitate rehospitalization after discharge. We aimed to investigate the demographic and clinical factors affecting rehospitalization after discharge.

Methods

Two hundred seventy patients who underwent living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT) for end-stage liver cirrhosis were included in the study. Patients were divided into two groups as readmission group and others for statistical analysis. Age, gender, body mass index (BMI), model for end-stage liver disease (MELD), Child scores, etiology, blood product transfusion, anhepatic phase, cold ischemia time, operation time, graft-to-recipient weight ratio (GRWR), the type of recipient hepatic artery and hepatic vein utilized in the anastomoses, presence of liver segment 5, segment 8 and inferior accessory hepatic vein, presence of thrombosed, single or reconstructed portal vein, number of bile ducts, use of right, left/left lateral segment graft, postoperative intensive care unit and total hospitalization durations, surgical complications such as leakage/stricture, postoperative portal vein thrombosis, postoperative hepatic vein thrombosis, primary graft dysfunction, intra-abdominal hemorrhage, and postoperative early reoperation were statistically analyzed for readmission. In addition, patients with rehospitalization and others were statistically compared in terms of mortality and survival.

Results

There was no statistical difference among etiologic factors, demographic findings, decompensation findings, comorbidities, perioperative findings, hospital durations, mortality, and survival (P > .05). Only patients with bile leakage/stricture had a statistically higher rehospitalization rate (P = .000).

Conclusion

Biliary complications are the most frequent cause of hospital rehospitalization following living donor liver transplantation.