Experience of living donor liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma in the University of Hong Kong Hospital

Aim: To describe the current practise of living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), including the patient selection criteria, surgical techniques, management of small-for-size syndrome, postoperative complications, and the results of our units, in the Liver Transplant Centre of Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong, one of the high-volume centres for LDLT in Asia. Methods: Our centre practises careful selection for HCC patients using the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) criteria, supplemented by alpha-fetoprotein level and the model for end-stage liver disease score. Slight flexibility is offered to enthusiastic donors and recipients in LDLT while balancing the risks and benefits. We pioneered in using the extended right lobe graft and the novel hepatic venoplasty technique, which lessen the risk of hyperperfusion and small-for-size syndrome with improved overall recipient survival. Data were collected prospectively and presented as the mean values and ranges, or the number of patients in proportion of total patient population. Results: Of our patients, 74.9% met the UCSF criteria, and 64.5% met the Milan criteria. A 5-year overall and disease-free survival rate of 78.9% and 76.3% were achieved. Conclusion: LDLT is an ideal treatment for HCC in Hong Kong with regard to the critical organ shortage and high demand for transplantation. The current surgical techniques and post-transplant surveillance contribute to the positive outcome.