Pediatric liver transplantation is performed with either whole, reduced, split livers depending on the technical aspects of the surgery and the discrepancy between donor and recipient body dimensions. The optimal method of partial hepatectomy for pediatric transplants remains debated to this day: either in situ (i.e. occurring before liver removal from the donor) or ex situ (i.e. taking place after liver removal). In 2007, our tertiary academic center changed its surgical protocol from ex situ to in situ partial hepatectomy in deceased donor mainly to decrease bleeding complication risk among other amendments. Our study aimed to evaluate the clinical impact of this major modification on the post-operative blood products volume transfusion.

A retrospective analysis of 104 patients who underwent liver transplantation at our pediatric center between 1998 and 2016 was performed. Patients receiving multiple organ transplantations or re-transplantation were excluded from the study. Differences in blood products transfusion volume, post-operative complications and mortality rates were compared between two periods implementing different surgical transplantation protocols: ex situ partial hepatectomy from 1998 to 2006 and in situ partial hepatectomy from 2007 to 2016.

42 children from the original ex situ protocol group and 62 children from the modified in situ protocol group were included in the study. The median age and weight were 1.5 years (0.7–4.8 kg) and 11.1 kg (7.9–18.2), respectively. There were no significant differences in demographic data between groups. A significant decrease in liver transplant cold ischemia time was observed in the in situ group compared to the ex situ group (p < 0.001). A significant increase in vasopressor use was observed for the in situ group (64% (IS) vs. 24% ex situ group (p < 0.001)), as part of the protocol modifications. Median perioperative blood products transfusion volume was not significantly different between both groups: 275 ml/kg (76–497) ex situ group vs. 229 ml/kg (76–499) in situ group (p = 0.82). We observed a 28-day and 90-day mortality rate of 14.3% and 16.6%, respectively, for the ex situ group and 6.5% and 8.1%, respectively, for the in situ group. Hepatic artery thrombosis was found in the first 7 days in 7% of the ex situ group patients and 6% of the in situ group patients. There were no significant differences in post-operative mortality and morbidity rates observed between groups (p value of 0.29 and 0.28 for 28-days and 90-days mortality rates, respectively).

Although the median amount of transfusion was higher in the ex-situ group, our study showed no significant differences in perioperative blood product transfusions, morbidity and mortality rates between ex-situ and in-situ partial hepatectomy procedures. Further multicenter studies should be conducted to confirm these results.

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