Early Arterial Revascularization After Hepatic Artery Thrombosis May Avoid Graft Loss and Improve Outcomes in Adult Liver Transplantation

Background. Hepatic artery thrombosis (HAT) represents a devastating complication after liver transplantation (LT), occurring in 1.6%-9.2% of adult recipients. Treatments of HAT include thrombectomy and thrombolysis (with or without redo of the arterial anastomosis), percutaneous thrombolysis through an angiogram, liver retransplantation, and clinical observation. Methods. We retrospectively analyzed data from 739 adult LTs between January 1992 and September 2009. HAT was classified as early (E-HAT), when occurring within the first 30 days after LT, or late HAT (L-HAT), when diagnosed from the 2nd month onward. HAT suspected clinically was confirmed by Doppler ultrasound and angiography in all cases. Attempted revascularization was defined as early (ER) if performed within the first 2 weeks after LT and late (LR) if performed between 15 and 30 days. Results. After a median follow-up (FU) of 62 months (range, 1-227 months), HAT occurred in 31/739 grafts (4.3%). E-HAT was recorded in 25/31 cases (3.4%) and L-HAT in 11/31 eases (0.8%). ER was performed in 20/31 patients (65%) leading to 62% graft salvage; it was 81% when the revascularization was performed within the first week after LT (P = ns). LR was unsuccessful in all cases (P = .08). The overall incidence of BC among rescued grafts was 54% without graft loss during FU. Graft survival was 79% versus 71%; and 50% versus 50% at 1 and 3 years for E-HAT and L-HAT, respectively (P = ns). Conclusions. Urgent revascularization in cases of early HAT may decrease graft loss, especially when performed within the first week after LT, with improved overall outcomes.