Portal vein reconstruction in pediatric living related partial liver transplantation

The surgical reconstruction of the portal vein was analysed in 110 pediatric cases, which underwent partial liver transplantation from living parental donors. The quality of the portal vein of the pediatric recipient is often impaired by the underlying disease. Furthermore the portal vein reconstruction is difficult, because of the size difference between the adult's graft portal vein and the recipient's portal vein. Only in 32% of all cases standard end-to-end anastomosis was possible. In children below the age of 1 year standard reconstruction could only be performed in 17% of the cases. The use of portal vein grafts is often necessary and a safe alternative.