Dual-graft adult living donor liver transplantation with ABO-incompatible graft: short-term and long-term outcomes

ABO-incompatible (ABOi) dual-graft (DG) adult living donor liver transplantation (ALDLT) is not commonly performed due to its inherently intricate surgical technique and immunological complexity. Therefore, data are lacking on the short- and long-term clinical outcomes of ABOi DG ALDLT. We performed a retrospective study by reviewing the medical records of patients who underwent ABOi DG ALDLT between 2008 and 2014. Additionally, computed tomography volumetric analysis was conducted to assess the graft regeneration rate. The mean age of a total of 28 recipients was 50.28.5years, and the mean model for end-stage liver disease score was 12.2 +/- 4.6. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year patient survival rate was 96.4% during the mean follow-up period of 57.0 +/- 22.4months. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year graft survival rate was 96.4%, 94.2%, and 92.0%, respectively, and no significant differences were observed between ABO-compatible (ABOc) and ABOi grafts (P=.145). The biliary complication rate showed no significant difference (P=.195) between ABOc and ABOi grafts. Regeneration rates of ABOi grafts were not significantly different from those of ABOc grafts. DG ALDLT with ABOi and ABOc graft combination seems to be a feasible option for expanding the donor pool without additional donor risks. Dual-graft adult living donor liver transplantation with ABO-incompatible grafts demonstrates an acceptable outcome in patient and graft survival, and proves to be safe in regards to biliary complications associated with the ABO incompatibility, which suggests its feasibility to expand the living liver donor pool without increasing donor risks.