Living Donor Liver Transplantation Technical Innovations

Living donor liver transplant (LDLT) has found a place to serve the end stage liver disease community as the donor safety and recipient suitability has been elucidated. Donor safety is of paramount importance, and transplant programs must continue endeavors to maintain the highest possible standards. At the same time, adequacy of grafts based on recipient clinical status via their model for end-stage liver disease score and volumetric studies to achieve a graft-to-recipient body weight ratio greater than 0.8, along with special attention to anatomic tailoring and portal venous flow optimization, is necessary for a successful transplant. Technical innovations have improved sequentially the utility and availability of LDLT.