Living-related right lobe liver transplantation for a patient with fulminant hepatic failure during the second trimester of pregnancy - Report of a case

A 28-year-old pregnant Japanese woman developed fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) with coma grade IV at 15 weeks' gestation and underwent emergency orthotopic living-related liver transplantation (LRLT) using the right hepatic lobe of her father. Blood type was identical. On postoperative day 2, she regained consciousness and was extubated. For fear of possible negative effects of exposure to various drugs and from x-ray examinations on the fetus as well as the maternal burden of a continuing pregnant state on the patient, artificial abortion was a treatment choice in this woman on posttransplant day 31. The patient was discharged and is currently doing well. Until the present, 11 pregnant women were reported to have liver transplantation during the second trimester of pregnancy, including 2 pregnant women with LRLT. This is the third case of LRLT, and the first successful case in which the right hepatic lobe was used for graft.