Objective: To report the incidence and analyze the factor predisposing to cardiovascular complication after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLTx).
Methods: A retrospective study was made for the patients who develop of all cases in which patients presented with cardiovascular complications after OLTx from April 1993 to December 2001 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou.
Results: Eighty-nine liver transplants were performed in 88 patients. Cardiovascular complications developed in 65 (73%) patients. Among these 65 complications, 6 were myocardiac ischemia, 9 were heart failure, 59 were hypertension and 5 were pulmonary hypertension. portoperative mortality rate related to cardiovascular complication was 12.4% (11/89). Except for the preexisting coronary artery disease, the unbalance between coagulant and anticoagulant function in patients after OLTx may play a role in myocardiac ischemia after OLTx. Heart failure was correlated with massive intraoperative blood transplantation (chi2=5.714, P<0.05).
Conclusion: Cardiovascular complications are common after OLTx. They are severe and highly related to mortality. The unbalance between coagulant and anticoagulant function in patients after OLTx resulting in the thrombosis in coronary artery may be the cause of myocardiac ischemia. Massive intraoperative blood transplantation may be responsible for heart failure.