A routine liver transplantation in a patient with situs inversus: a case report and an overview of the literature

Clin Transplant. 2006 Mar-Apr;20(2):151-5. doi: 10.1111/j.1399-0012.2005.00456.x.

Abstract

Liver transplantation (LT) in an adult with situs inversus (SI) is extremely rare and requires precise pre-operative management. A 48-yr-old male with SI suffering from alcoholic liver cirrhosis underwent LT at our institution in March 2003. Pre-operatively, liver anatomy was determined by CT scan, three-dimensional liver reconstruction and angiography. LT was performed using the Belghiti technique with side-to-side cavo-caval anastomosis, transplanting a graft from a donor with normal anatomy. Post-operatively, the patient recovered without major complications, except an epileptic event because of a central pontine myelinolysis, and he was discharged on the 25th post-operative day. Three months after surgery, the T-drain placed intra-operatively into the donor bile duct was removed; transplant perfusion and function were stable with an actual follow-up period of 24 months. LT in patients with SI is feasible. Pre-operative imaging with three-dimensional reconstruction is a beneficial tool for operation planning in patients with rare anatomic variations.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Hepatectomy / methods
  • Hepatic Encephalopathy / surgery
  • Humans
  • Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic / complications
  • Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic / surgery
  • Liver Transplantation / methods*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Situs Inversus / surgery*
  • Treatment Outcome