Objective: To discuss the application of color Doppler ultrasound in the imaging of bridge vein transplant used to reconstruct the tributary of the middle hepatic vein in adult living donor liver transplantation (LDLT).
Methods: From December 2005 to July 2006, 25 patients underwent the adult living donor liver transplantation with right lobe grafts without middle hepatic vein. Tributaries of middle hepatic vein larger than 5 mm were reconstructed with great saphenous vein. Types and numbers of reconstructed tributaries of middle hepatic vein were listed below: single V5 (n=8), double V5 (n=2), the V5 and V8 (n=9), V8 (n=6). The successive investigation of the vein grafts was performed by color Doppler ultrasound in the period of from postoperative 7 days to 8 months.
Results: All vein transplants were detected by color Doppler ultrasound. Among them, 34 vein transplants of 24 cases undergoing adult LDLT appeared patent, but one case was suspected to have reconstructed finally the bypass vessels for blood circle regardless of the grafted bridge vein probably occurring the thrombosis.
Conclusion: Color Doppler ultrasound can precisely detect and appear the postoperative bridge vessel grafted, and also measure the blood flow velocity in grafted vein used to reconstruct the tributaries of the middle hepatic vein in LDLT.