Introduction: Hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) worsens the prognosis of cirrhosis and liver transplantation is only definitive treatment. There is paucity of data about role of living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) in HPS.
Methods: Fourteen patients with HPS and cirrhosis who underwent LDLT were prospectively included. HPS was defined as PaO2 < 80 mmHg in presence of demonstrable macro-aggregated albumin (MAA) scan shunt fraction >6%.
Results: The study group composed of 11 male and three female patients, mean age 50.3 ± 8.6 yr. Most common presentations were dyspnea (92.8%), cyanosis (78.5%) and clubbing (64.2%). Mean model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score was 18.2 ± 4.7, mean MAA shunt fraction was 23.0 ± 13.2%, mean PaO2 was 58.7 ± 8.4 mmHg. Two patients had very severe HPS (PaO2 <50 mmHg), five had severe HPS (PaO2 >50 <60 mmHg) and seven had moderate HPS (PaO2 >60 <80 mmHg). All patients underwent right lobe LDLT. The overall time to extubation was 2 (1-32 days) and for hospital stay was 20 (17-46 days). The main complications in post-LT course were infection in 57% (cytomegalovirus or bacterial). All the patients are alive and off oxygen at a mean follow up of 29 ± 25 months.
Conclusion: We report one of the largest series of LDLT in HPS which has shown excellent results.
Keywords: cirrhosis; hepatopulmonary syndrome; liver transplantation; living donor liver transplantation; model for end-stage liver disease.
© 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S.