Derivación portocava transitoria en el trasplante hepático con preservación de la cava

INTRODUCTION. The preservation of the vena cava during the orthotopic liver transplantation has won followers, but the benefits of the temporary portocaval shunt during the technique of preservation of the vena cava or piggyback are still polemical. This study was aimed at evaluating the benefits of temporary portocaval shunt during liver transplantation with preservation of the vena cava. METHODS. A prospective randomized study was undertaken with 34 patients that received liver transplantation in "Hermanos Ameijeiras" Hospital during 4 years. The patients were divided into 2 groups: A) with temporary portocaval shunt (n = 16) and, B) without it (n = 18). The piggyback technique was used in all the patients, and the hemodynamic and biochemical variables were measured. RESULTS. The preoperative data were similar. Surgical time was also similar (403 ± 77 min y 387 ± 56 min; p = 0.3). The requirements of red blood cells were lower in group A (3.3 ± 2.5 units versus 4.2 ± 2.9 units), although there were no significant differences. During the anhepatic phase, the reduction of the heart rate was lower in group A (- 6.8 % versus - 27.3 %; p = 0,05). Diuresis during this phase was higher in this group (3.6 ± 2.97 compared with 2.1 ± 1.38 mL/(kg·h); p = 0.005). No differences were found in the biochemical parameters in the first three days after transplantation, even though the values of creatinine were higher in group B. CONCLUSIONS. The use of the portocaval shunt during the liver orthotopic transplantation improves the hemodynamics, contributes to reduce the requirements of red blood cells and and protects the renal function, although it moderately increases the surgical time.