Biliary reconstruction with wide-interval interrupted suture to prevent biliary complications in pediatric living-donor liver transplantation

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Liver transplantation is an established therapy for children with end-stage chronic liver disease or acute liver failure. However, despite refinements of surgical techniques for liver transplantation, the incidence of biliary tract complications has remained high in recent years. Therefore, we suggest our anastomotic technique with wide-interval interrupted suture to prevent biliary complications in pediatric living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT). METHODS: Forty-nine LDLTs were performed on 49 pediatric recipients with end-stage liver disease. Biliary reconstruction was performed using a 2.5x magnifying surgical loupe, via end bile duct to side Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy (n = 47) and duct-to-duct choledochocholedochostomy (n = 2) with an external stent. A stay suture with 6-0 absorbable materials was placed at each end of the anastomotic orifice. Two interrupted sutures of the posterior row were performed. After completion of the suture of the posterior row, an external transanastomotic stent tube was inserted into the intrahepatic bile duct and was fixed with posterior row material. Finally, two interrupted sutures of the anterior wall were performed, totaling six stitches. The transanastomotic stent tube emerging out of the blind end of the Roux-en-Y limb was covered with a round ligament and was usually left in place for 1 month after the operation. RESULTS: The median follow-up period was 58.0 months (range 8-135 months). In 33 recipients, the bile duct was used to perform the reconstruction with a single lumen. In 5 cases, there were 2 bile ducts that were formed to enable a single anastomosis. In 10 cases, there were 2 separated ducts and each duct was anastomosed with the recipient jejunum. In one case, there were 3 ducts that were formed to enable two anastomoses. Twenty-two percent of the living-donor grafts required 2 biliary anastomoses. Forty-four patients (89.8%) are alive (ranging from 8 months to 11 years), and 5 patients have died. Two patients had biliary complications, an anastomotic stricture in one (2.0%) and bile leakage in one. There were no complications due to anastomotic tubes. CONCLUSIONS: Biliary reconstruction with wide-interval interrupted suture prevents anastomotic strictures and bile leakage in pediatric LDLT.