Efficacy of stent placement for early post-transplantation portal vein complication following living donor liver transplantation: a report of two cases

Abstract

Portal vein (PV) complications, such as thrombosis and stenosis, after living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) can be devastating and result in graft failure. We report two cases of PV stent placement via an ileocolic vein for early posttransplantation PV complications. Case 1 was a 62-year-old woman who underwent LDLT for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis using left lobe graft and splenectomy. A decline in PV blood flow was detected on POD 3. Hence, both PV angioplasty and stent placement were performed immediately at the stenosis site. Case 2 was a 55-year-old woman who underwent LDLT for polycystic liver disease using a right posterior segment graft. The PV blood flow was poor during the perioperative period. Therefore, repeated PV thrombectomy and stent placement were performed at the stenosis site on POD 1 and 2. PV flow improved in both cases, suggesting that PV stent placement is efficacious in treating PV complications in the early post-transplantation period.