Metabolic, coagulative, and hemodynamic changes during intestinal transplant: good predictors of postoperative damage?

Background. Analysis of intraoperative changes of metabolic, hemodynamic, and coagulative parameters is useful to detect early ischemia-reperfusion damage after intestinal transplant. Methods. The objective of our study is to correlate the histological damage at the end of transplant in relation to the intraoperative changes after reperfusion. The histological aspect was graded according to Park's classification at the end of the surgical procedure with biopsies of the graft. Patients were divided into two groups according to the presence or absence of histological damage of the small bowel wall: group A (normal mucosa/minimal damage: Park's grades 0-1) and group B (mucosal damage: Park's grades 2-8). Results. Significant hemodynamic, metabolic, and coagulative disorders were observed in group B. Consequently, these disorders are thought to be early indicators of graft damage. Conclusions. Actual monitoring procedures used for postoperative graft surveillance remain paramount in detecting postoperative intestinal dysfunction, but the indicators described in this paper could represent a further help in intraoperative and postoperative management.