Disorders of hepatic microcirculation as early manifestation of rejection in clinical liver transplantation

: By means of thermodiffusion, monitoring of hepatic microcirculation was performed in 43 patients during the first week after liver transplantation. A significant decrease of liver perfusion was registered in 15 patients with early rejection. The disturbance of hepatic microcirculation preceded the increase of transaminases by 36 hours and the subsequent biopsy by 60 hours. Already 12 hours after the beginning of corticoid therapy liver perfusion started to recover. The quantification of hepatic microcirculation may facilitate faster diagnosis and treatment of early rejection following liver transplantation.