Living-related auxiliary orthotopic partial liver transplantation: report of a case

ObjectiveTo investigate the feasibility of auxiliary orthotopic partial liver transplantation (APOLT) from a living donor for the treatment of Willson′s disease.MethodsThe patient was a 20-year-old girl with Willson′s disease, whose blood type was O. The donor was a man aged 21 and his blood type was A. The left lateral lobe (260?g) of patient′s liver was removed, the left lateral lobe (295?g) of donor′s liver was grafted to the patient in situ. Blood plasma exchange was carried out to the recipient before transplantation. FK506 adrenocortical hormones and cytoxan was administered after operation. ResultsThe recipient had a onset of hepatic artery thrombosis 15 days after operation, and ensuing intraabdominal hemorrhage caused by thrombolytic agent was successfully managed by laparotomy. Other postoperative complications such as hydroperitonia, pulmonary atelectasis and bile fistula were cured. Now the patient has survived 15 months with a normal copper-protein level, a mitigated extrapyramidal symptom and the grafted liver grows larger.ConclusionAPOLT is a feasible remedy for late-staged Willson′s disease.