Transumbilical portal venous catheterization: a useful adjunct in left lobe living donor liver transplantation

To improve the processes used for perfusion of the explanted graft and measuring the portal venous pressure (PVP) in adult living donor transplantation (LDLT), we performed transumbilical portal venous catheterization (TPVC) to reopen the umbilical vein and insert the catheter for seven adult patients undergoing left lobe LDLT. There were no major complications as a result of this procedure. This procedure prior to implanting the graft was derived from our experience and is a classic diagnostic technique used during liver surgery. It is a simple and effective procedure for perfusion and washout of the graft and for the safe monitoring of the intraoperative PVP. We hope that this technique for left lobe LDLT will be helpful to others using postoperative PVP monitoring, administration of therapeutic drugs through the portal vein, and temporal portal decompression by preparation of extracorporeal shunting in patients with a small-for-size graft.