Living donor hepatectomy (LDH) for living related liver transplantatio (LRLT) has begun an accepted and widely used worldwide.

Introduction: To assess surgical outcome of living donor hepatectomies as a single center experience.

Materials and Methods: Totally 22 living liver hepatectomies were performed at Gazi University Transplantation Center/Ankara/Turkey since 2006. All data retrospectively collected from hospital charts. Donor evaluation’s first step; full blood and viral load, blood group analyses have it done. If there is not any problem all recipients have gone through surgery team, gastroenterology, pulmonary, cardiologic and psychiatric evaluation as second step. Then, all had 3D celiac CT scan for evaluation of the hepatic vascular anatomy as third step. If necessary liver biopsy was performed otherwise liver transplantation committee gathered and gave the final decision about both donor and recipient. We perform intraoperative cholangiography for all donors to evaluate biliar tree during the surgery. In all cases we used xiphoid extended either left or right subcostal incision for donor hepatectomy.

Results: There were 13 female, 9 male as donor. Donors’ origin was 12 parents, 4 siblings, 2 spouses, 1 aunt, 1nephiew and 2 others. Mean age of the donor was 32 ±7,5 years (between 23-48 years). Mean BMI of the donor was 27,2± 1,9 (median 27). Eleven out of 22 right hepatectomy, 8 out of 22 left and 2 left-lateral hepatectomy was performed. The mean remnant liver left at the donor liver percentage for right hepatectomy was 33,8±4 (median 35) and median graft-to-recipient body weight ratio of the right lobe was 1,7% (between 0,9-1,5%). The mean intraoperative blood transfusion was 1,3 ±1,4 U (0-6 U ES). Donors’ average hospital stay 9±3 days (6-17 days, median 9 days) found. We have not seen any late surgical complications. Only 1 early surgical complications (bleeding, 4,7%) in grade III Clavien system detected in the study group. Patient re-explored and was found that blood was coming from left gastric artery stump. Stump succesfully repaired again without any problem. This patient discharged at D7 after surgery. We have not seen any vascular complication at the post-hepatectomy period.

Conclusions: Donor hepatectomy for living liver transplantation is a safe procedure. We believe that, donor safety should be the first priority of all living liver donor programs and it is efficient way of treatment method whom are at the waiting list.