Long-Term Follow-Up After Right Hepatectomy for Adult Living Donation and Attitu

[Clark]

http://journals.lww.com/annalsofsurgery/Abstract/2011/11000/Long_Term_Follow_Up_After_Right_Hepatectomy_for.3.aspx

Long-Term Follow-Up After Right Hepatectomy for Adult Living Donation and Attitudes Toward the Procedure
Sotiropoulos, Georgios C. MD, FACS*; Radtke, Arnold MD†; Molmenti, Ernesto P. MD, MBA, FACS‡; Schroeder, Tobias MD§; Baba, Hideo A. MD¶; Frilling, Andrea MD, FACS**; Broelsch, Christoph E. MD, FACS††; Malagó, Massimo MD‡‡
Annals of Surgery:
November 2011 - Volume 254 - Issue 5 - p 694–701
doi: 10.1097/SLA.0b013e31823594ae

Abstract
Objectives: To determine the long-term health status of donors after right hepatectomy for adult live donor liver transplantation (ALDLT).

Background: The long-term outcomes for ALDLT donors are unknown.

Methods: ALDLT donors undergoing right hepatectomy from April 1998 to June 2007 were invited to complete a questionnaire regarding health status, satisfaction (1–10/worst–best scale), self-esteem, willingness to donate again, and suggestions for improvement. In addition, donor files and cholecystectomy specimens were reviewed. Fisher's exact test, Kaplan-Meier and logistic regression analyses were performed.

Results: Eighty-three donors were contacted (median age: 36 years; median follow-up: 69 months). 39 (47%) were free of symptoms. The remaining 44 (53%) reported: intolerance to fatty meals and diarrhea (31%), gastroesophageal reflux associated with left liver hypertrophy (9%), incisional discomfort requiring pain medications (6%), severe depression requiring hospitalization (4%), rib pain affecting lifestyle (2%), and exacerbation of psoriasis (1%). Median satisfaction score was 8. Self-esteem diminished in 5%. Thirty-nine (47%) recommended improvements particularly more detailed informed donor consent and a centralized living donor liver registry. Seventy-eight (94%) were willing to donate again. There were no differences between donors with and without complaints with respect to: donor age, gender, early complications and follow-up time, young-to-old donation, recipient diagnosis of malignancy and death of the recipient. Noninflamed donor cholecystectomy specimens correlated with intolerance to fatty meals and diarrhea (P = 0.001).

Conclusions: ALDLT donors are at risk for long-term complaints that are neither reflected nor related to early complications. This information should be included in both the donor evaluation and the ALDLT decision-making process.