Liver transplantation using the otherwise-discarded partial liver resection graft with hepatic benign tumor: Analysis of a preliminary experience on 15 consecutive cases

RATIONALE: The shortage of available donor organs limits the development of liver transplantation. This case-serial study presents a novel way to expand the donor pool by using the other-wise discarded partial liver resection graft with hepatic benign tumor. PATIENT CONCERNS: From 2012 to 2016, 15 patients with hepatic lesions were admitted to our hospital. 12 patients suffered from right epigastric discomfort and 3 patients worried about uncertain diagnosis. INTERVENTIONS: Regular hepatic lobectomy was performed for all patients and after back-table management the resected partial liver grafts were used for patients with end-stage liver disease for liver transplantation. OUTCOMES: All patients had improved liver function within 1 week of transplantation. Patients had no serious small-for-size syndrome despite graft-to-recipient weight ratio less than 0.8%. Back-table hepatic venous reconstruction with prosthetic vascular grafts was performed without serious early complications, and late thrombosis in vessel graft did not affect liver function. Postoperative computed tomography scans demonstrated a remarkable growth in graft volume and a continuous decrease in hemangioma in recipients using the grafts with hemangioma. One patient died from pulmonary embolism on day 7 after transplant, and the rest of 14 recipients had been surviving well, especially recipient 1 for more than 4 years, although 3 recipients had tumor recurrence and had been treated with sorafenib. DIAGNOSES: The postoperative pathological diagnosis reported cavernous hemangioma (n = 11), perivascular epithelioid cell tumor (n = 2), inflammatory pseudotumor for (n = 1), and focal nodular hyperplasia (n = 1). LESSONS: The partial liver grafts with hepatic benign tumors are safe for liver transplantation. In addition, prosthetic vascular grafts can be used for hepatic venous outflow reconstruction, especially in right lobe liver transplantation.