Usefulness of a Balloon Catheter for Intraoperative Cholangiography During Living Donor Hepatectomy: A Product Investigation

BACKGROUND: Intraoperative cholangiography (IOC) during living donor liver procurement for liver transplantation is an essential procedure to avoid biliary complications in the donor and to assess the details of the biliary anatomy of the graft liver for the recipient. There are limitations to IOC using conventional methods, including that the contrast medium often passes immediately to the duodenum, making continuous enhancement of the peripheral biliary tree difficult. The usefulness of a thin balloon catheter with side holes located proximal to the balloon for IOC was evaluated. MATERIAL/METHODS: A pediatric angiography balloon catheter was used for IOC. RESULTS: The device was used in 2 living donors, and high-quality continuous images were easily achieved. There were no perioperative biliary complications in either donor. CONCLUSIONS: A thin balloon catheter with side holes located proximal to the balloon catheter is useful in operations for both the donor and recipient because it allows more accurate division of the bile duct because of the clear IOC images.