Anesthesia for combined liver-thoracic transplantation

Publication date: Available online 25 January 2020Source: Best Practice & Research Clinical AnaesthesiologyAuthor(s): Miriam Zeillemaker - Hoekstra, Carlijn I. Buis, Vlado Cernak, Koen MEM. ReyntjensAbstractThe combined transplantation of a thoracic organ and the liver is performed in patients with dual-organ failure in whom survival is not expected with single-organ transplantation alone. Although uncommonly performed, the number of combined liver-lung and liver-heart transplants is increasing. Anesthetic management of this complex procedure is challenging. Major blood loss, prolonged operation time, difficult weaning of cardiopulmonary bypass and coagulation disturbances are common. Despite the complexity of surgery, outcome is comparable to single organ transplant.
Source: Best Practice and Research Clinical Anaesthesiology - Category: Anesthesiology Source Type: research