Anatomic similarity of the hepatic artery and portal vein according to the donorrecipient relationship

Introduction: Anatomic variants of the hepatic vasculature are common, so precise preoperative donor evaluation, including variations in the vasculature, is essential. We analyzed the anatomic similarity according to the donorrecipient relationship. Methods: Among the cases who underwent living donor liver transplantations from September 2008 to January 2011 we selected 104 cases with clearly defined hepatic artery and portal vein on preoperative computed tomography. They were classified according to Hiatt et al for the hepatic artery and Cheng for the portal vein. We categorized the 104 cases into three groups: parentschild (n = 40), sibling (n = 24) and no-relation (n = 40), for analysis of the concordance of the hepatic artery and portal vein. Result: Anatomic variations were observed in 25% of donors and 23.1% of recipients in the hepatic artery and 6.7% of donors and 10.6% of recipients in the portal vein. There was no significant difference in the distribution of the type of hepatic vasculature. Identical anatomic variations between donors and recipients were observed in 62.5% of the parentchild; 66.7% of the sibling and 52.5% of no-related group (P =.493) in the hepatic artery and 92.5%, 100%, and 77.5% (P =.014) in the portal vein respectively. Conclusion: There was no similarity in the anatomic variations of the hepatic artery according to the donorrecipient relationship, but a similarity in portal venous anatomy according to the donorrecipient relationship.