Liver transplantation : official publication of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases and the International Liver Transplantation Society
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We evaluated the influence of portal and hepatic venous hemodynamics on the immediate and 3-month postoperative function of living donor right lobe grafts. Portal velocity was measured prospectively by ultrasound in 14 consecutive donor/recipient pairs. Velocity was converted to flow with the Moriyasu formula. ⋯ Portal vein velocity/flow dramatically increases after reperfusion, returning to baseline about 3 months after transplant. Evaluation of hepatic and portal venous flow is a relatively easy skill to acquire. Intraoperative ultrasound may enable the surgeon to predict graft dysfunction and possibly, may be used to implement pre-emptive therapies.