Assessment of the functional state of the remnant left liver lobe in living related donors

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15574/PS.2025.3(88).7175

Keywords:

living related donor, liver transplantation, right hemihepatectomy, liver resection, remnant liver, liver functional state, postoperative period, liver regeneration

Abstract

Aim - to comprehensively evaluate the functional adaptation and state of the remnant left liver lobe in living related donors following right hemihepatectomy for transplantation by assessing the dynamics of key blood laboratory parameters in the early postoperative period.

Materials and methods. The study included 30 somatically healthy living related liver donors aged 22-52 years who underwent standard right hemihepatectomy for transplantation. The following laboratory parameters were assessed: alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total and direct bilirubin, albumin, international normalized ratio (INR), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and C-reactive protein (CRP). Biochemical analyses were performed preoperatively and on days 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7 of the postoperative period, respectively.

Results. In the early postoperative period, a significant but transient increase in transaminases, total and direct bilirubin, IL-6, CRP, and INR levels was recorded, with gradual normalization by days 5-7. The highest increase in AST was observed on the first day after resection (more than an 18-fold increase compared to the preoperative level). Albumin levels decreased until day 3, after which a trend towards normalization was maintained. Peak values of IL-6 and CRP were observed on days 1-2 of the postoperative period; such dynamics correspond to the transient functional load on the remnant liver lobe and the initiation of active parenchymal regeneration processes. No clinical signs of acute liver failure were recorded in the examined patients.

Conclusions. In living liver donors after right hemihepatectomy, a pronounced short-term impairment of the functional state of the remnant left liver lobe is observed, which shows a clear tendency towards spontaneous normalization within the first week. The obtained results can be used to improve clinical monitoring of donors, predict the recovery of liver function, and optimize patient management tactics in the early postoperative period.

The study was conducted in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. The study protocol was approved by the local ethics committee of the mentioned institution. Informed consent was obtained from the patients.

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

References

Dehlke K, Meyer A, Malinowski M et al. (2022). Predicting liver regeneration following major resection. Sci Rep. 12: 13643. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-16968-9; PMid:35927556 PMCid:PMC9352754

Dindo D, Demartines N, Clavien PA. (2004). Classification of surgical complications: a new proposal with evaluation in a cohort of 6336 patients and results of a survey. Ann Surg. 240(2): 205-213. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.sla.0000133083.54934.ae; PMid:15273542 PMCid:PMC1360123

Hoffmann K, Nagel AJ, Tanabe K et al. (2020). Markers of liver regeneration - the role of growth factors and cytokines: a systematic review. BMC Surg. 20: 31. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12893-019-0664-8; PMid:32050952 PMCid:PMC7017496

Jarl J, Friman S, Nilsson J et al. (2022). Survival benefit of living-donor liver transplantation: a nationwide cohort study. JAMA Surg. 157(8): e222600.

Kaido T, Ogawa K, Mori A et al. (2017). Inflammatory cytokines and liver regeneration after living donor hepatectomy. Transplantation. 101(1): 191-197. https://doi.org/10.1097/TP.0000000000001486; PMid:28640789 PMCid:PMC5482566

Kim YK, Olthoff KM. (2015). Liver regeneration after living donor liver transplantation in the Adult-to-Adult Living Donor Liver Transplantation Cohort Study (A2ALL). Liver Transpl. 21(1): 79-90. https://doi.org/10.1002/lt.24016; PMid:25287272

Kurylo HV. (2025). Liver transplantation in children: pre-transplantation preparation tactics. Paediatric Surgery (Ukraine). 1(86): 40-44. https://doi.org/10.15574/PS.2025.1(86).4044

Michalopoulos GK, Bhushan B. (2021). Liver regeneration: biological and pathological mechanisms and implications. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 18(1): 40-55. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41575-020-0342-4; PMid:32764740

Muzaale AD, Dagher NN, Montgomery RA et al. (2012). Estimates of early death, acute liver failure, and long-term mortality among live liver donors in the United States. Gastroenterology. 143(1): 90-96. https://doi.org/10.1053/j.gastro.2012.04.008; PMid:22504095 PMCid:PMC3846443

Olthoff KM, Emond JC, Shearon TH et al. (2015). Liver regeneration after living donor transplantation: adult donors and adult recipients. Liver Transpl. 21(1): 30-41. https://doi.org/10.1002/lt.23966; PMid:25065488 PMCid:PMC4276514

Quintini C, Hashimoto K, Uso TD et al. (2013). Living donor versus deceased donor liver transplantation: a systematic review. Transpl Int. 26(1): 11-19. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1432-2277.2012.01550.x; PMid:22937787

Schrem H, Kaltenborn A, Kansy A, Vogel A, Nashan B. (2020). Liver regeneration in donors and recipients after living liver transplantation. Transpl Int. 33(1): 43-55. https://doi.org/10.1111/tri.13550; PMid:31701582

Trotter JF, Adam R, Lo CM, Kenison J. (2006). Documented deaths of hepatic lobe donors for living donor liver transplantation. Liver Transpl. 12(10): 1485-1488. https://doi.org/10.1002/lt.20875; PMid:16952175

Wu Y, Li M, Wang J et al. (2023). Biomechanics in liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy. Front Bioeng Biotechnol. 11: 1165651. https://doi.org/10.3389/fbioe.2023.1165651; PMid:37214300 PMCid:PMC10196191

Published

2025-09-28

Issue

Section

Original articles. Abdominal surgery