07 Oct 06
Anaesthesia for hepatic transplantation
By D Fabbroni, M Bellamy
Contin Educ Anaesth Crit Care Pain 2006 6: 171-175
- Liver transplantation is the treatment of choice for end-stage liver failure.
- Pre-assessment and careful patient selection should be performed by a multidisciplinary, anaesthetic, surgical and hepatology team.
- There are three phases in the physiology of a transplant (resection or ‘pre-anhepatic’ phase, anhepatic phase and post-reperfusion phase). These must be understood and managed appropriately.
- Blood loss is unpredictable; it can be insignificant or massive.
- Perioperative care should be provided in an appropriate level 3 facility.