Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
3
pubmed:dateCreated
1995-9-7
pubmed:abstractText
In human liver transplantation, air embolism is seldom encountered after graft reperfusion. Nevertheless, despite adequate flushing and clamping routines, air emboli have been reported in transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) studies performed during the reperfusion phase. We retrospectively investigated whether air in the donor liver -- as observed with pretransplant magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) -- resulted in clinical air embolism or contributed to preservation/reperfusion injury. Clinical air embolism was assessed by intraoperative hemodynamics and end-tidal CO2 monitoring. Preservation/reperfusion injury was assessed in postoperative biochemical measurements. The outcomes were compared between patients receiving livers containing significant intrahepatic air and patients receiving livers without intrahepatic air. Forty-three livers were studied, seven which had major intrahepatic air and ten of which had no evidence of air collections. Twenty-six livers showed minor amounts of air and were excluded from further study. One patient who received a liver that did not contain intrahepatic air had clinical evidence of air embolism. Clinical air embolism did not appear to be associated with the presence of significant intrahepatic air based upon pretransplant MRI. Intrahepatic air did not seem to affect the amount of preservation/reperfusion injury. Our data indicate that air bubbles in the portal and arterial branches are absorbed during reperfusion and that the majority of intrahepatic air is effectively removed by the specific flushing routines.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:issn
0934-0874
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
8
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
201-6
pubmed:dateRevised
2004-11-17
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
1995
pubmed:articleTitle
Venous air embolism, preservation/reperfusion injury, and the presence of intravascular air collection in human donor livers: a retrospective clinical study.
pubmed:affiliation
Department of Surgery, University Hospital, Groningen, The Netherlands.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article