REVIEW ARTICLE
Split liver transplantation: Current status and future trend
Lijin Zhao MD,
Zhihong Zheng,
Corresponding Author
Lijin Zhao MD
Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi City, China
Correspondence
Lijin Zhao, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, 149 Dalian Road, Huichuan District, Zunyi City, Guizhou Province, China.
Email: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorZhihong Zheng
Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi City, China
Search for more papers by this authorLijin Zhao MD,
Zhihong Zheng,
Corresponding Author
Lijin Zhao MD
Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi City, China
Correspondence
Lijin Zhao, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, 149 Dalian Road, Huichuan District, Zunyi City, Guizhou Province, China.
Email: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorZhihong Zheng
Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi City, China
Search for more papers by this authorFirst published: 28 May 2024
Abstract
Liver transplantation (LT) remains the most effective treatment for end-stage liver disease. However, there continues to be a severe shortage of liver donors worldwide, resulting in a significant disparity between the number of patients on the liver transplant waiting list and the available donor organs. Split liver transplantation (SLT) enables a single whole liver graft to be divided into two partial grafts, which can then be transplanted into two recipients. This approach expands the pool of available liver donors and reduces the waiting time for LT. Since its inception, SLT has undergone continuous development and research. As a complex variant of LT, SLT requires a high level of surgical expertise, and many aspects of SLT have not yet reached a consensus or clear definition within the transplantation community. In addition, it represents a smaller proportion among all LT techniques, which hampers the further development of SLT technology. This review concludes recent developments in SLT, offering a comprehensive summary of current practices regarding donor selection criteria, surgical techniques, and clinical outcomes. Its purpose is to serve as a reference for real clinical scenarios and explore potential future trends in SLT.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT
The authors have no competing interests to declare that are relevant to the content of this article.
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