Warm ischemia time, postreperfusion syndrome and initial poor function after liver transplantation: are they connected?

Excerpt

Factors associated with initial poor graft function (IPGF) after liver transplantation are still under debate. Although the initial insult to the graft begins during the cold ischemia time (CIT), recent studies showed that most injuries occur during rewarming. Ischemic- reperfusion (I/R) injuries are present in all grafts and may be responsible for postoperative graft dysfunction. Along with other factors, I/R injury may also play a role in the development of postreperfusion syndrome (PRS) after revascularization of the liver graft. The aim of this study was to assess whether longer warm ischemia time (WIT) is associated with PRS or with IPGF after liver transplant. The secondary aim was to investigate whether patients with intraoperative PRS have a higher risk for postoperative IPGF. …