Case Reports in Transplantation (Jan 2014)

Delayed Gastric Emptying after Living Donor Hepatectomy for Liver Transplantation

  • Hanjay Wang,
  • Adam D. Griesemer,
  • Ronald F. Parsons,
  • Jay A. Graham,
  • Jean C. Emond,
  • Benjamin Samstein

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/582183
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 2014

Abstract

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Delayed gastric emptying is a significant postoperative complication of living donor hepatectomy for liver transplantation and may require endoscopic or surgical intervention in severe cases. Although the mechanism of posthepatectomy delayed gastric emptying remains unknown, vagal nerve injury during intraoperative dissection and adhesion formation postoperatively between the stomach and cut liver surface are possible explanations. Here, we present the first reported case of delayed gastric emptying following fully laparoscopic hepatectomy for living donor liver transplantation. Additionally, we also present a case in which symptoms developed after open right hepatectomy, but for which dissection for left hepatectomy was first performed. Through our experience and these two specific cases, we favor a neurovascular etiology for delayed gastric emptying after hepatectomy.