ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the changes of extravaacular lung water during the perioperative period of orthotopic liver trans-plantation. Methods 24 consecutive patients with end-stage fiver disease undergoing orthotopie liver transplantation (OLT) were studied. In all patients a 5 French fiberoptic catheter with a thermistor was placed in the brachial artery and connected to the PiCCO system. Extravascular lung water (EVLW) and intrathoracic blood volume (ITBV) were monitored. After induction of anesthesia and achievement of stable hemodynamic and respiratory conditions, the baseline values of hemedynamic data, ITBV and EVLW were recorded. The patients were studied during the anhepatic stage, the Ist hour and 2nd hours after reperfusion of the graft. Final measurements of all the values were immediately determined after operation. Results EVLW remained statistically unchanged during the whole study period in all patients though all of them were increased, compared to normal values. EVWL was positively correlated with ITBV (r = 0. 822, P < 0. 05). Conclusion The changes of EVLW during perioperative period of orthotopic fiver transplantation were very little. Circulative volume overload may be perhaps the most important cause of the increase of EVLW.