Doppler US Findings of Vascular Complication after Liver Transplantation

ABSTRACT

Vascular complications after liver transplantation may involve the hepatic artery, and hepatic and portal veins. Arterial complications are common and significant vascular complications include thrombosis or stenosis, as well as pseudoaneurysms. Venous complications include thrombisis or stenosis of the inferior vena cana, or hepatic or portal vein. Since recent evidence has shown that emergent revascularization leads to improved graft salvage and patient survival with a relatively low rate of late biliary complications, accurate and pronpt di-agnosis of hepatic arterial complications is important. Doppler US is a relatively inexpensive, accurate, and non-invasive method of diagnosing the vascular complications which may arise from liver transplantation.