RESUMO
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To assess the feasibility and outcome of orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) with no veno-venous bypass (VVB) in adult patients.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Between 1999 and June 2001, 43 adult patients were subjected to orthotopic liver transplantations with veno-venous bypass (28), or no veno-venous bypass (15).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>There was no significant difference in mean serum creatinine on day 3 and gas discharge time in patients with veno-venous bypass or not. With no veno-venous bypass, the average operative time was 5.6 +/- 1.4 h, median amount of blood loss during operation was 4 200 +/- 850 ml, median amount of blood transfused intraoperatively was 4 800 +/- 920 ml, and median intensive care unit stay was 6.3 days. All these were lower or shorter than those of the patients with veno-venous bypass.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Orthotopic liver transplantation with no veno-venous bypass is safe and can be performed in the majority of adult patients. Liver transplantation with no veno-venous bypass is associated with shorter total operating time, lower blood product usage, and shorter intensive care unit stay compared with standard technique of OLT with routine use of VVB.</p>
