Uncommon presentation of a recurrent diaphragmatic hernia after pediatric liver transplantation

Acquired diaphragmatic hernia after hepatectomy and liver transplantation in adults and children: A case series and literature review

Backgrounds/Aims

Acquired diaphragmatic hernia is a rare complication following liver surgery in adult and pediatric patients. This study aims to describe main features occurring in adult and pediatric patients after liver surgery and report an up-date review of the literature.

Methods

All adult and pediatric patients who were diagnosed with postoperative acquired diaphragmatic hernia in Lyon and Marseille University Hospitals were included in this study. Diagnosis, clinical, radiologic, and therapeutic data were analysed retrospectively from medical papers and/or electronic records.

Results

Thirteen adults with a median age of 50 years (range, 30–67 years) and 5 children aged 2.4 years (range, 0.9–4 years) were diagnosed with acquired diaphragmatic hernia after a median time of 65.1 (range, 1.8–244.7) and 2 (range, 0.33–10.9) months, respectively, following surgeries (5 live-donor right hepatectomies, 5 right and 1 left hepatectomies for tumors and cysts, and 2 whole liver transplantations in adults; and 5 liver transplantations with left lateral section in children). Eleven patients presented digestive and/or thoracic symptoms whereas seven were asymptomatic and diagnosed by routine imaging follow-up. All patients were re-operated with a median delay of 2.4 months (range, 0–25.3 months) for adults and 1 day (range, 0–2 days) for children. Two recurrences resulted in a secondary surgical repair.

Conclusions

Acquired diaphragmatic hernia is a rare and potentially serious event after liver surgery. Recognition and surgical repair of this particular complication should be considered in the setting of unexplained abdominal and/or thoracic symptoms. Preventive measures should be taken intraoperatively.

3D-reconstruction and heterotopic implantation of reduced size monosegment or left lateral segment grafts in small infants: A new technique in pediatric living donor liver transplantation to overcome large-for-size syndrome

BACKGROUND

Monosegmental grafts and reduced left lateral segment grafts have been introduced to overcome the problems of large-for-size grafts in pediatric living donor liver transplantation. Here, we introduce a new method of reduced size monosegment or left lateral segment grafts transplanted in the right diaphragmatic fossa heterotopically in small infants.

METHODS

There were 4 infants who underwent living donor liver transplantation with heterotopically implanted reduced monosegmental or left lateral segment grafts at our center. The demographic, operative, postoperative, and follow-up data of these infants were collected from our prospectively designed database and reviewed. Technical details of the donor and recipient operation are shared and a supplemental provided.

RESULTS

The mean recipient age was 7.5 ± 0.9 months (range: 5-10 months), and body weight was 5.9 ± 0.7 kg (range: 4.6-7.8). Primary diagnoses of the recipients were biliary atresia (n:3) and progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis (n:1). Mean graft-recipient weight ratio was 3.3 ± 0.2. Reduced monosegment III grafts were used in 2 cases, and reduced left lateral segment grafts were used in the other 2 patients. Bile duct reconstruction was done by Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy in 3 patients and duct-to-duct anastomosis in the remaining patient. All patients recovered from the liver transplantation operation and are doing well at a mean follow-up of 8 months.

CONCLUSION

Living donor liver transplantation with heterotopically implanted reduced monosegmental or left lateral segment seems feasible for the treatment of neonates and extremely small infants. Further accumulation of cases and long-term follow-up are necessary to collect data for the establishment of this treatment modality.