Biliary complications following liver transplantation: Single-center experience over three decades and recent risk factors

Abstract

AIM: To identify independent risk factors for biliary complications in a center with three decades of experience in liver transplantation. METHODS: A total of 1607 consecutive liver transplantations were analyzed in a retrospective study. Detailed subset analysis was performed in 417 patients, which have been transplanted since the introduction of Model of End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD)-based liver allocation. Risk factors for the onset of anastomotic biliary complications were identified with multivariable binary logistic regression analyses. The identified risk factors in regression analyses were compiled into a prognostic model. The applicability was evaluated with receiver operating characteristic curve analyses. Furthermore, Kaplan-Meier analyses with the log rank test were applied where appropriate. RESULTS: = 0.010; OR = 1.003; 95%CI: 1.001-1.006) were revealed as independent risk factors for biliary complications. The compilation of these identified risk factors into a prognostic model was shown to have good prognostic abilities in the investigated cohort with an area under the receiver operating curve of 0.702. CONCLUSION: The parallel occurrence of high recipient MELD and impaired donor kidney function should be avoided. Risk is especially increased when post-transplant hepatic artery thrombosis occurs.