Is Duct to Duct biliary Anastomosis the Rule in Orthotopic Liver Transplantation?

Biliary complications after Liver Transplantation continue to be the major cause of morbidity in 11–25 % of patients. Biliary complications in patients who underwent orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) at our institute between March 2007 and June 2010 were analyzed retrospectively. 32 patients underwent Deceased Donor Liver Transplantation (DDLT) and in 12 patients Living Donor Liver Transplantation (LDLT) was done. No patients were lost to follow up. Follow up ranged between 4 and 44 months. During the study period, 44 patients underwent orthotopic liver transplantation. Patients were divided into two groups: Biliary Complications group (BC) n = 5 and Non Biliary Complications group (NBC) n = 39. Biliary complications occurred in 15.9 % of patients. Bile leaks accounted for majority of biliary complications. Fifteen variables were analyzed as possible risk factors for biliary complications. Of these, split grafts, duct to duct biliary anastomosis and total blood loss were statistically significant ( P