Skip to main content

Anesthesia and Perioperative Intensive Care

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Textbook of Liver Transplantation
  • 1040 Accesses

Abstract

The perioperative management of the liver transplant recipient presents a formidable challenge. Severe liver disease affects all organ systems, and candidates today are older and have more co-morbidities than ever before. The increasing use of organs from marginal or non-heart-beating donors aggravates these factors in a procedure routinely marked by cardiovascular instability, life-threatening hemorrhage, and major electrolyte, acid–base, and hemostatic disturbances. This chapter outlines key concepts in liver pathophysiology, evaluation of perioperative risk, and multidisciplinary management of the transplant recipient in the perioperative period.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 69.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 89.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 119.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

ACLF:

Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure

BMI:

Body Mass Index

CNS:

Central Nervous System

CPET:

Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing

CPM:

Central Pontine Myelinolysis

CT:

Computed Tomography

EACA:

Epsilon Aminocaproic Acid

ECG:

Electrocardiogram

EF:

Ejection Fraction

ESLD:

End-stage Liver Disease

FEV1:

Forced Expiratory Volume (in 1 s)

FFP:

Fresh Frozen Plasma

FIO2:

Fraction Inspired Oxygen

FRC:

Functional Residual Capacity

HAS:

Human Albumin Solution

HPS:

Hepatopulmonary Syndrome

ICP:

Intracranial Pressure

ICT:

Intracardiac Thrombosis

ICU:

Intensive Care Unit

IHD:

Ischemic Heart Disease

MELD:

Model for End-stage Liver Disease

MRI:

Magnetic Resonance Imaging

NASH:

Non-alcoholic Steatohepatitis

NIPPV:

Non-Invasive Positive Pressure Ventilation

PA:

Pulmonary Artery

PAP:

Pulmonary Artery Pressure

PEEP:

Positive End-expiratory Pressure

PNF:

Primary Non-function

POPH:

Portopulmonary Hypertension

PT:

Prothrombin Time

PTE:

Pulmonary Thromboembolism

PVR:

Pulmonary Vascular Resistance

QTc:

Corrected QT-interval

RAAS:

Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System

ROTEM®:

Rotational Thromboelastometry (device)

RV:

Right Ventricle

SIRS:

Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome

SNS:

Sympathetic Nervous System

TEE:

Transesophageal Echocardiography

TEG®:

Thromboelastograph (device)

THAM :

Tris-buffer

UNOS:

United Network for Organ Sharing

VVBP:

Venovenous Bypass

vWF:

Von Willebrand Factor

References

  1. Tovikkai C, Charman SC, Praseedom RK, Gimson AE, van der Meulen J. Time-varying impact of comorbidities on mortality after liver transplantation: a national cohort study using linked clinical and administrative data. BMJ Open. 2015;5(5):e006971.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  2. Mousa OY, Nguyen JH, Ma Y, Rawal B, Musto KR, Dougherty MK, et al. Evolving role of liver transplantation in elderly recipients. Liver Transplant Off Publ Am Assoc Study Liver Dis Int Liver Transplant Soc. 2019;25(9):1363–74.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Tripodi A, Mannucci PM. The coagulopathy of chronic liver disease. N Engl J Med. 2011;365(2):147–56.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Leise M, Cárdenas A. Hyponatremia in cirrhosis: implications for liver transplantation. Liver Transplant Off Publ Am Assoc Study Liver Dis Int Liver Transplant Soc. 2018;24(11):1612–21.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Moller S, Henriksen JH. Cardiovascular complications of cirrhosis. Gut. 2008;57(2):268–78.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. McAvoy NC, Semple S, Richards JMJ, Robson AJ, Patel D, Jardine AGM, et al. Differential visceral blood flow in the hyperdynamic circulation of patients with liver cirrhosis. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2016;43(9):947–54.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Izzy M, VanWagner LB, Lin G, Altieri M, Findlay JY, Oh JK, et al. Redefining cirrhotic cardiomyopathy for the modern era. Hepatology. 2020;71(1):334–45.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Konerman MA, Fritze D, Weinberg RL, Sonnenday CJ, Sharma P. Incidence of and risk assessment for adverse cardiovascular outcomes after liver transplantation: a systematic review. Transplantation. 2017;101(7):1645–57.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  9. Josefsson A, Fu M, Allayhari P, Björnsson E, Castedal M, Olausson M, et al. Impact of peri-transplant heart failure & left-ventricular diastolic dysfunction on outcomes following liver transplantation. Liver Int Off J Int Assoc Study Liver. 2012;32(8):1262–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Kwon H-M, Moon Y-J, Jung K-W, Park Y-S, Kim K-S, Jun I-G, et al. Appraisal of cardiac ejection fraction with liver disease severity: implication in post-liver transplantation mortality. Hepatology. 2019.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Raval Z, Harinstein ME, Skaro AI, Erdogan A, DeWolf AM, Shah SJ, et al. Cardiovascular risk assessment of the liver transplant candidate. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2011;58(3):223–31.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. VanWagner LB, Harinstein ME, Runo JR, Darling C, Serper M, Hall S, et al. Multidisciplinary approach to cardiac and pulmonary vascular disease risk assessment in liver transplantation: an evaluation of the evidence and consensus recommendations. Am J Transplant Off J Am Soc Transplant Am Soc Transpl Surg. 2018;18(1):30–42.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Lentine KL, Costa SP, Weir MR, Robb JF, Fleisher LA, Kasiske BL, et al. Cardiac disease evaluation and management among kidney and liver transplantation candidates: a scientific statement from the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology Foundation. Circulation. 2012;126(5):617–63.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Fleisher LA, Fleischmann KE, Auerbach AD, Barnason SA, Beckman JA, Bozkurt B, et al. 2014 ACC/AHA guideline on perioperative cardiovascular evaluation and management of patients undergoing noncardiac surgery: executive summary: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on practice guidelines. Developed in collaboration with the American College of Surgeons, American Society of Anesthesiologists, American Society of Echocardiography, American Society of Nuclear Cardiology, Heart Rhythm Society, Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions, Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists, and Society of Vascular Medicine Endorsed by the Society of Hospital Medicine. J Nucl Cardiol Off Publ Am Soc Nucl Cardiol. 2015;22(1):162–215.

    Google Scholar 

  15. McFalls EO, Ward HB, Moritz TE, Goldman S, Krupski WC, Littooy F, et al. Coronary-artery revascularization before elective major vascular surgery. N Engl J Med. 2004;351(27):2795–804.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Shaw LJ, Berman DS, Maron DJ, Mancini GBJ, Hayes SW, Hartigan PM, et al. Optimal medical therapy with or without percutaneous coronary intervention to reduce ischemic burden: results from the Clinical Outcomes Utilizing Revascularization and Aggressive Drug Evaluation (COURAGE) trial nuclear substudy. Circulation. 2008;117(10):1283–91.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Sedlis SP, Hartigan PM, Teo KK, Maron DJ, Spertus JA, Mancini GBJ, et al. Effect of PCI on Long-term survival in patients with stable ischemic heart disease. N Engl J Med. 2015;373(20):1937–46.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  18. Wray C, Scovotti JC, Tobis J, Niemann CU, Planinsic R, Walia A, et al. Liver transplantation outcome in patients with angiographically proven coronary artery disease: a multi-institutional study. Am J Transplant Off J Am Soc Transplant Am Soc Transpl Surg. 2013;13(1):184–91.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Romero-Cristóbal M, Mombiela T, Caballero A, Clemente A, Fernández-Yunquera A, Diaz-Fontenla F, et al. Clinical Utility of a risk-adapted protocol for the evaluation of coronary artery disease in liver transplant recipients. Liver Transplant Off Publ Am Assoc Study Liver Dis Int Liver Transplant Soc. 2019;25(8):1177–86.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Snipelisky DF, McRee C, Seeger K, Levy M, Shapiro BP. Coronary interventions before liver transplantation might not avert postoperative cardiovascular events. Tex Heart Inst J. 2015;42(5):438–42.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  21. Bhutani S, Tobis J, Gevorgyan R, Sinha A, Suh W, Honda HM, et al. Accuracy of stress myocardial perfusion imaging to diagnose coronary artery disease in end stage liver disease patients. Am J Cardiol. 2013;111(7):1057–61.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Baibhav B, Mahabir CA, Xie F, Shostrom VK, McCashland TM, Porter TR. Predictive value of Dobutamine stress perfusion echocardiography in contemporary end-stage liver disease. J Am Heart Assoc. 2017;6(2)

    Google Scholar 

  23. Nagel E, Greenwood JP, McCann GP, Bettencourt N, Shah AM, Hussain ST, et al. Magnetic resonance perfusion or fractional flow reserve in coronary disease. N Engl J Med. 2019;380(25):2418–28.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Kong Y-G, Kang J-W, Kim Y-K, Seo H, Lim T-H, Hwang S, et al. Preoperative coronary calcium score is predictive of early postoperative cardiovascular complications in liver transplant recipients. Br J Anaesth. 2015;114(3):437–43.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Sheth T, Chan M, Butler C, Chow B, Tandon V, Nagele P, et al. Prognostic capabilities of coronary computed tomographic angiography before non-cardiac surgery: prospective cohort study. BMJ. 2015;350:h1907.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  26. Samarendra P, Mangione MP. Aortic stenosis and perioperative risk with noncardiac surgery. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2015;65(3):295–302.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Tirado-Conte G, Rodés-Cabau J, Rodríguez-Olivares R, Barbanti M, Lhermusier T, Amat-Santos I, et al. Clinical outcomes and prognosis markers of patients with liver disease undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement: a propensity score-matched analysis. Circ Cardiovasc Interv. 2018;11(3):e005727.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Strange G, Stewart S, Celermajer D, Prior D, Scalia GM, Marwick T, et al. Poor long-term survival in patients with moderate aortic stenosis. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2019.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Bernal W, Martin-Mateos R, Lipcsey M, Tallis C, Woodsford K, McPhail MJ, et al. Aerobic capacity during cardiopulmonary exercise testing and survival with and without liver transplantation for patients with chronic liver disease. Liver Transplant Off Publ Am Assoc Study Liver Dis Int Liver Transplant Soc. 2014;20(1):54–62.

    Google Scholar 

  30. Krowka MJ, Wiesner RH, Heimbach JK. Pulmonary contraindications, indications and MELD exceptions for liver transplantation: a contemporary view and look forward. J Hepatol. 2013;59(2):367–74.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Nayyar D, Man HSJ, Granton J, Lilly LB, Gupta S. Proposed management algorithm for severe hypoxemia after liver transplantation in the hepatopulmonary syndrome. Am J Transplant Off J Am Soc Transplant Am Soc Transpl Surg. 2015;15(4):903–13.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Rybak D, Fallon MB, Krowka MJ, Brown RS, Reinen J, Stadheim L, et al. Risk factors and impact of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in candidates for liver transplantation. Liver Transplant Off Publ Am Assoc Study Liver Dis Int Liver Transplant Soc. 2008;14(9):1357–65.

    Google Scholar 

  33. Celli BR, Cote CG, Marin JM, Casanova C, Montes de Oca M, Mendez RA, et al. The body-mass index, airflow obstruction, dyspnea, and exercise capacity index in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. N Engl J Med 2004;350(10):1005–1012.

    Google Scholar 

  34. Fleetwood VA, Hertl M, Chan EY. Liver transplantation to the active smoker: transplant provider opinions and how they have changed: transplantation in smokers: a survey. J Gastrointest Surg Off J Soc Surg Aliment Tract. 2015;19(12):2223–7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Leithead JA, Ferguson JW, Hayes PC. Smoking-related morbidity and mortality following liver transplantation. Liver Transplant Off Publ Am Assoc Study Liver Dis Int Liver Transplant Soc. 2008;14(8):1159–64.

    Google Scholar 

  36. Duerinckx N, Burkhalter H, Engberg SJ, Kirsch M, Klem M-L, Sereika SM, et al. Correlates and outcomes of posttransplant smoking in solid organ transplant recipients: a systematic literature review and meta-analysis. Transplantation. 2016;100(11):2252–63.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Lai JC. Defining the threshold for too sick for transplant. Curr Opin Organ Transplant. 2016;21(2):127–32.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  38. Williams FR, Berzigotti A, Lord JM, Lai JC, Armstrong MJ. Review article: impact of exercise on physical frailty in patients with chronic liver disease. Aliment Pharmacol Ther; 2019.

    Google Scholar 

  39. Spengler EK, O’Leary JG, Te HS, Rogal S, Pillai AA, Al-Osaimi A, et al. Liver transplantation in the obese cirrhotic patient. Transplantation. 2017;101(10):2288–96.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  40. Northup PG, Intagliata NM, Davis JPE, Argo CK, Pelletier SJ. Macrosteatotic allografts and obese recipients have nearly equal negative impact on liver transplant survival. Transplantation; 2019.

    Google Scholar 

  41. Diwan TS, Rice TC, Heimbach JK, Schauer DP. Liver transplantation and bariatric surgery: timing and outcomes. Liver Transplant Off Publ Am Assoc Study Liver Dis Int Liver Transplant Soc. 2018;24(9):1280–7.

    Google Scholar 

  42. Molinari M, Ayloo S, Tsung A, Jorgensen D, Tevar A, Rahman SH, et al. Prediction of perioperative mortality of cadaveric liver transplant recipients during their evaluations. Transplantation. 2019;103(10):e297–307.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Karvellas CJ, Lescot T, Goldberg P, Sharpe MD, Ronco JJ, Renner EL, et al. Liver transplantation in the critically ill: a multicenter Canadian retrospective cohort study. Crit Care. 2013;17(1):R28.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  44. Karvellas CJ, Garcia-Lopez E, Fernandez J, Saliba F, Sy E, Jalan R, et al. Dynamic prognostication in critically Ill cirrhotic patients with multiorgan failure in ICUs in Europe and North America: a multicenter analysis. Crit Care Med. 2018;46(11):1783–91.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. MacDonald AJ, Karvellas CJ. Emerging role of extracorporeal support in acute and acute-on-chronic liver failure: recent developments. Semin Respir Crit Care Med. 2018;39(5):625–34.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  46. Rajajee V, Williamson CA, Fontana RJ, Courey AJ, Patil PG. Noninvasive intracranial pressure assessment in acute liver failure. Neurocrit Care. 2018;29(2):280–90.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  47. Bernal W, Wendon J. Acute liver failure. N Engl J Med. 2013;369(26):2525–34.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  48. Steadman RH, Van Rensburg A, Kramer DJ. Transplantation for acute liver failure: perioperative management. Curr Opin Organ Transplant. 2010;15(3):368–73.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  49. Bezinover D, Dirkmann D, Findlay J, Guta C, Hartmann M, Nicolau-Raducu R, et al. Perioperative coagulation management in liver transplant recipients. Transplantation. 2018;102(4):578–92.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  50. McCluskey SA, Karkouti K, Wijeysundera DN, Kakizawa K, Ghannam M, Hamdy A, et al. Derivation of a risk index for the prediction of massive blood transfusion in liver transplantation. Liver Transplant Off Publ Am Assoc Study Liver Dis Int Liver Transplant Soc. 2006;12(11):1584–93.

    Google Scholar 

  51. Soong W, Sherwani SS, Ault ML, Baudo AM, Herborn JC, De Wolf AM. United States practice patterns in the use of transesophageal echocardiography during adult liver transplantation. J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth. 2014;28(3):635–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  52. Lu SY, Matsusaki T, Abuelkasem E, Sturdevant ML, Humar A, Hilmi IA, et al. Complications related to invasive hemodynamic monitors during adult liver transplantation. Clin Transplant. 2013;27(6):823–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  53. Verbeek TA, Stine JG, Saner FH, Bezinover D. Hypercoagulability in end-stage liver disease: review of epidemiology, etiology, and management. Transplant Direct. 2018;4(11):e403.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  54. Chow JH, Lee K, Abuelkasem E, Udekwu OR, Tanaka KA. Coagulation management during liver transplantation: use of fibrinogen concentrate, recombinant activated factor VII, prothrombin complex concentrate, and antifibrinolytics. Semin Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth. 2018;22(2):164–73.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  55. Kiszka-Kanowitz M, Henriksen JH, Møller S, Bendtsen F. Blood volume distribution in patients with cirrhosis: aspects of the dual-head gamma-camera technique. J Hepatol. 2001;35(5):605–12.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  56. Møller S, Bendtsen F, Henriksen JH. Effect of volume expansion on systemic hemodynamics and central and arterial blood volume in cirrhosis. Gastroenterology. 1995;109(6):1917–25.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  57. Carrier FM, Chassé M, Wang HT, Aslanian P, Iorio S, Bilodeau M, et al. Restrictive fluid management strategies and outcomes in liver transplantation: a systematic review. Can J Anaesth J Can Anesth; 2019.

    Google Scholar 

  58. Villanueva C, Colomo A, Bosch A, Concepción M, Hernandez-Gea V, Aracil C, et al. Transfusion strategies for acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding. N Engl J Med. 2013;368(1):11–21.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  59. Odutayo A, Desborough MJR, Trivella M, Stanley AJ, Dorée C, Collins GS, et al. Restrictive versus liberal blood transfusion for gastrointestinal bleeding: a systematic review and meta-analysis of andomised controlled trials. Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2017;2(5):354–60.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  60. Caraceni P, Riggio O, Angeli P, Alessandria C, Neri S, Foschi FG, et al. Long-term albumin administration in decompensated cirrhosis (ANSWER): an open-label randomised trial. Lancet Lond Engl. 2018;391(10138):2417–29.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  61. Hartmann M, Walde C, Dirkmann D, Saner FH. Safety of coagulation factor concentrates guided by ROTEM™-analyses in liver transplantation: results from 372 procedures. BMC Anesthesiol. 2019;19(1):97.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  62. Fukazawa K, Pretto EA, Nishida S, Reyes JD, Gologorsky E. Factors associated with mortality within 24 h of liver transplantation: an updated analysis of 65,308 adult liver transplant recipients between 2002 and 2013. J Clin Anesth. 2018;44:35–40.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  63. Dalia AA, Khan H, Flores AS. Intraoperative diagnosis of intracardiac thrombus during orthotopic liver transplantation with transesophageal echocardiography: a case series and literature review. Semin Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth. 2017;21(3):245–51.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  64. Morard I, Gasche Y, Kneteman M, Toso C, Mentha A, Meeberg G, et al. Identifying risk factors for central pontine and extrapontine myelinolysis after liver transplantation: a case-control study. Neurocrit Care. 2014;20(2):287–95.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  65. Lenk MR, Kaspar M. Sodium-reduced continuous venovenous hemodiafiltration (CVVHDF) for the prevention of central pontine myelinolysis (CPM) in hyponatremic patients scheduled for orthotopic liver transplantation. J Clin Anesth. 2012;24(5):407–11.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  66. De Wolf A, Frenette L, Kang Y, Tang C. Insulin decreases the serum potassium concentration during the anhepatic stage of liver transplantation. Anesthesiology. 1993;78(4):677–82.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  67. Mandell MS, Stoner TJ, Barnett R, Shaked A, Bellamy M, Biancofiore G, et al. A multicenter evaluation of safety of early extubation in liver transplant recipients. Liver Transplant Off Publ Am Assoc Study Liver Dis Int Liver Transplant Soc. 2007;13(11):1557–63.

    Google Scholar 

  68. Saner FH, Pavlakovic G, Gu Y, Gensicke J, Paul A, Radtke A, et al. Effects of positive end-expiratory pressure on systemic haemodynamics, with special interest to central venous and common iliac venous pressure in liver transplanted patients. Eur J Anaesthesiol. 2006;23(9):766–71.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The author gratefully acknowledges the following colleagues for their important contributions to earlier published work, which have helped shape this manuscript: Andrew Butler FRCS, Andre De Wolf MD, James Findlay MD, and Andrea De Gasperi MD.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2022 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Klinck, J.R. (2022). Anesthesia and Perioperative Intensive Care. In: Burra, P. (eds) Textbook of Liver Transplantation. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-82930-8_15

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-82930-8_15

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-82929-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-82930-8

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics