Variation of Normal Portal Venous Doppler Indices in Post-Operative Period Following Living Donor Liver Transplant

Objective: To investigate the variations in normal Doppler indices of the portal vein during the post-operative period following living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). Methodology: This retrospective cohort study was carried out at Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute and Research Centre from July 1 to December 31 2021. It included all adult patients over 16 years of age who underwent Living Donor Liver Transplant (LDLT). Triplex Doppler ultrasound of LDLT recipients was performed intraoperatively and postoperatively for 5 consecutive days. Subsequent scans were performed at 2 weeks, 4 months, and 6 months after the transplant. Portal vein velocities were taken at the extrahepatic part, anastomosis, and intrahepatic part. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 20. Results: The study involved 91 patients, with ages ranging from 17 to 73 years and a mean age of 44.9 years. Among the recipients, 79% were male and 21% were female. The portal venous velocities varied between 31 cm/s and 357 cm/s. All patients had antegrade portal venous flow. The portal venous velocities normalized within 4-6 months following LDLT. Conclusion: A wide range of portal venous velocities can be encountered following LDLT without clinically significant outcome and these usually normalize within 4-6 months following LDLT.