Early and late complications in the right-lobe adult living donor

Abstract

Key Points. 1 Reported complication rates for right-lobe liver donors vary widely, but are estimated to be approximately 35%, with a surgical mortality rate of approximately 0.3%. 2 Biliary complications, including leak, biloma, or stricture, are the most commonly reported morbidity in rightlobe living donors. 3 Other significant donor morbidity includes portal vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolus, bowel obstruction, bleeding requiring reoperation or transfusion, and incisional. hernia. 4 These data underscore the reality that living donation is associated with a small, but real, possibility of death and potentially significant morbidity, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive database to precisely define true living donor morbidity and mortality.