BACKGROUND: Surgical factors and direct cytotoxicity of bile salts on cholangiocytes may play a role in the development of ischemic cholangiopathy (IC) after liver transplantation (LTx). There is no validated consensus on how to protect the bile ducts during procurement, static preservation, and LTx. Meanwhile, IC remains the most troublesome complication after LTx. AIM: To characterize bile duct management techniques during the LTx process among European transplant centers in cases of donation after brain death (DBD) and circulatory death (DCD). METHOD: An European Liver and Intestine Transplant Association-European Liver Transplant Registry web survey designed to conceal respondents' personal information was sent to surgeons procuring and/or transplanting livers in Europe. RESULTS: Sixty-five percent of responses came from large transplant centers (>50 procurements/y). In 8% of DBDs and 14% of DCDs the bile duct is not rinsed. In 46% of DBDs and 52% of DCDs surgeons prefer to remove the gallbladder after graft reperfusion. Protocols concerning preservation solutions (nature, pressure, volume) are extremely heterogeneous. In 54% of DBDs and 61% of DCDs an arterial back table pressure perfusion is performed. Steroids (20%-10%), heparin (72%-60%), prostacyclin (3%-7%), and fibrinolytics (4%-11%) are used as donor-protective interventions in DBD and DCD cases, respectively. In 2% of DBD and 6% of DCD cases a hepatic artery reperfusion is performed first. In 4% of DBD and 6% of DCD cases, fibrinolytics are administered through the hepatic artery during the bench and/or implantation. CONCLUSION: This European web survey shows for the first time the heterogeneity in the management of bile ducts during procurement, preservation, and transplantation in Europe. In the context of sharing more marginal liver grafts, an expert meeting must be organized to formulate guidelines to be applied to protect liver grafts against IC.

• MeSH
• cholangitida etiologie   MeSH
• ischemie etiologie   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• odběr tkání a orgánů škodlivé účinky   metody   MeSH
• perfuze škodlivé účinky   metody   MeSH
• pooperační komplikace etiologie   MeSH
• přežívání štěpu MeSH
• průzkumy a dotazníky MeSH
• reperfuze škodlivé účinky   metody   MeSH
• transplantace jater škodlivé účinky   MeSH
• uchovávání orgánů škodlivé účinky   metody   MeSH
• žlučové cesty krevní zásobení   transplantace   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Evropa MeSH