Liver Procurement: The Donor Hepatectomy

Liver procurement is a complex surgical procedure requiring a detailed knowledge of technique, anatomy as well as anatomical variants. A thorough assessment of both the recipient and donor is necessary to optimize graft procurement, prevent complications and the possible loss of a life-saving organ. Standard liver procurement involves warm dissection of the pertinent structures followed by a rapid cold perfusion phase and subsequent evisceration. The surgical technique, as well as common pitfalls and special scenarios are discussed in this chapter with the aim of providing the reader with a comprehensive understanding of liver procurement.

Keywords: Cold Dissection, Donor Liver Procurement, Hepatic Artery Variant Anatomy, Preservation Techniques, Warm Dissection.