Extubation in the Operating Room After Living Donor Liver Transplantation

Long-term mechanical ventilation after liver transplantation may increase the risk of complications such as pneumonia, sepsis, and multi-organ failure. Recent advances in surgical techniques and the introduction of short-acting anesthetics have accelerated the recovery of liver transplant recipients, and early extubation after liver transplantation is being proposed as a standard method. The results of a study on early extubation in patients undergoing liver transplantation suggested a reduction in the length of stay in the neutralizer room and predictors of early extubation. However, these studies are limited to males, and there is no study in which the definition of early extubation includes extubation in the operating room or extubation in the operating room within 1-3 hours of arrival in the intensive care unit.

Inclusion criteria

• Adult patients 18 years of age or older who underwent living-donor liver transplantation for end-stage liver failure

Exclusion criteria

• A score of 26 or higher on the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) scale
• In case of endotracheal intubation when entering the operating room
• If hepatic encephalopathy is stage 3 or higher at the time of admission to the operating room
• When the arterial blood partial pressure (PaO2)/inhaled oxygen fraction (FiO2) ratio is less than 200 on the Arterial Blood Gas Analysis (ABGA) before the end of the living liver transplantation operation
• Preoperative chest X-ray examination or chest computed tomography shows pulmonary edema
• If patients is diagnosed with hepatopulmonary syndrome before surgery