Hypercoagulability in Liver Transplant Recipients: Does Portal Vein Thrombosis Predict Post-Operative Thrombotic Complications?

Background: Cirrhotic patients have higher rates of hypercoagulable disorders. We hypothesized that orthotopic liver transplant (OLT) recipients with pre-operative portal vein thrombosis (PVT) have more postoperative thrombotic events than those without PVT. Aims: To compare rates of post-op thrombotic events and outcomes between those with and without pre-op PVT. Methods: All OLT recipients between 1/02-4/09 were retrospectively reviewed. Outcome measures included survival, deep venous thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, hepatic artery thrombosis, and recurrent PVT. Minimum follow up was 6 months. Results: In 363 OLTs performed, mean recipient age was 53.1 yrs (±9.2); 268 patients were male. Mean MELD at transplant was 22.1 (±6.2). The prevalence of pre-op PVT was 11.2% (41/350). There was no difference in the % of post-op thrombotic events between those with and without PVT (p = 0.77). MELD, recipient and donor age, and gender were similar in both groups. Mean survival in those with pre-op PVT was 85.2 months vs. 78.7 in those without PVT (p = 0.19). Conclusions: The rate of post-op thrombotic events was equivalent in OLT recipients with and without pre-op PVT. The presence of PVT did not adversely impact patient survival and should not be a contraindication to OLT.