Advances in liver transplantation
Donation: Donor outcome
Change in Donor Quality of Life After Living Donor Liver Transplantation Surgery: A Single-Institution Experience

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.transproceed.2012.01.026Get rights and content

Abstract

Aim

Changes in quality of life (QOL) of donors after living donor liver transplantation surgery were studied using Short Form 36 (SF-36) to evaluate physical health and the Profile of Mood States (POMS) to evaluate mood.

Methods

Among the 28 donors who had undergone surgery at our hospital, 21 donors replied to our questionnaire (recovery rate: 75%). Changes in the QOL of donors were examined based on the results of pre- and postoperative SF-36 and POMS and a questionnaire survey.

Results

The donors included 12 men and nine women with a mean age of 43 years. One donor operation was complicated by biliary stenosis. The SF-36 results showed significant postoperative decline in physical function and increase in pain, but no other significant changes. The POMS results showed no significant differences, with the mean values for anxiety, depression, anger, vitality, and confusion all recovering postoperatively. The questionnaire results indicated that all subjects had recovered physical function, but 24% of subjects felt wound-related physical symptoms and 19% felt anxiety concerning their future health.

Conclusions

Some donors had symptoms that persisted for comparatively long periods postoperatively and considered that long-term outpatient observation was required. No significant psychological changes were found, but donors felt anxiety about their future health and considered that patient meetings would be useful and that adequate outpatient health guidance should be provided.

Section snippets

Methods

Among the 28 donors who had surgery at our hospital, 21 donors replied to our questionnaire (recovery rate: 75%). Changes in the QOL of donors were examined based on the results of pre- and postoperative (median 10 months after LDLT) SF-36 and POMS and a questionnaire survey.

Eight independent scales were evaluated using the SF-36: physical functioning (PF), physical role limitations, bodily pain (BP), social functioning, general health perceptions, vitality, emotional role limitations, and

Results

The donors studied consisted of 12 males and nine females with a mean age of 43 ± 12 years (median 43 years). Three of the donors (14%) were the recipient's parent, 9 (43%) were the recipient's child, 5 (24%) were the recipient's sibling, and 4 (19%) were the recipient's spouse. Fifteen of the donors (71%) underwent right hepatic lobectomy, 5 (24%) underwent left hepatic lobectomy, and 1 (5%) underwent right posterior hepatic lobectomy. One of the donors developed postoperative biliary

Discussion

LDLT has commonly been used to treat end-stage liver disease. The JLTS report shows that among 3218 LDLT cases until 2004, the recipient 1-year survival rate is 81%, 3-year survival rate is 78%, 5-year survival rate is 76%, and 10-year survival rate is 72%.1 The European Liver Transplant Registry reports a 5-year survival rate following cadaveric liver transplantation of 72%.3 The results of LDLT in Japan have therefore been comparable with the results of cadaveric liver transplantation

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