Background/aims: We investigated the influence of intraoperative homologous blood transfusion on prognosis after liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma.
Methodology: Between February 1999 and December 2006, 153 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma underwent living donor liver transplantation at our center. Recurrence-free and overall survival was compared between patients with blood transfusion and those without transfusion in red blood cells, fresh frozen plasma, or platelet concentrate.
Results: Recurrence-free survival was significantly higher in the platelet concentrate transfused group than in the group without platelet concentrate transfusion (P=0.003), although there were no significant differences between the three transfused groups and the non-transfused groups in overall survival. The platelet concentrate transfused group had more patients within the preoperative Milan criteria (P=0.014) and more patients with Child-Pugh C classification (P<0.001).
Conclusions: Recurrence-free survival after liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma was significantly higher in the platelet concentrate transfused group than the group without platelet concentrate transfusion.