Chen, Y.; Li, W.; Zhou, S.; Chen, G.

Background: Orthotopic rat liver transplantation (OLT) is widely used in basic research; normal liver anatomy and structures are attributable to its success while its deformities complicate to have a negative on OLT. Methods: For tolerance induction project, we performed OLT from Lewis to Brown Norway (BN) rat as chronic rejection model and encountered two anatomical deformities of recipient rats: of 47 liver transplantations, accessory liver lobe occurred to 4 cases and bifurcations of liver outflow to 5 cases in BN rats. Results: For the accessory liver lobe, we discontinued OLT for one case with a big accessory liver lobe; two rats died from pneumothorax upon separation; and succeed in one case with the small lobe. For two vein outflows of the liver, we succeeded in OLT due to its reconstruction in one case but the recipient died one week later, and succeeded in 1 case after one small orifice was sutured, we failed in 3 cases due to thrombosis following OLT. For 38 rats with normal livers, only 4 rats failed to survive LT. There were significant differences in OLT success (p<0.01) Conclusion: Liver abnormal anatomy has negative impact on OLT, giving a clue to that pre-transplant comprehensive screening is significant and beneficial clinically.