Use of absorbable mesh in the treatment of parenchymal liver injuries during orthotopic liver transplantation

Objective To find out whether packing or wrapping with polyglactin 910 mesh was more effective in stopping bleeding in livers that had been damaged during transplantation. Design: Retrospective study. Setting: University hospital, Austria. Subjects and interventions: 15 of 27 livers that had been damaged during transplantation bled sufficiently to warrant either packing (n = 6) or wrapping (n = 9). Main outcome measures: Arrest of bleeding; other complications. Results: Both packing and wrapping succeeded in stopping the bleeding, and neither caused infections. Packing may theoretically cause an increase in intra-abdominal pressure and impair organ function. Conclusion: It is preferable to wrap rather than pack a bleeding liver that has been damaged during transplantation.