Age-related impact on liver regeneration in older donors after living-donor right hepatectomy: a propensity score-matched cohort study
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Purpose: Given the widening of the donor pool to include patients with steatosis, small-for-size grafts, and older patients, this study examined the effect of age on liver volumetric regeneration after a donor right hepatectomy. Methods: We enrolled 33 older (≥55 years) and 277 younger (<30 years) donors who underwent donor right hepatectomy between March 2012 and December 2022. After propensity score-matched analysis, the perioperative surgical outcomes and growth rates of the remnant liver in 63 younger and 32 older donors were compared. Liver regeneration was assessed using CT volumetry for up to 6 months after surgery. Poor liver regeneration was defined as restoration of less than 80% of the original liver volume. The risk factors for poor liver regeneration were analyzed using a binary logistic regression model. Results: 95.8, P = 0.006, compared to total liver volume). A large total liver volume and older age were identified as risk factors for poor liver regeneration. Conclusion: Older donors showed a reduced capacity for liver regeneration. This finding suggests the need for the development of more conservative criteria for residual liver volume in older donors than for younger donors to ensure donor safety.
Institutions: Yonsei University, Yonsei University Health System
Language: English
Subfield: Surgery
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4412555198