What question did this study set out to answer?

This study aims to evaluate liver transplantation outcomes at Changwon Hanmaeum Hospital and trends over a 2.5-year period.

May 24, 2026Open Access

Evolving trends and outcomes in living and deceased donor liver transplantation: institutional experience from Changwon Hanmaeum Hospital (2023–2025)

DBDeny BudimanChangwon National University CCChong Woo ChuChangwon National University JOJongwook OhChangwon National University

Puntos clave

This study aims to evaluate liver transplantation outcomes at Changwon Hanmaeum Hospital and trends over a 2.5-year period.
Retrospective review of all liver transplantations performed from January 2023 to July 2025.
Analysis of demographic characteristics, MELD scores, surgical details, and postoperative complications.
Comparison of outcomes between living donor and deceased donor transplants, as well as early and recent cases.
Of 56 liver transplants, 29 were LDLT and 27 were DDLT procedures. Mean cold ischemic time was significantly higher in DDLT (282.2 minutes) than in LDLT (141.7 minutes).
Overall survival to discharge was 82.1% with improvement from 77.1% in 2023-2024 to 90.5% in 2025.

Resumen

Background: Liver transplantation (LT) is the definitive treatment for end-stage liver disease, acute liver failure, and selected cases of hepatocellular carcinoma. Despite global advances, institutional experience remains critical for optimizing outcomes. This study describes LT outcomes at Changwon Hanmaeum Hospital, South Korea, over a 2.5-year period. Methods: A retrospective review was conducted of all LTs performed between January 2023 and July 2025. Demographic characteristics, primary diagnoses, model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) scores, Child-Turcotte-Pugh classifications, ischemic times, graft types, surgical details, postoperative complications, and survival outcomes were analyzed. Outcomes were compared between living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) and deceased donor liver transplantation (DDLT), and between early (2023-2024) and recent (2025) cases. Results: A total of 56 LTs were performed, including 29 LDLT and 27 DDLT procedures. The mean recipient age was 45 years in the LDLT group and 52 years in the DDLT group. Alcoholic cirrhosis (39.3%) and hepatitis B-related cirrhosis (26.8%) were the most common indications. MELD scores were higher in DDLT recipients than in LDLT recipients. Mean cold ischemic time was 141.7 minutes in LDLT and 282.2 minutes in DDLT. Laparoscopic donor hepatectomy was attempted in 17 donors (58.6%), with eight conversions (27.6%) to open surgery. Infectious complications predominated, particularly bacterial pneumonia (8.9%). Overall, 46 patients (82.1%) survived to discharge, with improved outcomes observed in 2025 compared with 2023-2024 (90.5% vs. 77.1%). Recipient operative time decreased from 429 to 360 minutes over the study period. Conclusions: LT outcomes improved progressively over the study period, likely reflecting accumulated surgical expertise, adoption of laparoscopic donor techniques, and optimization of perioperative management. Continued training, multidisciplinary collaboration, and systematic program evaluation remain essential for sustainable program development.

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