The Evaluation of Donor Selection Criteria in Living Donor Liver Transplantation

Liver transplantation is regarded as the gold standard in the treatment of various liver diseases and end-stage liver failure. Due to the limited availability of deceased donor organs in our country, living donor liver transplantation serves as a feasible alternative to meet the existing demand. In efforts to increase the number of living donor transplants, clinicians must prioritize donor safety as the foremost concern. In this study, the data of 285 individuals evaluated as potential living liver donors at the Ataturk University Organ Transplantation Center between 2012 and 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. Medical records were reviewed for demographic information, Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging findings, hepatitis results, and genetic mutation test outcomes. Among the dependent variables analyzed as reasons for donor rejection, the majority (71.93%) were attributed to vascular issues and volume-related problems. The rate of candidates who voluntarily withdrew from donation was found to be 12.98%. A moderate positive correlation (r = 0.626) was observed between biliary tract variations and arterial classifications on CT. A statistically significant association was found between steatosis patterns on CT and donor rejection (p < 0.05). Additionally, a significant relationship was detected between residual liver volume assessed by CT and donor rejection (p < 0.05). The process of donor selection and evaluation necessitates consideration of multiple factors, including the donor’s overall health status, liver anatomy, liver function, genetic background, and several other variables.