Microdialysis: Opportunities and Prospects in Liver Transplantation (Review)

The assessment of donor organ quality and the initial graft function is of crucial importance, especially in liver transplantation. Recent studies have shown the feasibility of microdialysis to monitor energy metabolism in renal and liver grafts. This method is powerful and suitable to study chemical composition of interstitial fluid. It is possible to identify organ-related changes that occur early and are not reflected by changes in plasma. Currently, microdialysis is primarily applied in neurology and neurosurgery to assess the volume and severity of the brain tissue injury. The use of the technique to study the mechanisms of ischemia-reperfusion graft injury and the processes of early allograft dysfunction is a promising research trend. The review presents the findings of both experimental and clinical trials, and discusses the advisability and prospects of microdialysis monitoring in liver transplantation.