GEISTER as a partner for transplant surgeons offers instrument sets for heart transplant as well as for liver and kidney transplant surgery. 

In the case of an orthopotic  transplantion, such as for the liver, the new organ is implanted at the exact same point into the body as the previously collected old one. This  sophisticated approach is necessary because the proper  vascular supply of the liver with its three receptacles (inferior vena cava, portal vein, hepatic artery)  and the bile duct can only be ensured only at this point in the body.

With a major cut across the abdomen, the blood vessels , that are connected directly to the liver, will be exposed. For this purpose either our open Multirakt™ retractor system or our closed -ring-style Buchmeister™ retractor system can be be used. With a portocaval shunt the blood will be diverted into the inferior vena cava. Thereafter, the hepatic artery, the bile duct and finally the hepatic vein will be cut, and the liver removed. It important to securely clamp the vessels with one of our specially adapted strong liver transplant clamps. 

During the withdrawal, the donor liver will already be prepared. After inserting the new organ the superior vena cava of the donor liver will be connected with the recipient's vena cava, and then the portal vein will be reconstructed. Once the portal vein is reopened, the blood flows through the open leg of the lnferior vena cava of the donor liver into the abdomen (to remove the preservation solution). Then the inferior vena cava will be closed and and anastomosis is being performed between hepatic artery of the donor liver and the gastroduodenalis artery. Finally the bile duct is being reconstructed.