Abstract
With an incidence exceeding 30%, biliary complications after pediatric liver transplantation remain a great challenge. In addition, the database includes numerous controversial papers about the safety of duct-to-duct anastomosis compared to Reux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy for pediatric living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). We aim to compare the two techniques in pediatric LDLT by conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis. PUBMED, Web of Science, Scopus, and Cochrane Library were searched for eligible studies from 1989 to October 2022. According to our eligibility criteria, seven articles (561 pediatric LDLT) were included in our study. On one hand, DD anastomosis is associated with a higher rate of biliary stricture in comparison to RYHJ (OR: 2.47, 95% CI = 1.20-5.09, P = 0.01; I2 = 12%). On the other hand, the incidence of cholangitis was higher in RYHJ (OR: 0.10 95% CI = 0.01- 0.84, P = 0.03; I2 = 0%). However, there was no significant difference in the overall incidence of complications, leakage and mortality between the two groups (overall incidence of complication OR: 1.12, 95% CI = 0.34-3.68, P = 0.86; I2 = 62%), (Leakage OR: 2.22, 95% CI = 0.79-6.23, P = 0.13; I2 = 18%) and (Mortality OR: 2.53, 95% CI = 0.61-10.57, P = 0.30; I2 = 0%). In conclusion, with a lower incidence of cholangitis, an equal overall incidence of biliary complication, and the possibility of RY conversion in case of stricture, DD anastomosis offers a feasible, safe, and more physiological alternative to RYHJ for pediatric LDLT.