Which of the following statements about hepatic artery thrombosis following liver transplantation is/are correct?

A. Thrombosis of the hepatic artery following liver transplantation is more common in children than in adult patients

C. Thrombosis of the hepatic artery in the early days following transplantation is a serious complication leading to death unless retransplantation can be performed within 36 to 72 hours.

E. Thrombosis of the portal vein is more frequent than hepatic artery thrombosis following liver transplantation.

DISCUSSION: Thrombosis of the hepatic artery remains one of the most serious early complications of liver transplantation. This complication is three to five times more common in children than in adults. The major cause of this complication is related to technical error, although the hypercoagulable state may play a significant role in some situations. Early thrombosis of the hepatic artery leads to rapid liver failure with a fatal outcome unless a transplant can be performed within 36 to 72 hours. Although thrombolytic therapy through percutaneous or surgical access can be successful, most of these patients require retransplantation. Stenosis of the hepatic artery or late thrombosis of the hepatic artery can lead to multiple intrahepatic strictures of the bile duct and/or hepatic abscesses. This complication also often requires retransplantation. Portal vein thrombosis is a rarer complication. It is a devastating condition when it occurs early, but can be tolerated well if it develops after several months. Portal hypertension due to late portal vein thrombosis can often be treated successfully by a shunt procedure.