Progress on application of marginal donor liver and organ function maintenance in liver transplantation

Liver transplantation is the only effective method to treat various end-stage liver diseases. The shortage of standard donor liver is the main factor limiting the development of liver transplantation, whereas the application of marginal donor liver has significantly expanded the source of donor liver. New technologies, such as extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), mechanical perfusion and hypothermia, can significantly improve the quality of marginal donor liver, which has good development prospects in organ function maintenance. This article reviews the common types of marginal donor liver and the application of related novel technologies in the maintenance of marginal donor liver function.