The gap between the number of candidates for orthotopic liver transplantation and the availability of suitable liver grafts has led to a rise in deaths on most waiting lists. Strategies applied in many centers to minimize this deficit include living donation or split of a cadaveric organ for two recipients, domino transplantation, and the use of so-called expanded criteria donors. Alternatively, conditioning of an organ would also allow protec-tion of the liver upon ischemia-reperfusion injury, possibly decreasing postoperative liver function and im-proving clinical outcome. The technique of conditioning with the volatile anesthetic sevoflurane is an easily applicable procedure which could be performed in any center worldwide.

Data and experience with sevoflurane attenuating ischemic-reperfusion injury in liver resection lead to the hypothesis of a beneficial effect of volatile anesthetics in liver transplantation. In this randomized controlled trial, patients will be randomly assigned to liver transplantation with propofol anesthesia (propofol group) or sevoflurane conditioning with the volatile anesthetic (sevoflurane group). Primary endpoint is postoperative peak of the transaminase (AST), secondary endpoints are complications, primary liver graft function, ICU and hospital stay. We hypothesis that patients with conditioning have an attenuated increase of transaminases as well as a better outcome.

Inclusion criteria:

• Older than 18 years
• Patients undergoing liver transplantation
• Total or partial cadaveric liver transplantation
• Living related liver transplantation

Exclusion criteria:

• Patients unable to understand the German or Italian language
• Patients with known or suspected allergy to propofol, soja or egg
• Patients with norepinephrine infusion above 15 microg/min
• Intensive care patients with severe impairment of renal or pulmonary function (e.g. dialysis, hemofiltration, FiO2>0.5)