Use of octogenarian donors for liver transplantation: a survival analysis.

Use of very old donors in liver transplantation (LT) is controversial because advanced donor age is associated with a higher risk for graft dysfunction and worse long-term results, especially for hepatitis C virus (HCV)-positive recipients. This was a retrospective, single-center review of primary, ABO-compatible LT performed between 2001 and 2010. Recipients were stratified in four groups based on donor age (<60 years; 60-69 years; 70-79 years and ≥80 years) and their outcomes were compared. A total of 842 patients were included: 348 (41.3%) with donors <60 years; 176 (20.9%) with donors 60-69 years; 233 (27.7%) with donors 70-79 years and 85 (10.1%) with donors ≥80 years. There was no difference across groups in terms of early (≤30 days) graft loss, and graft survival at 1 and 5 years was 90.5% and 78.6% for grafts <60 years; 88.6% and 81.3% for grafts 60-69 years; 87.6% and 75.1% for grafts 70-79 years and 84.7% and 77.1% for grafts ≥80 years (p = 0.065). In the group ≥80 years, the 5-year graft survival was lower for HCV-positive versus HCV-negative recipients (62.4% vs. 85.6%, p = 0.034). Based on our experience, grafts from donors ≥80 years may provide favorable results but require appropriate selection and allocation policies.

Solvent detergent vs. fresh frozen plasma in cirrhotic patients undergoing liver transplant surgery: a prospective randomized control study.

BACKGROUND: Although orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) is nowadays considered standard practice at experienced centres, it can still be affected by a significant risk of massive bleeding and its related complications. Solvent/detergent plasma (S/D Plasma) has been proposed as an alternative to fresh frozen plasma (FFP) to curtail such complications. This study aimed at evaluating the efficacy of S/D Plasma in OLT patients by comparing it to FFP. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty-three OLT patients were randomized into two groups depending on whether they were transfused with FFP or S/D plasma. A thromboelastography-based protocol aimed at achieving and maintaining predetermined coagulation goals was used to guide plasma transfusions. At the beginning and the end of surgery, standard laboratory coagulation tests were performed together with the assessment of the VII, VIII, V, XII factors and S protein blood levels. RESULTS: The two study groups equally achieved the thromboelastography goals but with a reduced amount of transfusions in the S/D plasma group (P < 0.0001). At the end of surgery, factors V and XII and S protein blood levels were lower in the S/D plasma patients who also showed lower INR, aPTT and antithrombin III levels. CONCLUSION: In cirrhotic patients undergoing OLT, the use of S\D plasma associated with thromboelastography allows the same clinical results but with a significant reduction in the amount of plasma transfusions.

Evaluation of an uncalibrated arterial pulse contour cardiac output monitoring system in cirrhotic patients undergoing liver surgery.

BACKGROUND: The pulmonary artery catheter is invasive and may cause serious complications. A safe method of cardiac output (CO) measurement is needed. We have assessed the accuracy and reliability of a recently marketed self-calibrating arterial pulse contour CO monitoring system (FloTrac/Vigileo) in end-stage liver failure patients undergoing liver transplant. The pattern of alterations known as cirrhotic cardiomyopathy, and the transplant procedure itself, provided an evaluation under varying clinical conditions. METHODS: The cardiac index was measured simultaneously by thermodilution (CI(TD): mean of four readings) using a pulmonary artery catheter and pulse contour analysis (CI(V): mean value computed by the FloTrac/Vigileo over the same time period). Readings were made at 10 time-points during liver transplant surgery (T1-T5) and on the intensive care unit (T6-T10). CI(V) was computed using the latest Vigileo software version 01.10. RESULTS: A total of 290 paired readings from 29 patients were collected. Mean (SD) CI(TD) was 5.2 (1.3) and CI(V) was 3.9 (0.9) litre min(-1) m(-2), with a corrected for repeated measures bias between readings of 1.3 (0.2) litre min(-1) m(-2) and 95% limits of agreement of -1.5 (0.2) to 4.1 (0.3) litre min(-1) m(-2). The percentage error (2SD(Bias)/meanCI(TD)) was 54%, which exceeded a 30% limit of acceptance. Low peripheral resistance and increasing bias were related (r=0.69; P<0.001). The Vigileo system failed to reliably trend CI data, with a concordance compared with thermodilution below an acceptable level (at best 68% of sequential readings). CONCLUSIONS: In cirrhotic patients with hyperdynamic circulation, the Vigileo system showed a degree of error and unreliability higher than that considered acceptable for clinical purposes.

False positive tardus-parvus waveforms after liver transplantation: a case of wide discrepancy between donor and recipient hepatic arteries mimicking anastomotic stenosis.

BACKGROUND: Parvus-tardus waveforms of the hepatic artery after liver transplantation usually indicate an arterial complication and severe impairment of hepatic arterial perfusion with a sensitivity of 91% and a specificity of 99.1%. Thus, it has been emphasized that detection of such waveforms should prompt emergency angiography. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Arterial reconstruction during a liver transplantation was successfully accomplished by an end-to-end anastomosis, performing a "flute-spout" widening of the anastomosis with a 7/0 prolene running suture between a small recipient proper hepatic artery and the donor common hepatic artery. RESULTS: On day 7 posttransplantation color Doppler ultrasonography revealed a parvus-tardus waveform pattern in the hepatic arterial flow. Computed tomographic (CT) angiography showed only a caliber discrepancy between the donor and recipient stumps, excluding an arterial stenosis or thrombosis. Since normal liver function persisted, the patient underwent routine follow-up. After 15 months the patient was alive and well; hepatic artery spectral waveforms were unchanged and liver functions were consistent with a mild hepatitis C virus (HCV) recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: This is a report of false positive tardus-parvus waveforms, due to a discrepancy between the donor and recipient arteries despite a wide anastomosis. Knowledge of technical reconstruction details may be helpful for correct interpretation of color Doppler findings. CT angiography should be considered before more invasive examinations.

Potential applications of extracorporeal photopheresis in liver transplantation.

Extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) is an immunomodulatory therapy performed through a temporary peripheral venous access with documented efficacy in heart and renal transplantation. We originally reported that ECP represented a valuable alternative to treat graft rejection in selected liver transplant (OLT) recipients. We have investigated potential applications of ECP for prophylaxis of allograft rejection. The first field explored was the use of ECP for delayed introduction of calcineurin inhibitors (CNI) among high-risk OLT recipients seeking to avoid CNI toxicity. In 42 consecutive patients that we assigned to prophylaxis with ECP, we were able to delay CNI introduction after postoperative day 8 in one-third of them. The second field was the use of ECP for prophylaxis of acute cellular rejection among ABO-incompatible OLT recipients. In our experience, none of 11 patients treated with ECP developed a cell-mediated rejection. The third field was ECP application in hepatitis C virus-positive patients seeking to reduce the immunosuppressive burden and improve sustainability and efficacy of preemptive antiviral treatment with interferon and ribavirin. Among 78 consecutive patients, we were able to start preemptive antiviral treatment in 69.2% of them at a median time from OLT of 14 days (range = 7 to 130 days). Thirty-six (66.7%) patients completed the treatment course with an end of treatment virological response of 50.0% and a sustained virological response of 38.9%. These preliminary results await validation in larger prospective studies with longer follow-up periods.

Transcranial doppler sonography is useful for the decision-making at the point of care in patients with acute hepatic failure: a single centre's experience.

Acute hepatic failure (ALF) is an uncommon disease characterized by a rapid deterioration of the hepatic function with severe derangements of the mental status in previously healthy subjects due to massive hepatocytes necrosis. Neurological impairment, due to intracranial hypertension and cerebral ischemia, is a key factor because it is a main criterion to decide when to proceed to liver transplantation, which is only treatment for these patients. Therefore, neurological monitoring holds an essential role in the clinical management of ALF patients but it needs to be performed at the point-of-care in the majority of the cases as such critically ill patients cannot be moved away from the ICU because they frequently need continuous hemodynamic, ventilatory and renal support. We herein report and discuss our experience relating to the use of transcranial sonography as a neuro-monitoring tool in ALF patients. In our series this technique allowed a repeatable and reliable non-invasive assessment of cerebral blood flow changes at the bedside thus avoiding the complications associated with the use of an intracranial probe to measure intra-cranial pressure and making it possible to correctly evaluate the timing and feasibility of liver transplantation.

Patient blood management: a fresh look at a fresh approach to blood transfusion.

The overall use of allogeneic blood transfusions in clinical practice remains relatively high and still varies widely among centres and practitioners. Moreover, allogeneic blood transfusions have historically been linked with risks and complications: some of them (e.g. transfusion reactions and transmission of pathogens) have been largely mitigated through advancements in blood banking whereas some others (e.g. immunomodulation and transfusion-related acute lung injury) appear to have more subtle etiologies and are more difficult to tackle. Furthermore, blood transfusions are costly and the supply of blood is limited. Finally, evidence indicates that a great number of the critically ill patients who are being transfused today may not be having tangible benefits from the transfusion. Patient blood management is an evidence-based, multidisciplinary, multimodal, and patient-tailored approach aimed at reducing or eliminating the need for allogeneic transfusion by managing anaemia, perioperative blood conservation, surgical haemostasis, and blood as well as plasma-derivative drug use. From this point of view, the reduction of allogeneic blood usage is not an end in itself but a tool to achieve better patient clinical outcome. This article focuses on the three-pillar matrix of patient blood management where the understanding of basic physiology and pathophysiology is at the core of evidence-based approaches to optimizing erythropoiesis, minimising bleeding and tolerating anemia. Anesthesiologists and critical care physicians clearly have a key role in patient blood management programmes are and should incorporate its principles into clinical practice-based initiatives that improve patient safety and clinical outcomes.

Report of a life-threatening arrhythmia after hospital discharge in a liver transplant recipient with previously unknown congenital long QT syndrome.

The long QT syndrome affects heart rhythm by prolonging ventricular repolarisation; it is potentially life-threatening since it can evolve into torsades de pointes (a polymorphic ventricular tachycardia) and/or ventricular fibrillation. The case is presented of a 55-year-old liver transplant recipient with a genetically determined long QT syndrome not detected by the standard preoperative cardiological evaluation. It was mild in the immediate post-operative period but developed into torsades de pointes after discharge, probably as a result of therapy. This case was particularly challenging because the first arrhythmic episodes were short and electocardiographically silent, and thus the related faints were thought to have a neurological basis. When the true cause emerged during a monitored episode of torsades de pointes, electric defibrillation was used to restore sinus rhythm and isoproterenol administered to increase heart rate and thus shorten the prolonged QT interval Long-term control was obtained by means of an implantable intracardiac defibrillator. In orthotopic liver transplant recipients with long QT syndrome, particular attention should be given to post-operative therapy as some routinely used drugs can trigger life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias.

Selection and preparation of candidates for combined liver-kidney transplantation: experience at a single center-two case reports.

BACKGROUND: The published experiences of combined liver-kidney transplantation (LKT) are favorable, but there is still no uniformity concerning the impact on hepatorenal syndrome, or in cases of symptomatic hepatorenal polycystic disease. Herein we describe our experience with two LKTs, with particular reference to the selection and preparation of the candidates, and the surgical approach. METHODS: Between 1996 and June 2003, we performed 430 liver transplants in 398 recipients, including two LKTs: one in a patient with hepatorenal polycystic disease (case 1) and the other in a patient with HBV(+) cirrhosis undergoing dialysis after a previous isolated kidney transplant (case 2). RESULTS: In case 1, LKT and right nephrectomy were performed 2 months after a left lumbar nephrectomy. In case 2, LKT was performed 10 months after an isolated kidney transplant, without removing the first graft, which recovered function after 3 months. Both patients are now in good health with functioning grafts. CONCLUSIONS: LKT requires careful selection and preparation of candidates to optimize the probability of success. In well-compensated dialyzed patients with cirrhosis due to viral hepatitis, we believe that a combined approach is indicated after antiviral therapy. In cases of hepatorenal cystic disease, a two-stage surgical approach makes it possible to eliminate the risk of infection and intracyst hemorrhage in nonfunctioning polycystic kidneys.

Intraabdominal pressure in liver transplant recipients: incidence and clinical significance.

BACKGROUND: The incidence and clinical relevance of increased intraabdominal pressure after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) has not yet been evaluated despite the finding that occurrence of this condition in postsurgical critically ill patients may impair various organ functions. The aim of this study was to assess whether the occurrence of abdominal hypertension among a population of OLT recipients was an important cofactor producing early postoperative complications. METHOD: This prospective clinical study measured abdominal pressure every 6 hours during the intensive care unit (ICU) stay using the urinary bladder method. A value of >/=25 mm Hg was considered high. Hemodynamic status was simultaneously evaluated and renal function assessed based on the hourly urinary output, and by calculating serum creatinine on postoperative days 2 and 4. Renal failure was defined as a serum creatinine level of >1.5 mg/dL, or an increase in peak of >1 mg/L within 72 hours of surgery. The filtration gradient and patient outcomes were also considered. RESULTS: Intraabdominal hypertension was observed in 32% of cases. The subjects displaying high IAP showed significantly lower artery pressure values (P <.01), but did not differ in terms of central venous pressure or cardiac output. High intraabdominal pressure was more frequently associated with renal failure (P <.01), a lower filtration gradient (P <.001), delayed postsurgical weaning from the ventilation (P <.001), and increased ICU mortality (P <.05). A receiver operator characteristic curve analysis showed that the critical IAP values, namely those with the best sensitivity/specificity, were 23 mm Hg for postoperative ventilatory delayed weaning (P <.05), 24 mm Hg for renal dysfunction (P <.05), and 25 mm Hg for death (P <.01). CONCLUSIONS: Abdominal hypertension occurs frequently after OLT and may be associated with a complicated postoperative course.

Combined twice-daily plasma exchange and continuous veno-venous hemodiafiltration for bridging severe acute liver failure.

Aiming to remove the toxins produced during the course of severe hepatic failure, we combined hemodiafiltration and plasma exchange (patient plasma replaced by fresh frozen plasma in a twice-daily regimen) for treatment of five patients: two affected by primary nonfunction of a liver graft and three by fulminant hepatic failure. The simultaneous use of the two extracorporeal techniques allowed a rapid reduction in the administration of vasoactive drugs and a rapid, significant decrease in the indices of liver necrosis. Native liver functional recovery occurred in one case, and the wait for a second graft was made possible in the other four. Although it has been reported that the detoxifying efficacy of plasma exchange is optimal when the replaced volume of plasma is high, such a technique requires both long treatment times and high blood flows in the extracorporeal circuit, making it often hemodynamically intolerable. Our approach leads to replacement of smaller volumes, allowing lower blood flows that are better tolerated despite the often unstable hemodynamics of these patients. Liver transplantation and retransplantation remains the definite therapy for severe liver failure or primary nonfunction. However, the organ waiting time is unpredictable and often does not coincide with the patients' clinical needs. Thus alternative strategies must be developed until a suitable donor is found or there is spontaneous recovery. From this point of view, in our albeit limited experience, twice-daily plasma exchange combined with hemodiafiltration has proved to be an effective therapeutic approach.

Management of massive and persistent ascites and/or hydrothorax after liver transplantation.

PURPOSE: To describe the results of the treatment of eight liver transplantation (LT) patients subsequently developing large volumes of long-lasting ascites. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between August 1996 and February 2003, 405 LTs were performed in 375 patients, eight (1.97%) of whom (six men and two women of mean age of 55.4 +/- 5.2 years) subsequently developed massive (> 500 mL/d) and persistent ascites and/or hydrothorax. All patients were HCV positive. The mean age of the liver donors was 66.8 +/- 21.9 years. All LTs were performed by replacement of the recipient retrohepatic vena cava. RESULTS: The eight patients displayed sinusoidal portal hypertension related to biopsy-proven recurrence of HCV infection. Mean wedged hepatic venous pressure was 14.9 +/- 5.1 mm Hg and mean portal vein/right atrial pressure gradient (PAPG) was 17.3 +/- 4.8 mm Hg. In two patients, the ascites appeared the day after LT; in the remaining six, ascites and/or hydrothorax appeared after 342.3 +/- 167.7 days. Seven patients with a mean PAPG of 18.4 +/- 3.9 mm Hg and a mean plasma/ascites albumin concentration gradient of 2.8 +/- 0.3 g/L were treated by means of a trans-jugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt TIPS, and one (with a PAPG of 9 mm Hg and a plasma/ascites albumin concentration gradient of 1.38 g/L) by means of spleen arterial embolisation. After a mean follow-up of 558 +/- 147.2 days, the ascites and/or hydrothorax have resolved in five patients (62.5%), one (12.5%) has stable ascites not requiring paracentesis, and two (25%) have died of multiorgan failure. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest the efficacy of the aggressive treatment of massive and persistent ascites and/or hydrothorax.

Perioperative anesthetic management for laparoscopic kidney donation.

OBJECTIVES: To report a single-center experience about the perioperative and anesthetic management of laparoscopic living kidney donation. PATIENTS AND INTERVENTIONS: Subjects undergoing laparoscopic (n = 39) (performed between April 2000 and August 2002) and traditional "open" kidney donation (n = 27) received a standard balanced anesthetic technique. However to counterbalance the reported abdominal insufflation-related kidney dysfunction, laparoscopic donors were administered an extra intravascular volume loading with colloid and crystalloid starting on the night before surgery. RESULTS: Laparoscopic donors underwent longer procedures with lower estimated blood losses (P =.0001), were intraoperatively administered higher amounts of intravenous fluids (P <.01), showed less postoperative analgesic requirement (P <.0001), shorter intensive care unit and overall hospitalization (P <.001), quicker resumption of solid oral intake (P <.01), and full return to work (P <.001) with no difference in the postoperative complication rate. Diuresis resumed intraoperatively in all recipients and early graft function did not differ between the two groups, although the serum creatinine declined earlier, but not significantly, in those receiving kidneys procured by the traditional method. No difference was seen in graft rejection rates. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic kidney donation does not require a particularly complex or expensive anesthetic management or approach; as it has been suggested that intra-abdominal hypertension coming from CO(2) insufflation inside the donor's peritoneal cavity may threaten graft function, during laparoscopic kidney donation it is advisable to adopt a strategy for "renal protection." Thus, when a laparoscopic kidney donation is performed at our center, a multidisciplinary approach is commonly adopted based on three key points: perioperative positive volemic balance in donors; intraoperative urinary output of at least 100 mL/h; inflation with an abdominal pressure not exceeding 12 mm Hg.

Hepatic resection after liver transplantation as a graft-saving procedure: indication criteria, timing and outcome.

BACKGROUND: Hepatic resection is uncommon after liver transplantation (LT), but can be a graft-saving procedure in selected cases. Herein we describe the criteria, outcome, and timing of this procedure in our series. METHODS: Between January 1996 and December 2002, 397 LTs were performed in 367 recipients, of whom 12 patients (3.2%) subsequently underwent liver graft resections because of ischemic-type biliary lesions (ITBLs) (n = 5, 41.6%), segmental hepatic artery thrombosis (S-HAT)(n = 3, 25%), recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) (n = 2, 16.6%), liver abscess (n = 1, 8.3%), or liver trauma (n = 1, 8.3%). The patients were divided into group 1 (n = 3 all with S-HAT) who underwent early resections (within 3 months of LT), and group 2 (n = 9) who underwent late resections (after 3 months). The outcomes and postoperative mortality ratio (within 30 days) were compared. RESULTS: The resections consisted of four left lobectomies, three right hepatectomies, two extended right hepatectomies, one segmentectomy, one anterior trisegmentectomy, and one right lateral sectoriectomy. The perioperative mortality rate was 66.6% in group 1 (one case of myocardial infarction and one of sepsis), and 22% in group 2 (one case of sepsis and one of hepatic failure). CONCLUSIONS: Late resections in stable patients with damage confined to the graft yield good prognosis. Even major resections are feasible graft-saving procedures. In contrast, early hepatic resections in S-HAT are associated with a worse outcome. Retransplantation should be considered the first-choice option. Sepsis significantly affects the postsurgical course.

The use of extracorporeal photopheresis for allograft rejection in liver transplant recipients.

BACKGROUND: Originally introduced for cutaneous T-cell lymphomas and autoimmune diseases, extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) has been proven effective to reverse allograft rejection. The aim of the present work was to show the results of a single-center experience with ECP for the treatment of biopsy-proven rejection in selected liver transplant (LT) recipients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective review of five LT patients (M:F=4:1; median age 51 years) undergoing ECP for biopsy-proven allograft rejection between January 1996 and December 2003. In this period 476 LT were performed on 441 patients. RESULTS: The indications for LT were three cases of HCV-related cirrhosis, complicated by hepatocellular carcinoma in two; one HBV-HDV-alcoholic cirrhosis; and one fulminant HBV hepatitis. All patients received calcineurin-inhibitor (CNI)-based immunosuppression with induction using anti-IL2R monoclonal antibodies. Indications for ECP were: ductopenic rejection in one patient with HCV recurrence; steroid-resistant acute rejection in two; acute rejection in a major ABO-mismatched liver graft; and one acute rejection in a patient with a proven allergy to steroids. The median interval from LT to inception of ECP was 43 days. The median number of ECP sessions per patient was 20. During the course of ECP, two patients tested positive for CMV antigenemia, associated in one case with bacterial pneumonia. All patients tolerated ECP and there were no procedure-related complications. At a median follow-up of 7.9 months after start of ECP, neither rejection relapses nor HCV/HBV recurrences have been observed. Three patients are off ECP with complete reversal and low-dose immunosuppression. Two patients are still receiving ECP with full-dose immunosuppression: one has achieved normal liver function but ECP is indicated due to a major ABO-incompatible liver graft, while the other patient's liver functions have not yet returned to baseline values.

[Effectiveness of precautionary chemotherapy in gastric cancer]. / Efficacia della chemioterapia precauzionale nel carcinoma gastrico.

Gastric cancer is a very aggressive disease. Surgery is the treatment of choice, with less than 30% 5-year survival for patients with complete resection. Although the incidence of gastric cancer in Western countries has declined progressively in recent decades, the prognosis of the disease has not changed in the last 30 years, with 5-year global survival rates between 7 and 15%. The achievement of an increase in the rate of cure would be therefore an important goal, but the efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy in this disease is still controversial. The aim of this overview is to document that postoperative chemotherapy may be effective in patients operated with curative intent for gastric cancer. We reviewed the results of randomized trials comparing adjuvant chemotherapy versus surgery alone, divided into those performed in the West and those performed in Asia, and according to publication period. We also reported the preliminary results of an intergroup randomized study of postoperative chemoradiation versus follow-up. Then, we summarized and discussed the results of the 3 meta-analyses, published respectively in 1993, 1999, and 2000, that evaluated the combined results from the over mentioned trials. Singular studies reported conflicting results and failed to show a clear indication for chemotherapy, but they were open to criticisms, due to methodological and therapeutical limitations. The meta-analysis published by Hermans showed a non-significant trend in favor of adjuvant treatment. This analysis was later criticized, and, in response, the author published an update in 1994 in which he recalculated a significant odds ratio. Meta-analyses by Earle and Mari indicated that postoperative chemotherapy produces a small survival benefit in patients with curatively resected gastric carcinoma. Subgroup analyses produced some interesting findings. There was a partial evidence of better results with chemotherapy regimens containing anthracyclines, but it is possible that the results of the ongoing trials testing regimens including cisplatin will add more reliable information about the new regimens. Studies with longer follow-up maintained a trend towards benefit from adjuvant therapy, indicating that long-term survival may be afforded by treatment, as opposed to simply delaying relapse. Finally, there was a trend towards a larger magnitude of the effect when analyses were restricted to trials which included higher risk patients. In conclusion, the results of the 3 meta-analyses suggest that adjuvant chemotherapy may be effective. However, other studies to confirm an effective treatment and to find new therapeutic combination or strategies in the field of adjuvant therapy for gastric carcinoma are warranted.

Surgical complications after liver transplantation.

AIM: The number of liver transplantations in Italy has steadily increased over the last 10 years as a result of the use of donors aged more than 60 years. The use of organs with a reduced functional reserve has been compensated for by improvements in immunosuppressive therapy, surgical techniques and the management of postoperative complications. This article describes the incidence and treatment of the main surgical complications after liver transplantation. METHODS: Between January 1996 and June 2003, 398 patients received 430 transplants at our Centre. Thirty-seven early relaparotomies were performed (8.6%), including 12 retransplantation (2.8%). The 1-, 3- and 5-year actuarial survival of the patients was 79.8%, 72.2% and 67.5%, and that of the grafts was 75.9%, 68% and 63.4%. Perioperative mortality was 10.5% (with no intraoperative deaths). RESULTS: The overall incidence of biliary complications was 31.6%, 9.1% of which were due to the removal of the Kehr tube. There were 42 (9.8%) anastomotic stenoses, 5 (1.2%) extra-anastomotic stenoses, 1 (0.2%) anastomotic leak, 5 (1.2%) extra-anastomotic leaks, and 19 (4.4%) ischemic-type biliary lesions. The overall incidence of vascular complications was 6.9%: 7 (1.6%) cases of hepatic artery thrombosis, 17 (4.0%) arterial stenoses, 1 (0.2%) arterial pseudoaneurysm, 4 (0.9%) cases of portal thromboses and 1 (0.2%) case of caval laminar thrombosis. Eight patients (1.9%) developed massive and persistent post-transplant ascites and/or hydrothorax. CONCLUSION: The use of donors aged more than 60 years makes it possible to maintain high standards of patient and graft survival that is not only due to the optimisation of immunosuppressive protocols, but also to improvements in surgical techniques, intensive care and the management of surgical complications.