Liver transplantation in patients with non-neoplastic portal vein thrombosis: 20 years of experience in a single center.

BACKGROUND: The Yerdel classification is widely used for describing the severity of portal vein thrombosis (PVT) in liver transplant (LT) candidates, but might not accurately predict transplant outcome. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed data regarding 97 adult patients with PVT who underwent LT, investigating whether the complexity of portal reconstruction could better correlate with transplant outcome than the site and extent of the thrombosis. RESULTS: 79/97 (80%) patients underwent thrombectomy and anatomical anastomosis (TAA), 18/97 (20%) patients underwent non-anatomical physiological reconstructions (non-TAA). PVT Yerdel grade was 1-2 in 72/97 (74%) patients, and 3-4 in 25/97 (26%) patients. Univariate analysis revealed higher 30-day mortality, 90-day mortality, 1-year mortality, and a higher rate of severe early complications in the non-TAA group than in the TAA group (p = .018, .001, .014, .009, respectively). In the model adjusted for PVT Yerdel grade, non-TAA remained independently associated with higher 30-day, 90-day, and 1-year mortality (p = .021, .007, and .015, respectively). The portal vein re-thrombosis and overall patient and graft survival rates were similar. DISCUSSION: In our experience, the complexity of portal reconstruction better correlated with transplant outcome than the Yerdel classification, which did not even appear to be a reliable predictor of the surgical complexity and technique.

Impact of change in the United Kingdom pediatric donor organ allocation policy for intestinal transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Graft availability remains a problem in pediatric intestinal transplantation (IT), with most children waiting being less than 10 kg weight. In November 2004, wait-listed children in the United Kingdom were prioritized nationally to receive pediatric donor organs to improve donor availability for IT. We aimed to evaluate the impact of this change on the recipient population. METHODS: Data regarding pediatric donor organ availability and allocation were accessed from the National Transplant database. Recipient demographics and outcomes were recorded from the Liver Unit database. Between 2001 and 2006, there were 228 pediatric donors in the United Kingdom (nonheart-beating donors were excluded), of which 39 livers were allocated to emergency super-urgent liver candidates. A total of six isolated intestine and 21 liver-intestine transplants (15 reduced size, six full grafts) were performed in the same period. RESULTS: Since January 2001, there has been a progressive reduction in overall pediatric organ donation. Increasing awareness about IT has resulted in a significant increase in number of small bowel organs being offered (71.8% vs. 19.5%), although this has been associated with an increase in referrals for transplantation. Despite an increase in number of IT being performed (2.6 vs. 7.7 mean transplants per year), waiting list mortality still remains high in smaller children (<10 kg weight). No mortality was observed in larger children and in candidates for isolated IT. CONCLUSIONS: The new prioritization of the national pediatric donor allocation favoring IT has resulted in an increased number of procedures, without an impact on waiting list mortality for small children.

Early and late recurrence after liver resection for hepatocellular carcinoma: prognostic and therapeutic implications.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the predictive factors, the therapy, and the prognosis of intrahepatic recurrence (IR) after surgery for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: The predictive factors of IR are debated. To class the recurrence according to the modality of presentation may help to find a correlation and to select the right therapy for the recurrence. METHODS: A total of 213 patients were evaluated. Risk factors for recurrence were related to time (<2 years and >2 years) and type of presentation (marginal, nodular, and diffuse). Prognosis and therapy for the recurrence were studied in each group of patients. RESULTS: IR was observed in 143 patients; 109 were early (group 1) and 34 late recurrences (group 2). Cirrhosis, chronic active hepatitis (CAH) and HCV positivity were independently related to the risk of recurrence with a cumulative effect (92.5% of recurrences in patients with 3 prognostic factors). For group 1, the neoplastic vascular infiltration together with cirrhosis, HCV positivity, CAH, and transaminases were significant; all the 11 patients with 5 negative prognostic factors showed an early recurrence. On the contrary, only cirrhosis was related to a late recurrence. Survival rate was significantly better in late than in early recurrence (61.9%, 27.1% and 25.7%, 4.5% at 3-5 years); a curative procedure was performed in 67.6% in group 1 and 29.3% in group 2. After a radical treatment of IR, the survival was comparable with the group of patients without recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Early and late recurrences are linked to different predictive factors. The modality of presentation of the recurrence together with the feasibility of a radical treatment are the best determinants for the prognosis.

Extended right split liver graft for primary transplantation in children and adults.

Skepticism remains about the use of the extended right (ER) split graft (segments I, IV-VIII) for adult liver transplantation. We analyzed the results of primary liver transplantation performed with an ER graft in adult and in pediatric recipients. At our Institution, between October 1997 and June 2005, 32 primary liver transplantations with an ER graft were performed in 22 adult and 10 pediatric recipients. All the splitting procedures were performed in situ. Actuarial patient and graft survival among the adult recipients of the ER graft were 100% and 100% at 1 year, and 94% and 94% at 5 years. In the pediatric recipients, patient and graft survival were 90% and 79% both at 1 and 5 years. No hepatic artery thrombosis (HAT) occurred in the adult group, while in the pediatric recipients HAT occurred in two cases. A higher biliary morbidity occurred in the ER graft group when compared with the whole size graft 34% versus 13% (P = 0.03). However, this did not affect patient and graft survival. The results of this study may represent a further argument in favor of extensive splitting of all suitable grafts.