Alcoholic cirrhosis is a good indication for liver transplantation, even for cases of recidivism.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Alcoholic cirrhosis remains a controversial indication for liver transplantation, mainly because of ethical considerations related to the shortage of donor livers. The aim of this study was to review experience to date, focusing on survival rates and complications, and the effect of alcohol relapse on outcome and alterations in marital and socioprofessional status. METHODS: The results for 53 patients transplanted for alcoholic cirrhosis between 1989 and 1994 were compared with those for 48 patients transplanted for non-alcoholic liver disease. The following variables were analysed: survival, rejection, infection, cancer, retransplantation, employment and marital status, alcoholic recurrence. The same variables were compared between alcohol relapsers and non-relapsers. RESULTS: Recovery of employment was the only significantly different variable between alcoholic (30%) and non-alcoholic patients (60%). Two factors influenced survival in the absence of alcohol recidivism: age and abstinence before transplantation. For all other variables, there were no differences between alcoholic and non-alcoholic patients, and, within the alcoholic group, between relapsers and non-relapsers. The recidivism rate was 32%. CONCLUSION: The data indicate that liver transplantation is justified for alcoholic cirrhosis, even in cases of recidivism, which did no affect survival and compliance with the immunosuppressive regimen. These good results should help in educating the general population about alcoholic disease.

[Heterotopic hepatic transplantation. Apropos of a case treated in the terminal stage of decompensated alcoholic cirrhosis]. / Transplantation hépatique hétérotopique. A propos d'un cas réalisé pour une cirrhose éthylique décompensée au stade terminal.

Heterotopic liver transplantation is an exceptional indication for acute or chronic liver disease. The authors report a case of auxiliary liver transplantation performed for end-stage alcoholic cirrhosis. The patient was contra-indicated for orthotopic transplantation because of poor general and nutritional status. The HLT was indicated because of intractable ascites, liver insufficiency and chronic encephalopathy. The operation was performed according to the technique described by Fortner. Liver function tests returned to normal within 3 days and the only postoperative complication were gastro-intestinal bleeding due to CMV viral infection. Liver function was assessed by HIDA scintigram which showed blood intake by the graft and atrophy of the native liver. The patient was discharged after 3 months. The follow-up is 17 months. At the 15th month control, liver CT showed multiple hypodense nodules biopsied and corresponding to metastasis from a probable pancreatic carcinoma. ERCP and morphologic explorations did not show the primary tumor. The authors discuss the indications of HLT, the rules of successful performance of HLT and the problem of the graft involvement by metastases.