Paediatric kidney transplants from donors aged 1 year and under: an analysis of the Australian and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant Registry from 1963 to 2018.

Kidneys from very small donors have the potential to significantly expand the donor pool. We describe the collective experience of transplantation using kidneys from donors aged ≤1 year in Australian and New Zealand. The ANZDATA registry was analysed on all deceased donor kidney transplants from donors aged ≤1 year. We compared recipient characteristics and outcomes between 1963-1999 and 2000-2018. From 1963 to 1999, 16 transplants were performed [9 (56%) adults, 7 (44%) children]. Death-censored graft survival was 50% and 43% at 1 and 5 years, respectively. Patient survival was 90% and 87% at 1 and 5 years, respectively. From 2000 to 2018, 26 transplants were performed [25 (96%) adults, 1 (4%) children]. Mean creatinine was 73 µmol/l ±49.1 at 5 years. Death-censored graft survival was 85% at 1 and 5 years. Patient survival was 100% at 1 and 5 years. Thrombosis was the cause of graft loss in 12% of recipients in the first era from 1963 to 1999, and 8% of recipients in the second era from 2000 to 2018. We advocate the judicious use of these small paediatric grafts from donors ≤1 year old. Optimal selection of donor and recipients may lead to greater acceptance and success of transplantation from very young donors.

Aortic Versus Dual Perfusion for Retrieval of the Liver After Brain Death: A National Registry Analysis.

There is lack of consensus in the literature regarding the comparative efficacy of in situ aortic-only compared with dual (aortic and portal venous) perfusion for retrieval and transplantation of the liver. Recipient outcomes from the Australia/New Zealand Liver Transplant Registry (2007-2016), including patient and graft survival and causes of graft loss, were stratified by perfusion route. Subgroup analyses were conducted for higher-risk donors. A total of 1382 liver transplantation recipients were analyzed (957 aortic-only; 425 dual perfusion). There were no significant differences in 5-year graft and patient survivals between the aortic-only and dual cohorts (80.1% versus 84.6% and 82.6% versus 87.8%, respectively) or in the odds ratios of primary nonfunction, thrombotic graft loss, or graft loss secondary to biliary complications or acute rejection. When analyzing only higher-risk donors (n = 369), multivariate graft survival was significantly less in the aortic-only cohort (hazard ratio, 0.49; 95% confidence interval, 0.26-0.92). Overall, there was a trend toward improved outcomes when dual perfusion was used, which became significant when considering higher-risk donors alone. Inferences into the ideal perfusion technique in multiorgan procurement will require further investigation by way of a randomized controlled trial, and outcomes after the transplantation of other organs will also need to be considered.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of cold in situ perfusion and preservation of the hepatic allograft: Working toward a unified approach.

The efficacy of cold in situ perfusion and static storage of the liver is a possible determinant of transplantation outcomes. The aim of this study was to determine whether there is evidence to substantiate a preference for a particular perfusion route (aortic or dual) or perfusion/preservation solution in donation after brain death (DBD) liver transplantation. The Embase, MEDLINE, and Cochrane databases were used (1980-2017). Random effects modeling was used to estimate effects on transplantation outcomes based on (1) aortic or dual in situ perfusion and (2) the use of University of Wisconsin (UW), histidine tryptophan ketoglutarate (HTK), Celsior, and/or Institut Georges Lopez-1 (IGL-1) solutions for perfusion/preservation. A total of 22 articles were included (2294 liver transplants). The quality of evidence ranged from very low to moderate Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations score. Meta-analyses were conducted for 14 eligible studies. Although there was no difference in the primary nonfunction (PNF) rate, a higher peak alanine aminotransferase (ALT) was recorded in dual compared with aortic-only UW-perfused livers (standardized mean difference, 0.24; 95% confidence interval, 0.01-0.47); a back-table portal venous flush was undertaken in the majority of aortic-only perfused livers. There were no relevant differences in peak enzymes, PNF, thrombotic graft loss, biliary complications, or 1-year graft survival in comparisons between dual-perfused livers using UW, HTK, Celsior, or IGL-1. In conclusion, there is no significant evidence that aortic-only perfusion of the DBD liver compromises transplantation outcomes, and it may be favored because of its simplicity. However, there is currently insufficient evidence to advocate for the use of any particular perfusion/preservation fluid over the others. Liver Transplantation 23 1615-1627 2017 AASLD.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of cold in situ perfusion and preservation for pancreas transplantation.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to identify the most effective solution for in situ perfusion/preservation of the pancreas in donation after brain death donors, in addition to optimal in situ flush volume(s) and route(s) during pancreas procurement. METHODS: Embase, Medline and Cochrane databases were utilized (1980-2017). Articles comparing graft outcomes between two or more different perfusion/preservation fluids (University of Wisconsin (UW), histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate (HTK) and/or Celsior) were compared using random effects models where appropriate. RESULTS: Thirteen articles were included (939 transplants). Confidence in available evidence was low. A higher serum peak lipase (standardized mean difference 0.47, 95% CI 0.23-0.71, I2 = 0) was observed in pancreatic grafts perfused/preserved with HTK compared to UW, but there were no differences in one-month pancreas allograft survivals or early thrombotic graft loss rates. Similarly, there were no significant differences in the rates of graft pancreatitis, thrombosis and graft survival between UW and Celsior solutions, and between aortic-only and dual aorto-portal perfusion. CONCLUSION: UW cold perfusion may reduce peak serum lipase, but no quality evidence suggested UW cold perfusion improves graft survival and reduces thrombosis rates. Further research is needed to establish longer-term graft outcomes, the comparative efficacy of Celsior, and ideal perfusion volumes.

Renal transplantation: better fat than thin.

BACKGROUND: Obesity has been a relative contraindication for renal transplantation. This study evaluates the impact of pretransplant body mass index (BMI) on renal transplant outcomes in a single institution in the era of modern immunosuppression. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A 10-y retrospective analysis was undertaken of 454 consecutive patients who received a renal transplant at Westmead Hospital from January 1, 2001 to December 31, 2010. The role of pretransplant BMI on patient survival, graft survival, surgical complications, and postoperative complications was studied. RESULTS: The mean age of transplant of this study population was 45.4 ± 13.0 y. Live donation rate was 53.5%, and 60.6% were male. The median preoperative BMI was 25.6 (range, 14.3-51.4). One-year and 5-y patient survival were 97.4% and 86.6%, respectively, whereas 1-y and 5-y death-censored graft survival were 97.1% and 91.9%, respectively. Patients with BMI >30 did not exhibit any significant difference in survival or graft failure but had higher surgical wound infection rates (hazard ratio 3.95, P < 0.01). Patients with preoperative BMI <18.5 were associated with a six-fold increase in both death and death-censored graft failure (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Pretransplant obesity increases wound infection but is not a contraindication to renal transplantation. Future prospective studies are required to further define the impact of low preoperative BMI <18.5.

Significant elevations of serum lipase not caused by pancreatitis: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Many authors advocate lipase as the preferred serological test for the diagnosis of pancreatitis and a cut-off level of three or more times the upper limit of normal (ULN) is often quoted. The literature contains no systematic review that explores alternative causes of a lipase level over three times as high as the ULN. Such a review was therefore the objective of this study. METHODS: The EMBASE and MEDLINE databases (1985 to August 2013) were searched for all eligible articles. Predetermined data were extracted and independently analysed by two reviewers. RESULTS: In total, data from 58 studies were included in the final analysis. The following causes other than pancreatitis of lipase levels exceeding three times the ULN were found: reduced clearance of lipase caused by renal impairment or macrolipase formation; other hepatobiliary, gastroduodenal, intestinal and neoplastic causes; critical illness, including neurosurgical pathology; alternative pancreatic diagnoses, such as non-pathological pancreatic hyperenzymaemia, and miscellaneous causes such as diabetes, drugs and infections. CONCLUSIONS: A series of differential diagnoses for significant serum lipase elevations (i.e. exceeding three times the ULN) has been provided by this study. Clinicians should utilize this knowledge in the interpretation and management of patients who have lipase levels over three times as high as the ULN, remaining vigilant for an alternative diagnosis to pancreatitis. The medical officer should be aware of the possibility of incorrect diagnosis in the asymptomatic patient.

A systematic review of a liver-first approach in patients with colorectal cancer and synchronous colorectal liver metastases.

BACKGROUND: Since the liver metastases rather than the colorectal cancer itself is the main determinant of patient's survival, the 'Liver-First Approach (LFA)' with upfront chemotherapy followed by a hepatic resection of colorectal liver metastases (CLM) and finally a colorectal cancer resection was proposed. The aim of this review was to analyse the evidence for LFA in patients with colorectal cancer and synchronous CLM. METHODS: A literature search of databases (MEDLINE and EMBASE) to identify published studies of LFA in patients with colorectal cancer and synchronous CLM was undertaken focussing on the peri-operative regimens of LFA and survival outcomes. RESULTS: Three observational studies and one retrospective cohort study were included for review. A total of 121 patients with colorectal cancer and synchronous CLM were selected for LFA. Pre-operative chemotherapy was used in 99% of patients. One hundred and twelve of the initial 121 patients (93%) underwent a hepatic resection of CLM. In total, 60% had a major liver resection and the R0 resection rate was 93%. Post-operative morbidity and mortality after the hepatic resection were 20% and 1%, respectively. Ultimately, 89 of the initial 121 (74%) patients underwent a colorectal cancer resection. Post-operative morbidity and mortality after a colorectal resection were 50% and 6%, respectively. The median overall survival was 40 months (range 19-50) with a recurrence rate of 52%. CONCLUSIONS: Current evidence suggests that LFA is safe and feasible in selected patients with colorectal cancer and synchronous CLM. Future studies are required to further define patient selection criteria for LFA and the exact role of LFA in the management of synchronous CLM.

Prospective evaluation of a closed-incision negative pressure wound therapy system in kidney transplantation and its association with wound complications.

Introduction: Wound complications can cause considerable morbidity in kidney transplantation. Closed-incision negative pressure wound therapy (ciNPWT) systems have been efficacious in reducing wound complications across surgical specialties. The aims of this study were to evaluate the use of ciNPWT, Prevena™, in kidney transplant recipients and to determine any association with wound complications. Material and methods: A single-center, prospective observational cohort study was performed in 2018. A total of 30 consecutive kidney transplant recipients deemed at high risk for wound complications received ciNPWT, and the results were compared to those of a historical cohort of subjects who received conventional dressings. Analysis for recipients with obesity and propensity score matching were performed. Results: In total, 127 subjects were included in the analysis. Of these, 30 received a ciNPWT dressing and were compared with 97 subjects from a non-study historical control group who had conventional dressing. The overall wound complication rate was 21.3% (27/127). There was no reduction in the rate of wound complications with ciNPWT when compared with conventional dressing [23.3% (7/30) and 20.6% (20/97), respectively, p = 0.75]. In the obese subset (BMI ≥30 kg/m2), there was no significant reduction in wound complications [31.1% (5/16) and 36.8% (7/19), respectively, p = 0.73]. Propensity score matching yielded 26 matched pairs with equivalent rates of wound complications (23.1%, 6/26). Conclusion: This is the first reported cohort study evaluating the use of ciNPWT in kidney transplantation. While ciNPWT is safe and well tolerated, it is not associated with a statistically significant reduction in wound complications when compared to conventional dressing. The findings from this study will be used to inform future studies associated with ciNPWT in kidney transplantation.

Hypothermic machine perfusion in deceased donor kidney transplantation: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Hypothermic machine perfusion (HMP) of kidneys is intended to mitigate the deleterious effects of cold storage on organ quality, particularly when the cold ischemic time is prolonged or the donor is otherwise marginal. The use of HMP has remained controversial; however, a number of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have recently been conducted to clarify its benefits. METHODS: We undertook a systematic search of the Medline and Embase databases and of the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. We included only RCTs in the meta-analysis. Outcomes analyzed were the incidence of delayed graft function (DGF), primary nonfunction (PNF), graft loss, and patient death at 1 y. RESULTS: We identified seven RCT trials and subjected them to meta-analysis, including 1353 kidney transplant recipients. Hypothermic machine perfusion significantly reduced the incidence of DGF (risk ratio [RR] 0.83, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.72-0.96). There was no difference in the incidence of PNF (RR 0.78, 95% CI 0.36-1.68), graft loss at 1 y (RR 0.87, 95% CI 0.64-1.19), and patient death at 1 y (RR 0.91, 95% CI 0.60-1.37) between HMP and donor kidneys preserved using cold storage. CONCLUSIONS: There are few RCT comparing HMP and cold storage of kidneys in deceased donor kidney transplantation. Although these studies are small and heterogeneous in design, HMP appeared to be associated with a reduced incidence of DGF. No difference in the incidence of PNF, graft loss, or patient death at 1 y could be demonstrated.

A systematic review of two-stage hepatectomy in patients with initially unresectable colorectal liver metastases.

OBJECTIVES: Selected patients with unresectable colorectal liver metastases (CLM) may be rendered resectable using the two-stage hepatectomy (TSH) approach. This review was conducted with the aim of collating and evaluating published evidence for TSH in patients with initially unresectable CLM. METHODS: Searches of the MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were undertaken to identify studies of TSH in patients with initially unresectable CLM. Studies were required to focus on the perioperative treatment regimen, operative strategy, morbidity, technical success and survival outcomes. RESULTS: Ten observational studies were reviewed. A total of 459 patients with initially unresectable CLM were selected for the first stage of TSH. Preoperative chemotherapy was used in 88% of patients and achieved partial and stable response rates of 59% and 39%, respectively. Postoperative morbidity and mortality after the first stage of TSH were 17% and 0.5%, respectively. Portal vein embolization (PVE) was used in 76% of patients. Ultimately, 352 of the initial 459 (77%) patients underwent the second stage of TSH. Major liver resection was undertaken in 84% of patients; the negative margin (R0) resection rate was 75%. Postoperative morbidity and mortality after the second stage of TSH were 40% and 3%, respectively. Median overall survival was 37 months (range: 24-44 months) in patients who completed both stages of TSH. In patients who did not complete both stages of TSH, median survival was 16 months (range: 10-29 months). The 3-year disease-free survival rate was 20% (range: 6-27%). CONCLUSIONS: Two-stage hepatectomy is safe and effective in selected patients with initially unresectable CLM. Further studies are required to better define patient selection criteria for TSH and the exact roles of PVE and preoperative and interval chemotherapy.

A systematic review of clinical response and survival outcomes of downsizing systemic chemotherapy and rescue liver surgery in patients with initially unresectable colorectal liver metastases.

BACKGROUND: Selected patients with unresectable colorectal liver metastases (CLM) may be rendered resectable after systemic chemotherapy. We reviewed the evidence of downsizing systemic chemotherapy followed by rescue liver surgery in patients with initially unresectable CLM. METHODS: Literature search of databases (Medline and PubMed) to identify published studies of neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by liver resection in patients with initially unresectable CLM was undertaken and focused on response rate of chemotherapy and survival outcomes. RESULTS: Ten observational studies were reviewed. A total of 1,886 patients with initially unresectable CLM underwent systemic chemotherapy. An objective response was observed in 64% (range, 43-79%) of patients after systemic chemotherapy. Of these, 22.5% underwent macroscopically curative liver resection. Median overall survival was 45 (range, 36-60) months with 19% of patients alive and recurrence-free. CONCLUSIONS: Current evidence suggests that downsizing systematic chemotherapy followed by rescue liver resection is safe and effective for selected patients with initially unresectable CLM. Further studies are required to examine response rates and secondary resectability using new targeted molecular therapy-based regimens.

Laparoscopic or open cholecystectomy in cirrhosis: a systematic review of outcomes and meta-analysis of randomized trials.

BACKGROUND: Cholecystectomy is associated with increased risks in patients with cirrhosis. The well-established advantages of laparoscopic surgery may be offset by the increased risk for complications relating particularly to portal hypertension and coagulopathy. METHODS: A systematic search was undertaken to identify studies comparing open cholecystectomy (OC) and laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) in patients with cirrhosis. A meta-analysis was performed of the available randomized controlled trials (RCTs). RESULTS: Forty-four studies were analysed. These included a total of 2005 patients with cirrhosis who underwent laparoscopic (n= 1756) or open (n= 249) cholecystectomy, with mortality rates of 0.74% and 2.00%, respectively. A meta-analysis of three RCTs involving a total of 220 patients was conducted. There was a reduction in the overall incidences of postoperative complications and infectious complications and a shorter length of hospital stay in LC. However, frequencies of postoperative hepatic insufficiency did not differ significantly. CONCLUSIONS: There are few RCTs comparing OC and LC in patients with cirrhosis. These studies are small, heterogeneous in design and include almost exclusively patients with Child-Pugh class A and B disease. However, LC appears to be associated with shorter operative time, reduced complication rates and reduced length of hospital stay.

Systematic review of actual 10-year survival following resection for hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Hepatic resection is a potentially curative therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but recurrence of disease is very common. Few studies have reported 10-year actual survival rates following hepatic resection; instead, most have used actuarial measures based on the Kaplan-Meier method. This systematic review aims to document 10-year actual survival rates and to identify factors significant in determining prognosis. METHODS: A comprehensive search was undertaken of MEDLINE and EMBASE. Only studies reporting the absolute number of patients alive at 10 years after first resection for HCC were included; these figures were used to calculate the actual 10-year survival rate. A qualitative review and analysis of the prognostic factors identified in the included studies were performed. RESULTS: Fourteen studies, all of which were retrospective case series, including data on 4197 patients with HCC were analysed. Ten years following resection, 303 of these patients were alive. The 10-year actual survival rate was 7.2%, whereas the actuarial survival quoted from the same studies was 26.8%. Positive prognostic factors included better hepatic function, a wider surgical margin and the absence of satellite lesions. CONCLUSIONS: The actual long-term survival rate after resection of HCC is significantly inferior to reported actuarial survival rates. The Kaplan-Meier method of actuarial survival analysis tends to overestimate survival outcomes as a result of censorship of data and subgroup analysis.

Endoscopic necrosectomy of pancreatic necrosis: a systematic review.

AIM: To review the current status of the novel technique of endoscopic necrosectomy in the management of pancreatic necrosis after acute pancreatitis. METHODS: Studies were identified by searching Medline, PubMed and Embase databases for articles from January 1990 to December 2009 using the keywords "acute pancreatitis", "pancreatic necrosis" and "endoscopy". Additional papers were identified by a manual search of the references from the key articles. Case series of fewer than five patients and case reports were excluded. RESULTS: Indications, techniques and outcomes of endoscopic necrosectomy were analysed. There were no randomised controlled trials identified. Ten case series were included in this analysis. There were a total of more than 1,100 endoscopic necrosectomy procedures in 260 patients with pancreatic necrosis. One hundred fifty-five were proven to be infected necrosis on culture. The overall mortality rate was 5%. The mean procedure-related morbidity rate was 27%. The rate of complete resolution of pancreatic necrosis with the endoscopic method alone was 76%. CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopic necrosectomy is a safe and effective treatment option in selected patients with pancreatic necrosis after acute pancreatitis. Future studies will be required to further define the selection criteria and the techniques for the endoscopic procedure.

Successful Expectant Management of Nonocclusive Thrombosis in Simultaneous Pancreas-Kidney Transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Simultaneous pancreas-kidney (SPK) transplantation can be complicated by thrombosis in the early post-transplant period. METHODS: We performed a single-center retrospective study examining risk factors, management, and outcomes of modern era SPK transplants. We reviewed 235 recipients over 10 years (January 1, 2008, to September 1, 2017). We used multivariate analysis to examine donor, recipient, and operative risk factors for thrombosis. RESULTS: Forty-one patients (17%) had a thrombosis diagnosed on postoperative imaging, but 61% of these patients (n = 25/41) did not lose their graft secondary to the thrombosis. Nine patients (22%) were managed with watchful waiting and serial imaging, 12 (29%) were managed with therapeutic anticoagulation, and 4 (10%) required laparotomy and graft thrombectomy. Sixteen of 235 pancreas grafts (6.8%) required pancreatectomy, and 10 of these cases occurred in the first half of the study, before 2012. The risk of thrombosis leading to graft loss increased 11.2-fold in recipients with a body mass index (calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared) > 25 compared with others (odds ratio, 11.2; 95% CI, 1.1-116.7; P = .043). CONCLUSIONS: The majority of SPK transplants (61%) complicated by thrombosis of the pancreatic graft were salvaged by use of imaging, anticoagulation, and in select cases, laparotomy and graft thrombectomy.

Day-only elective cholecystectomy: early experience and barriers to implementation in Australia.

BACKGROUND: Day-only laparoscopic cholecystectomy (DOLC) has been shown to be safe and feasible yet has not been widely implemented in Australia. This study explores the introduction of routine DOLC to Westmead Hospital, and highlights the barriers to its implementation. METHODS: Routine day-only cholecystectomy protocol was introduced at Westmead Hospital in 2014. A retrospective review of patients who underwent elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy during a 12-month period in 2014 was compared to a 12-month period in 2018, to examine the changes in practice after implementation of a unit protocol. Data were collected on patient demographics, admission category, outcomes and re-presentations. RESULTS: A total of 282 patients were included in the study, of these 169 were booked as day procedures, with 124 (73%) successfully discharged on the same day. There was a significant increase in the proportion of patients booked as day-only from 2014 to 2018 (48% versus 73%, P < 0.001). Day-only failure rates (unplanned overnight admissions), readmissions and complication rates were comparable between the two periods. The most common reason for unplanned overnight admissions were due to intraoperative findings (n = 28/45). CONCLUSION: Routine DOLC can be adopted in Australian hospitals without compromise to patient safety. Unplanned overnight admission is predominantly due to unexpected surgical pathology and can be reduced by protocols for the use of drains and planned outpatient endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. Unplanned outpatient review can be minimized by optimizing both intra- and post-operative pain management. Individual surgeon and anaesthetist preferences remain an obstacle to a standardized protocol in the Australian setting.

Protection From the Second Warm Ischemic Injury in Kidney Transplantation Using an Ex Vivo Porcine Model and Thermally Insulating Jackets.

BACKGROUND: Kidney transplantation is the optimum treatment for kidney failure in carefully selected patients. Technical surgical complications and second warm ischemic time (SWIT) increase the risk of delayed graft function (DGF) and subsequent short- and long-term graft outcomes including the need for post-transplant dialysis and graft failure. Intraoperative organ thermal regulation could reduce SWIT, minimizing surgical complications due to time pressure, and limiting graft ischemia-reperfusion injury. METHODS: A novel ischemic-injury thermal protection jacket (iiPJ) was designed and fabricated in silicone composite and polyurethane (PU) elastomer prototypes. Both were compared with no thermal insulation as controls. Time to reach ischemic threshold (15°C) and thermal energy transfer were compared. A water bath model was used to examine the thermal protective properties of porcine kidneys, as a feasibility study prior to in vivo translation. RESULTS: In both iterations of the iiPJ, the time taken to reach the warm ischemia threshold was 35.2 ± 1.4 minutes (silicone) and 38.4 ± 3.1 minutes (PU), compared with 17.2 ± 1.5 minutes for controls (n = 5, P < .001 for both comparisons). Thermal energy transfer was also found to be significantly less for both iiPJ variants compared with controls. There was no significant difference between the thermal performance of the 2 iiPJ variants. CONCLUSION: Protection from SWIT by using a protective insulation jacket is feasible. With clinical translation, this novel strategy could facilitate more optimal surgical performance and reduce transplanted organ ischemia-reperfusion injury, in particular the SWIT, potentially affecting delayed graft function and long-term outcomes.

Distal intestinal obstruction syndrome: an important differential diagnosis for abdominal pain in patients with cystic fibrosis.

As life expectancy for those with cystic fibrosis (CF) now exceeds 40 years of age, adult hospitals away from specialized CF services are being exposed more frequently to people with acute complications of CF. Well-known manifestations of CF include pulmonary disease and pancreatic insufficiency with malabsorption. However, a less well-known entity is distal intestinal obstruction syndrome (DIOS), which is an important cause of obstructive symptoms in people with CF that must be differentiated from other causes of bowel obstruction. However, one confounding factor is that adults with CF may have elements of both DIOS and mechanical bowel obstruction due to adhesions from previous operations. A recent tragic outcome in a young adult with CF highlights the need for all doctors, both junior and senior, especially those who are not directly involved in day-to-day CF care, to understand the features of DIOS and the appropriate management, which differs from that of a mechanical bowel obstruction. This review aims to highlight the clinical and pathophysiological features of DIOS, differentiate it from other causes of bowel obstruction and contrast management strategies. Improved knowledge of DIOS will help to facilitate appropriate recognition and permit optimal, multidisciplinary management of this CF complication.

Fate of Abstracts Presented at the Transplantation Society of Australia and New Zealand Annual Scientific Meetings.

BACKGROUND: The numbers and characteristics of the abstracts presented at the Annual Scientific Meetings (ASM) of the Transplantation Society of Australia and New Zealand (TSANZ) that are converted to peer-reviewed publications have not been analyzed previously. METHODS: All abstracts presented at the TSANZ ASM from 2013 to 2017 were reviewed. A literature search was performed using a search algorithm to identify the full-text publications of the presented abstracts. Correlation between abstract characteristics and publication rate was then examined using Cox proportional hazards regression and Kaplan-Meier curves to distinguish the predictors for publication. Over the 5-year period, 576 abstracts were presented, with a total of 164 (28.6%) presentations converted to publications. The majority of publications occurred within the first 3 years, with the mean time to publication being 16.6 (standard deviation = 14.6) months. The median impact factor for published research was 4.74 (interquartile range = 3.06-5.58). Multivariate analysis identified clinical science papers, systematic reviews and surveys (likelihood ratio = 1.42, 5.02, and 2.01; P = .040, .000, and .010, respectively) as the most important predictors for publication. CONCLUSIONS: The rate of abstracts presented at the TSANZ ASM over 5 years that were converted to publication in a peer-reviewed journal was 28.6%. Clinical papers, systematic reviews, and surveys were more likely to be published. An ongoing strict abstract selection process will contribute to improving conversion of abstracts into full-text peer-reviewed articles.