George E. Loss

Complications in 100 living-liver donors

OBJECTIVE A review of 100 living-liver donors was performed to evaluate the perisurgical complications of the procedure and thus to help quantify the risks to the donor. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA Despite the advantages of living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT), the procedure has received criticism for the risk it imposes on healthy persons. A paucity of data exists regarding the complications and relative safety of the procedure. METHODS One hundred LDLTs performed between November 1989 and November 1996 were reviewed. Donor data were obtained by chart review, anesthesia records, and the computerized hospital data base. Patient variables were compared by Fishers exact test and the Students t test. RESULTS There were 57 women and 43 men with a median age of 29. Donors were divided into two groups: group A (first 50 donors), and group B (last 50 donors). There were 91 left lateral segments and 9 left lobes. There were no deaths. Fourteen major complications occurred in 13 patients; 9 occurred in group A and 5 in group B. Biliary complications consisted of five bile duct injuries (group A = 4, group B = 1) and two cut edge bile leaks. Complications were more common in left lobe resections (55%) than in left lateral segment grafts (10%). Minor complications occurred in 20% of patients. A significant reduction in overall complications (major and minor) was observed between the groups (group A, n = 24 [45%] vs. group B, n = 10 [20%]). In addition, surgical time and hospital stay were both significantly reduced. CONCLUSIONS Although the procedure is safe, many LDLT donors have a perisurgical complication. Surgical experience and technical modifications have resulted in a significant reduction in these complications, however. To minimize the risks for these healthy donors, LDLT should be performed at institutions with extensive experience.

Steroid-free liver transplantation using rabbit antithymocyte globulin and early tacrolimus monotherapy.

Background. In 2001, we published early results of a prospective randomized trial of 71 patients who received either steroids or rabbit antithymocyte globulin (RATG) for orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). We now report follow-up on these patients and additional patients undergoing steroid-free OLT. Methods. A total of 119 adult OLT recipients were prospectively randomized to receive either methylprednisolone 1,000 mg followed by a 3-month steroid taper or a steroid-free regimen of RATG 1.5 mg/kg during the anhepatic phase followed by a 1.5 mg/kg dose on posttransplant day 1. Maintenance immunosuppression consisted of tacrolimus and mycophenolate mofetil in both groups. Mycophenolate mofetil was weaned over 3 months in the first 71 patients and over 2 weeks in the last 48 patients, achieving tacrolimus monotherapy by 2 weeks posttransplant. Subsequently, a group of 24 sequential OLT recipients received the steroid-free (RATG) protocol. Endpoints of the study were survival, rejection, infectious complications, posttransplant diabetes, and recurrent hepatitis C virus. Results. One-year patient survival was 85% in each group of the prospective randomized trial with a mean follow-up of 18.5 months. One-year graft survival was 82% in the RATG group and 80% in the steroid group (P =not significant). Patient and graft survival of the 24 nonrandomized RATG patients was 96% with a mean follow-up of 3 months. The incidence of rejection was not significantly different; however, 50% of the patients in the steroid group required pulse steroids to reverse the rejection compared with only one patient (1.6%) in the RATG group (P =.03). The incidence of cytomegalovirus infection (P <.05) and posttransplant diabetes was higher in the steroid group (P =.03). There was a trend toward decreased severity of hepatitis C virus in the RATG group. Conclusions. Steroid-free liver transplantation using RATG and early tacrolimus monotherapy effectively reduces immunosuppression-related complications with excellent survival.

Cloning the human betaretrovirus proviral genome from patients with primary biliary cirrhosis

Patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) have both serologic and tissue evidence of infection. A recently identified human betaretrovirus was originally cloned from the biliary epithelium cDNA library of a patient with PBC. By conducting a BLASTN search, the initial partial pol gene fragment was found to have 95% to 97% nucleotide homology with mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) and with retrovirus sequences derived from human breast cancer samples. Using an anti‐p27CA MMTV antibody, viral proteins were detected in the perihepatic lymph nodes but not in liver tissue samples from patients with PBC, suggesting a higher viral burden in lymphoid tissue. Therefore, in the current study, we used lymph node DNA to clone the proviral genome of the human betaretrovirus from two patients with PBC using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) walking methodology with conserved primers complementary to MMTV. The human betaretrovirus genome contains five potential open reading frames (ORF) for Gag, protease (Pro), polymerase (Pol), envelope (Env), and superantigen (Sag) proteins that are collinear with their counterparts in MMTV. Alignment studies performed with characterized MMTV and human breast cancer betaretrovirus amino acid sequences revealed a 93% to 99% identity with the p27 capsid proteins, a 93% to 97% identity with the betaretrovirus envelope proteins, and a 76% to 85% identity with the more variable superantigen proteins. Phylogenetic analysis of known betaretrovirus superantigen proteins showed that the human and murine sequences did not cluster as two distinct species. In conclusion, human betaretrovirus nucleic acid sequences have been cloned from patients with PBC. They share marked homology with MMTV and human breast cancer‐derived retrovirus sequences. (HEPATOLOGY 2004;39:151–156.)

Tolerance: Is it worth the risk?

Background. The success of orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) has been limited by the adverse effects of immunosuppression. The purpose of this study was to determine the safety and feasibility of withdrawing immunosuppression in OLT recipients to achieve tolerance. Methods. Eighteen adult OLT recipients in our steroid-free protocol without rejection were selected for this protocol. All patients chosen for this trial were on tacrolimus monotherapy with normal liver function tests (LFTs). Tacrolimus was weaned as long as LFTs remained stable. Weaning was halted for elevations of liver enzymes and tacrolimus was increased to the last dosage at which the patients had normal LFTs. Rejection was treated by increasing tacrolimus to levels of 10–15 ng/ml. Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) or sirolimus was added if there was severe rejection by biopsy. Steroids were used if there was no improvement. Results. One patient has been weaned off immunosuppression. Three additional patients were weaned completely off but had tacrolimus resumed because of mild elevations in LFTs. Eleven of 18 (61%) patients had rejection. Two patients required steroid therapy and one required rabbit antithymocyte globulin in addition to MMF and steroids. One of the patients with rejection developed diabetes and one patient had renal failure, which subsequently resolved. One patient died following a stroke. Conclusions. Clinical tolerance can be achieved in a minority of patients, even when being maintained on minimum immunosuppression. The potential benefit of achieving tolerance must be weighed against the risks of rejection therapy in patients doing well on low-dose immunosuppression.

Incidence and outcome of infection by vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus following orthotopic liver transplantation

Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) has become a significant nosocomial pathogen. For this study, the records of 325 patients who underwent orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) were reviewed. Thirty-four patients were infected by VRE (incidence of 10.5%, 14% in adults vs. 5% in children, P < 0.01). Common features of patients who developed infections with VRE included previous antibiotic use (25 patients, 15 of whom received vancomycin), co-infection by other pathogens (28 patients), and relaparotomy following OLT (20 patients). Pulmonary and/or renal failure preceded infection by VRE in 11 and 4 adult patients, respectively. Biliary complications were exceedingly common in patients infected by VRE (28 patients) and significantly increased the risk of infection by VRE (21.5% vs. 3.1% for patients without biliary complications, P < 0.0001). Mortality associated with VRE infections was high (56% vs. 19% for patients not infected by VRE, P < 0.0005). The most frequent cause of death was sepsis (16 of 19 patient deaths), often polymicrobial. The high incidence of infection by VRE following OLT, the lack of effective antibiotics for the treatment of VRE, and the association of VRE with patient mortality emphasizes the need to define the risk factors associated with VRE infection. We suggest early surgical intervention to treat complications that may predispose patients to infection by VRE.

Reduction of immunosuppression for transplant-associated skin cancer: expert consensus survey.

Background  Reduction of immunosuppression is considered a reasonable adjuvant therapeutic strategy in solid‐organ transplant recipients experiencing multiple or high‐risk skin cancers. However, the literature provides no guidance about what threshold of cancer development would warrant initiation of reduction of immunosuppression.

Early Postoperative Hepatic Sonography as a Predictor of Vascular and Biliary Complications in Adult Orthotopic Liver Transplant Patients

OBJECTIVE Our objective was to quantitatively assess the value of early posttransplantation hepatic artery resistive indexes in predicting vascular and nonvascular complications in adult orthotopic liver transplant (OLT) patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS Between 1999 and 2001, 110 consecutive adults received grafts. Doppler sonographic graft evaluations measured main, right, and left resistive indexes within 24 to 48 hr after surgery (normal resistive index cutoff, 0.6). Clinical, operative, procedural, and radiologic reports were reviewed for vascular and biliary complications. Frequency, Students t test, logistic, and regression statistical analyses were performed. RESULTS even patients (6.4%) had vascular complications, including two (1.8%) hepatic artery and two (1.8%) hepatic vein stenoses, one (0.9%) hepatic vein thrombosis, two (1.8%) portal vein thromboses, and one (0.9%) thrombosis and two (1.8%) stenoses of the inferior vena cava (IVC). In 19 patients (17.3%), biliary complications included anastomotic strictures and leaks 1 week to 18 months after transplantation. In 11 patients (10%), sonographically large hematomas required surgical evacuation. In grafts with vascular complications or large hematomas, the mean early posttransplant main, right, and left indexes were significantly lower (< or = 0.6) than without these complications (p < 0.01). In grafts with and without biliary complications, mean early posttransplant main, right, and left indexes did not differ significantly. CONCLUSION In adult OLT patients, low early posttransplant hepatic artery resistive indexes were sensitive (100%) and specific (80%) predictors for vascular complications (e.g., hepatic artery, portal vein, hepatic vein, and IVC) but not for biliary complications. All patients with indexes less than 0.6 within 24-48 hr after surgery should be monitored closely for vascular complications.

Induction with rabbit antithymocyte globulin versus induction with corticosteroids in liver transplantation : Impact on recurrent hepatitis C virus infection

This study compares the clinical course of recurrent hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection between 64 patients, who were randomized to receive either rabbit antithymocyte globulin (RATG) or steroids as induction therapy with tacrolimus for maintenance. The HCV recurrence was assessed by HCV RNA levels, peak ALT at 3–6 months, the grade of inflammation at biopsy at 3–6 months posttransplant, progression of fibrosis, and survival. All patients had also received antiviral therapy with interferon alpha 2b and ribavirin, if there were no contraindications. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of inflammation at 3 months, peak ALT, or HCV RNA. The survival between the two groups of patients was similar. It appears that steroid-free liver transplantation with RATG induction does not have any negative influence on HCV recurrence in hepatitis C patients after liver transplantation.

Thrombolytic protocol minimizes ischemic‐type biliary complications in liver transplantation from donation after circulatory death donors

Liver transplantation (LT) with donation after circulatory death (DCD) donors has been associated with a high rate of ischemic‐type biliary strictures (ITBSs) and inferior graft survival. To investigate the impact of an intraoperative tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) on outcomes following DCD LT, we conducted a retrospective analysis of DCD LT at the Toronto General Hospital (TGH) and the Ochsner Medical Center (OMC). Between 2009 and 2013, 85 DCD LTs were performed with an intraoperative tPA injection (n = 30 at TGH, n = 55 at OMC), and they were compared with 33 DCD LTs without a tPA. Donor and recipient characteristics were similar in the 2 groups. There was no significant difference in the intraoperative packed red blood cell transfusion requirement (3.2 ± 3.4 versus 3.1 ± 2.3 U, P = 0.74). Overall, biliary strictures occurred less commonly in the tPA‐treated group (16.5% versus 33.3%, P = 0.07) with a much lower rate of diffuse intrahepatic strictures (3.5% versus 21.2%, P = 0.005). After 1 and 3 years, the tPA group versus the non‐tPA group had superior patient survival (97.6% versus 87.0% and 92.7% versus 79.7%, P = 0.016) and graft survival (96.4% versus 69.7% and 90.2% versus 63.6%, P < 0.001). In conclusion, a tPA injection into the hepatic artery during DCD LT reduces ITBSs and improves graft and patient survival without increasing the risk for bleeding. Liver Transpl 21:321–328, 2015.

An analysis of hepatic retransplantation in children

BACKGROUND The limited supply of organ donors has led some groups to reconsider the role of retransplantation. Historically, except for children with malignancies, extrahepatic sources of sepsis, or severe irreversible neurologic injuries, our institution has offered all children with failing liver grafts the option of retransplantation regardless of their current severity of illness. The purpose of this study was to examine the outcome of hepatic retransplantation in children in an attempt to identify factors predictive of outcome and to assess the results of our approach to retransplantation. METHODS Between October 1984 and December 1995, 314 children less than 15 years of age underwent a total of 441 liver transplants. Data were obtained retrospectively by review of hospital records. RESULTS With a mean follow-up period of 5.3+/-2.7 years, the overall patient survival rates at 1 and 5 years were 77.1% and 67.1%, respectively. Primary allograft survival rates were 65.6% and 56.5%, respectively. Of the 137 patients who developed failure of their primary allograft, 92 underwent retransplantation (29.3% of all primary transplants). Both patient and allograft survival rates were significantly decreased after retransplantation (P<0.0001 versus primary transplants). Univariate and multivariate analysis of retransplanted patients revealed only two factors that were statistically related to patient and graft survival: age at the time of retransplantation (P<0.02 univariate and P<0.05 multivariate) and retransplantation with a reduced-size allograft (P<0.005 univariate and P<0.05 multivariate). In this series, the effect on patient survival of differences in medical condition as reflected by United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) status approached, but did not achieve, significance (P=0.08 for UNOS 1 versus UNOS 2 and 3). UNOS status did not affect graft survival. Neither the cause of primary allograft loss or the timing of retransplantation relative to the first transplant were related to outcome. CONCLUSIONS These data demonstrate that the failure of primary hepatic allografts remains a major problem in pediatric liver transplantation and that the overall results of retransplantation were significantly worse than those associated with primary transplants. We have identified a group of children who experienced a significantly worse outcome after retransplantation. This group consisted of children less than 3 years of age retransplanted using reduced-size grafts. Based on this finding, we now attempt to avoid retransplanting young children with reduced-size grafts. By using this approach, we hope to be able to offer children the option of retransplantation with improved results and simultaneously minimize the negative impact on patients awaiting primary transplants.