Outcome of isolated small bowel and pancreas transplants retrieved from multiorgan donor: the in vivo technique

Even when considering the possibility of organ rejection and the complications of immunosuppression, the risks associated with total parenteral nutrition therapy are life-threatening. Therefore, for patients with end-stage bowel disease small bowel transplantation (SBTx) is the only therapeutic option. The preferred method to procure these organs is debated, especially when, graft retrieval is associated with concurrent abdominal organ procurement of the pancreas, which shares part of the vascular inflow and outflow with the small bowel. While many surgeons procure the graft using the en bloc method, dissecting tissue at the back table, our preference is to use an in vivo technique, which results in shorter cold ischemia times and less bleeding during reperfusion of the pancreas/small bowel as well as decreased ascites production during the postoperative period and less edema and capsular bleeding of the pancreatic grafts. This article presents an analysis of 19 multiorgan cadaveric procurements using the in vivo technique with a focus on the quality of pancreas/small bowel postreperfusion properties during the first 5 to 6 postoperative months.