Single-center experience with liver transplantation from controlled non-heartbeating donors: a viable source of grafts

BACKGROUND: To increase the number of livers available for transplantation a non-heartbeating donor (NHBD) liver transplant program was started after obtaining hospital ethical committee approval. METHODS: Controlled donors with a warm ischemia of <30 minutes were considered. A 5-minute stand-off period was observed from asystole to skin incision. A super-rapid technique was used for the retrieval. Methods used to assess the suitability for transplantation included liver function tests, morphologic and histologic assessment, and hepatocyte viability testing. RESULTS: Sixty livers were retrieved from NHBDs. Of these, 33 were judged suitable for transplantation. Of these one was exported and transplanted, and one could not be matched to a suitable recipient. A further 27 were not used because of liver appearance in 21, prolonged hypoxia and hypotension in 4, poor perfusion in 1, and donor malignancy in 1. Mean donor age was 39.4 years (range, 0.75-67 years). Causes of death were head trauma in 10 donors, intracranial bleed in 24, and anoxic/ischemic brain injury in 26. Mean warm ischemia time was 14.7 minutes (range, 7-40 minutes). Thirty-two patients were transplanted (one split liver), and the mean age of the recipients was 38.4 years (range, 0.7-72 years). All grafts had good early function except one right lobe split. There were 4 deaths resulting from ischemic brain injury, chronic rejection, biliary sepsis, and multiorgan failure following retransplantation for primary nonfunction. Overall patient and graft survival is 87% and 84%, respectively, at a median follow-up of 15 months. CONCLUSIONS: Early results suggest that controlled NHBDs are a significant new source of grafts, but careful donor selection and short cold ischemia are mandatory.     

Living donor liver transplantation in children: Should the adult donor be operated on by an adult or pediatric surgeon? Experience of a single pediatric center

Background/Purpose

Living donor liver transplantation has become a cornerstone for the treatment of children with end-stage hepatic dysfunction, especially within populations or countries with low rates of organ utilization from deceased donors. The objective is to report our experience with 185 living donors operated on by a team pediatric surgeons in a tertiary center for pediatric liver transplantation.

Methods

Retrospective analysis of medical records of donors of hepatic grafts for transplant undergoing surgery between June 1998 and March 2013.

Results

Over the last 14 years, 185 liver transplants were performed in pediatric recipients of grafts from living donors. Among the donors, 166 left lateral segments (89.7%), 18 left lobes without the caudate lobe (9.7%) and 1 right lobe (0.5%) were harvested. The donor age ranged from 16 to 53 years, and the weight ranged from 47 to 106 kg. In 10 donors, an additional graft of the donor inferior mesenteric vein was harvested to substitute for a hypoplastic recipient portal vein. The transfusion of blood products was required in 15 donors (8.1%). The mean hospital stay was 5 days. No deaths occurred, but complications were identified in 23 patients (12.4%): 9 patients experienced abdominal pain and severe gastrointestinal symptoms and 3 patients required reoperations. Eight donors presented with minor bile leaks that were treated conservatively, and 3 patients developed extra-peritoneal infections (1 wound collection, 1 phlebitis and 1 pneumonia). Eight grafts (4.3%) showed primary dysfunction resulting in recipient death (3 cases of fulminant hepatitis, 1 patient with metabolic disease, 1 patient with Alagille syndrome and 3 cases of biliary atresia in infants under 1 year old). There was no relation between donor complications and primary graft dysfunction (P = 0.6).

Conclusions

Living donor transplantation is safe for the donor and presents a low morbidity. The donor surgery may be performed by a team of trained pediatric surgeons.     

Liver transplantation using non-heart-beating donors: Belgian experience

Mortality on liver transplantation (OLT) waiting lists has increased dramatically. Until recently, non-heart-beating donors (NHBD) were not considered suitable for OLT, because of a higher risk of primary graft nonfunction (PNF) and biliary strictures. However, recent experimental/clinical evidence has indicated that NHBD-OLT is feasible when the period of warm ischemia is short. PURPOSE: To characterize the results of NHBD-OLT in Belgium, a survey was sent to all Belgian OLT centers. RESULTS: Between January 2003 and November 2005, 16 livers originating from NHBD were procured and transplanted. The mean donor age was 48.8 years, including 9 males and 7 females with mean time of stop-therapy to cardiac arrest being 18 minutes and from cardiac arrest to liver cold perfusion, 10.5 minutes. Mean recipient age was 52.2 years including 12 males and 4 females. Mean cold ischemia time was 7 hours 15 minutes. No PNF requiring re-OLT was observed. Mean post-OLT peak transaminase was 2209 IU/L, which was higher among imported versus locally procured grafts. Biliary complications occurred in 6 patients requiring re-OLT (n = 2), endoscopic treatment (n = 2), surgical treatment (n = 1), or left untreated (n = 1). These tended to be more frequent after prolonged warm ischemia. Graft and patient survivals were 62.5% and 81.3%, respectively, with a follow-up of 3 to 36 months. CONCLUSION: This survey showed acceptable graft/patient survivals after NHBD-LT. The NHBD-liver grafts suffered a high rate of ischemic injury and biliary complications and therefore should be used carefully, namely with no additional donor risk factors, lower risk recipients, and short cold/warm ischemia.     

供肝短缺形势下的我国肝移植策略

近5年来我国肝移植发展非常迅速,然而,供肝短缺成为制约临床肝移植发展的瓶颈。因此,拓展供肝来源成为目前肝移植临床的重点。活体肝移植在尸体供肝受限的情况下可以很好地扩展供肝来源,且活体供肝具有活力强、冷缺血时间短等优势;劈裂式肝移植可增加15％～28％的供肝数量,有望成为解决供肝短缺的主要手术方式之一;脑死亡供者在西方国家是移植器官的主要来源,在我国亦有广大的应用前景,但脑死亡供者器官移植刚刚起步,有许多问题亟待研究;此外,边缘供肝,包括脂肪变性肝脏、HBsAg阳性肝脏、超过60岁的高龄供者捐献的肝脏、冷缺血时间超过14h的盱脏等均可用以缓解日益突出的供肝短缺矛盾。     

大鼠心脏停搏供体肝移植的实验研究

目的 探讨大鼠原位肝移植过程中,供肝可能耐受心脏停搏热缺血损伤的时间极限,方法 雄性SD大鼠,以供肝获取前供体大鼠经历心脏停搏时间0、15、30、45、60min分为5组（HB组、N-15组、N-30组、N-45组和N-60组）,而后行大鼠原位肝移植,比较各组的术后肝功能、肝脏病理和存活率。结果 HB、N-15、N-30、N-45和N-60的大鼠肝移植术后1周存活率分别为：100%（8/8）、75%（6/8）、62.5%(5/8)、25%（2/8）和0%（0/8）。其中HB、N-15、N-30组和N-45组的大鼠肝移植最长存活时间超过30d。结论 大鼠供肝对于热缺血损伤的时间应越短越好,但耐受30min心脏停搏热缺血损伤时,仍可使1周存活率达62.5%,极限时间为45min。     

The significance of preserving the energy status and microcirculation in liver grafts from non-heart-beating donor

To complete a successful liver transplantation (LTx) from non-heart-beating donors (NHBD), it is necessary to both improve the energy status in liver grafts and to reduce the exposure to free radicals. This study investigated the effects of short perfusion with oxygenated buffer on the grafts prior to cold preservation. In addition, the effects of the antioxidant, biliverdin, for reduction of free radicals was investigated. Male Wistar rats were used. Livers were retrieved, preserved in UW solution, and perfused for 60 min with oxygenated Krebs-Henseleit solution. Rats were allocated to six groups as follows (n=5): (i) control group-no warm ischemia (WI) and cold preservation, (ii) HBD group--no WI with cold preservation for 6 h; (iii) NHBD group--with 30 min of WI and cold preservation, (iv) NM group--with WI including nafamostat mesilate infusion before cardiac arrest and cold preservation; (v) PRE group--with WI, 30-min pre-cold preservation perfusion with oxygenated buffer after cardiac arrest, and cold preservation, (vi) BV group-with the same treatment as the PRE group plus the addition of biliverdin to the pre-cold preservation perfusion. The portal flow volume, bile production, AST, and TNF-alpha in perfusate, energy charge (EC), and ATP level in the tissue, and histological findings were investigated. The portal flow volume in the NM, PRE, and BV groups were higher than in the NHBD group. The bile production in the PRE and BV groups were also higher than in the NHBD group. The EC and ATP level of the BV group after reperfusion were higher than those of the NHBD group. Pre-cold preservation perfusion and addition of biliverdin to perfusate improved viability of grafts from NHBD. The results indicate that the preservation of the energy status and microcirculation of the graft is important for successful LTx from NHBD.     

Liver Transplantation from Donors Aged 80 Years and Over: Pushing the Limit

Older donors are a growing part of the total donor pool but no definite consensus exists on the limit of age for their acceptance. From November 1998 to January 2003, in a retrospective case-control multicenter study, we compared the outcome of 30 orthotopic liver transplantations (OLTs) with octogenarian donors and of 60 chronologically correlated OLTs performed with donors <40 years. The percentage of refusal was greater among older than younger donors (48.2 vs. 14.3%; p < 0.001). Cold ischemia was significantly shorter in the older than younger groups. Recipients with hepatocarcinoma and older age received octogenarian grafts more frequently. No differences were seen in post-operative complications and 6-month graft and patient survival. However, long-term survival was lower in patients transplanted with octogenarian donors (p = 0.04). Interestingly, the mortality related to hepatitis C recurrence was greater in patients with octogenarian donors. Accordingly, the long-term survival of HCV-positive patients who received older grafts was lower than those receiving younger grafts (p = 0.05). Octogenarian livers can be used safely but a careful donor evaluation and a short cold ischemia are required to prevent additional risk factors. However, hepatitis C recurrence is associated with a greater mortality in patients who received octogenarian grafts raising concerns whether to allocate these livers to HCV-positive recipients.     

Long-term results for liver transplantation from non-heart-beating donors maintained with chest and abdominal compression-decompression

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to evaluate long-term results after liver transplantation from non-heart-beating donors (NHBD) using the method of chest and abdominal compression-decompression to maintain donors. METHODS: From December 1995 to November 2004, 10 NHBD were identified and maintained by means of the method of chest and abdominal compression-decompression until family and judicial permission were granted. Nine donors were Maastricht type II and one was type IV. RESULTS: The mean age of donors was 40.5 years and the mean time under cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was 80 minutes. Orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) was performed using these 10 liver grafts after a mean cold ischemia time of 561.5 minutes. All patients developed good posttransplant function, except for one patient who presented with primary nonfunction corrected with retransplantation. This complication was directly related to a long CPR time (P < .01). After a mean follow-up of 57 months, only one patient died from a hepatitis C virus (HCV) recurrence. The rest of the patients have maintained good graft function over time. CONCLUSIONS: NHBD maintained with the method of chest and abdominal compression-decompression are a valid choice to increase the donor pool. Liver transplantation using these grafts has proven good long-term results, comparable to their heart-beating counterparts.     

Split Liver Transplantation for Two Adult Recipients: An Initial Experience

The shortage of cadaver donor livers has been most severe for adult patients. Split liver transplantation is one method to expand the donor pool, but to have a significant impact on the waiting list, it needs to be applied for 2 adult recipients. We split livers from 6 cadaver donors, and transplanted 12 adult recipients. All splits were performed in situ with transection through the midplane of the liver, resulting in a right lobe and a left lobe graft. Mean donor age was 19.7 years; mean donor weight was 79.1 kg. Mean recipient age was 41.5 years. Mean weight of right lobe recipients was 89 kg; left lobe recipients, 60 kg. All donors were hemodynamically stable and had normal liver function tests. Mean operative time for the procurement was 7.4 h. Average blood loss during the transection of the liver was 490 mL. Mean GW/ RW ratio for all recipients was 0.87%; right lobe recipients, 0.86%; and left lobe recipients, 0.88%. With mean follow-up of 9.3 months, patient and graft survival rates were both 83.3%. There were 2 deaths: 1 after hepatic artery thrombosis (HAT) and subsequent multiorgan failure; the other after HAT, a liver retransplant, and subsequent gram-negative sepsis. The remaining 10 recipients are doing well. We observed no cases of primary nonfunction. Other complications included bile leak and/or stenosis (n = 3), bleeding from the Roux loop (n = 1), bleeding after percutaneous biopsy (n = 1), and incisional hernia (n = 1). In conclusion, split liver transplantation, using 1 cadaver liver for 2 adult recipients, can be performed successfully. Crucial to success is proper donor and recipient selection.     

The choice of recipient does not have a bearing on early outcome in liver transplant patients receiving grafts from non-heart-beating donors: a reappraisal?

INTRODUCTION: Donation after cardiac death has reemerged as a potential way of increasing the supply of organs for transplantation. We retrospectively reviewed the outcomes of non-heart-beating donor (NHBD) liver transplantation (OLT) experience and compared with standard heart-beating donation (HBD) at a single center. METHODS: From October 2003 to November 2006, 13/111 liver transplantations were performed in our institution with NHBD. Living donor liver transplantation, splitting procedures, combined, and pediatric liver transplantations were excluded from this analysis. RESULTS: Donor population was similar in both groups. The median warm ischemia time was 10 minutes (range 6 to 38). The median cold ischemia times 6 hours and 16 minutes (2.4 to 6.30 hours and 9 hours and 14 minutes (2.15 to 15.35 hours) for NHBD and HBD groups, respectively (P = .0002). In the NHBD groups, 4/13 (31%) grafts were retransplanted within 3 months, due to ischemic biliary lesions with severe cholestasis (n = 3) or due to the occurrence of primary nonfunction (n = 1). The retransplantation rate was significantly lower in the HBD group (11/98, 11%; P = .03). One-year patient and graft survivals were 62% and 54% versus 86% and 79%, respectively, for the NHBD and HBD groups (P = .107 and P = .003). CONCLUSION: Liver grafts procured from donors after cardiac death accounted for a significantly greater retransplantation rates, mainly due to nonanastomotic biliary strictures. This risk must be taken into account when transplanting such grafts. Based upon this experience, NHBD cannot rival HBD to be a comparable source of quality organs for liver transplantation.     

The influence of donor age on initial and long-term renal allograft outcome

Abstract To investigate the impact of donor age on the immediate and long-term graft outcome, 808 primary cadaveric renal allograft recipients, transplanted between January 1983 and December 1992, were divided into six groups according to donor age: 10–19 years ( n = 142), 20–29 years ( n = 214), 30–39 years ( n = 136), 40–49 years ( n = 146), 50–59 years ( n = 142), 60–69 years ( n = 28). The six groups were comparable with regard to donor origin (local/ distant), serum creatinine, cold ischemia and reanastomosis time, recipient sex, degree of presensitiza-tion, number of pretransplant blood transfusions, number of HLA-B and B/DR mismatches. The incidence of delayed graft function was linearly correlated with increasing donor age, from 11.9% (donors 10–19 years) to 39.3% (donors 60–69 years) (P< 0.0001). Graft survival at 3 years was not influenced by donor age (from 89.3% for the youngest donors to 84.4% for donors 60–69 years). After the 3rd decade, the creatinine clearance linearly decreased with donor age (6.2ml/min, P<0.01). This progressive decline could not be attributed to the recipient age (-7 ml/decade for 485 recipients <50 years, and -6.1 ml/decade for 323 patients ≥ 50 years). Despite the decreased function in older kidneys, recipient renal function remained remarkably stable between 1 and 3 years after transplantation within each donor age group.     

Liver transplantation in children using organs from young paediatric donors

Nowadays, most paediatric liver transplant recipients receive a split or other technical variant graft from adult deceased or live donors, because of a lack of available age‐ and size matched paediatric donors. Few data are available, especially for liver grafts obtained from very young children (<6 years). We analysed all paediatric liver transplantations between 1989 and 2009. Recipients were divided into five groups (1–5) depending on donor age (<1, ≥1 to <6, ≥6 to <16, ≥16 to <45, ≥45 years). Overall, 413 paediatric liver transplantations from deceased donors were performed; 1‐ and 5‐year graft survival rates were 75%, 80%, 78%, 81%, 74% and 75%, 64%, 70%, 67%, 46%, and 1‐ and 5‐year patient survival rates were 88%, 91%, 90%, 89%, 78% and 88%, 84%, 84%, 83%, 63% for groups 1–5, respectively, without significant difference. Eight children received organs from donors younger than 1 year and 45 children received organs from donors between 1 and 6 years of age. Overall, vascular complications occurred in 13.2% of patients receiving organs from donors younger than 6 years. Analysis of our data revealed that the usage of liver grafts from donors younger than 6 years is a safe procedure. The outcome was comparable with grafts from older donors with excellent graft and patient survival, even for donors younger than 1 year.     

Liver transplantations with donors aged 60 years and above: the low liver damage strategy

According to transplant registries, grafts from elderly donors have lower survival rates. During 1999–2005, we evaluated the outcomes of 89 patients who received a liver from a donor aged ≥ 60 years and managed with the low liver-damage strategy (LLDS), based on the preoperative donor liver biopsy and the shortest possible ischemia time (group D ≥ 60-LLDS). Group D ≥ 60-LLDS was compared with 198 matched recipients, whose grafts were not managed with this strategy (89 donors < 60 years, group D < 60-no-LLDS and 89 donors aged ≥60 years, group D ≥ 60-no-LLDS). In the donors proposed from the age group of ≥60 years, the number of donors rejected decreased during the study period and the LLDS was found to be responsible for this in a significant manner (47% vs. 60%, respectively P  < 0.01). Among the recipients transplanted, the clinical features (age, gender, viral infection, child and model for end-stage liver disease score) were comparable among groups, but group D ≥ 60-LLDS had a lower mean ischemia time: 415 ± 106 min vs. 465 ± 111 (D < 60-no-LLDS), P  < 0.05 and vs. 476 ± 94 (D ≥ 60-no-LLDS), P  < 0.05. After a median follow-up of 3 years, the 1- and 3-year graft survival rates of group D ≥ 60-LLDS (84% and 76%) were comparable with group D < 60-no-LLDS (89% and 76%) and were significantly higher than group D ≥ 60-no-LLDS (71% and 54%), P  < 0.005. In conclusion, the LLDS optimized the use of livers from elderly donors.     

双肝移植后移植物萎缩的动物实验探究

目的通过动物实验验证临床双肝移植后移植物萎缩的现象。 方法清洁级雄性SD大鼠18只,8～10周龄,体质量230～250 g,术前禁食12 h。12只SD大鼠作为供体,6只作为受体。建立大鼠双肝移植模型,通过磁共振检查观测受体大鼠术后移植物体积变化。采用成组t检验比较受体大鼠左、右侧移植物体积和重量。P<0.05为差异有统计学意义。 结果移植肝叶均为双右上叶。供肝重量和受体大鼠肝重量分别为(4.30±0.06)和(9.4±0.2)g,移植物与受体大鼠体质量、肝重量比分别为1.79%～1.88%、45.7%～46.8%。手术时间(70±4)min,冷缺血时间(30.0±1.5)min,热缺血时间(12.0±1.5)min,无肝期(20.0±2.5)min。6只受体大鼠双肝移植后1 d行磁共振检查,两侧移植物体积相同;术后15 d行磁共振检查,有3只发生单侧移植物萎缩。 结论大鼠双肝移植后部分受体一侧移植物会发生萎缩。     

Application of pediatric donors in split liver transplantation: Is there an age limit?

The experience of using pediatric donors in split liver transplant is exceedingly rare. We aim to investigate the outcomes of recipients receiving split pediatric grafts. Sixteen pediatric recipients receiving split liver grafts from 8 pediatric donors < 7 years were enrolled. The donor and recipient characteristics, perioperative course, postoperative complications, and graft and recipient survival rates were evaluated. The mean follow‐up time was 8.0 ± 2.3 months. The graft and recipient survival rates were 100%. The liver function remained in the normal range at the end of the follow‐up time in all recipients. No life‐threatening complications were seen in these recipients, and the only surgery‐related complication was portal vein stenosis in 1 recipient. Cytomegalovirus infection was the most common complication (62.5%). The transaminase level was significant higher in extended right lobe recipients in the early postoperative days, but the difference vanished at the end of first week; postoperative complications and graft and recipient survival rates did not differ between left and right graft recipients. Notably, the youngest split donor graft (2.7 years old) was associated with ideal recipient outcomes. Split liver transplant using well‐selected pediatric donors is a promising strategy to expand pediatric donor source in well‐matched recipients.     

Ischemic cholangiopathy after liver transplantation from controlled non-heart-beating donors-a single-center experience

BACKGROUND: Previous reports have shown that livers from controlled non-heart-beating-donors (NHBD) are associated with higher rates of primary failure and ischemic cholangiopathy of orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) as a complication of the prolonged warm ischemia. METHODS: This retrospective review of activities from 1999 to 2006 examined donor characteristics of age, liver function tests, warm ischemic time before (1WITa) and after cardiac arrest (1WITb), cold ischemic time (CIT) and transplant results. RESULTS: Eleven NHBD retrieved livers were transplanted from "ideal" donors except for one elderly donor (73 years). Of the 11 recipients, 3 developed biliary cholangiopathy (27%). There were no episodes of primary graft nonfunction, but one recipient displayed primary graft dysfunction. Two recipients died: one due to biliary complications with sepsis (long CIT >10 hours, fatty liver), and the other due to aspiration pneumonia and hypoxic brain damage with normal liver function. One recipient required retransplantation owing to ischemic cholangiopathy (1WITb 45 min) at 6 months after OLT with a good result. The other eight recipients are alive (observation period 72 to 14 months) including six with normal liver function, one with biopsy-proven biliary ischemia and one with recurrent primary sclerosing cholangitis without biliary ischemic changes on biopsy. Among 164 heart-beating donors recipients transplanted in the same period, biliary complications occurred in 27 patients (16%), of whom 12 were leaks and 15 anastomotic strictures. CONCLUSION: NHBD were a good source for livers with reasonable early results. To avoid late complications especially ischemic cholangiopathy, caution is urged with the use of these organs as well as strict donor and ischemic time criteria.     

Liver transplantation from an uncontrolled non-heart-beating donor maintained on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation

Liver transplantation, a definitive treatment for end-stage liver disease, has achieved excellent results. However, potential recipients on the waiting list outnumber donors. To expand the donor pool, marginal grafts from older donors, steatotic livers, and non-heart-beating liver donors (NHBD) have been used for transplantation. Reducing the warm ischemia time of NHBD is the critical factor in organs preservation. Liver transplantation using grafts from NHBD have been reported to display a high incidence of primary graft nonfunction and biliary complications. The authors report a liver graft donor who was maintained on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) after successful cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Core body temperature was 5 degrees C. Procurement of the liver using a rapid flush technique was performed 4 hours after instituting ECMO. Graft function recovered fully after transplantation. In conclusion, ECMO may be used to reduce warm ischemia time in liver grafts obtained from uncontrolled NHBD, thereby increasing graft salvage rates.     

Successful outcome following transplantation of an injured liver from a nonheart beating donor

Nonheart beating donation (NHBD) of the liver is a relatively new potential source of grafts. Guidelines to indications and contraindications to donation from controlled nonheart beating donors are still being formulated. We report a successful case of transplantation of a liver from a controlled nonheart beating donor who sustained significant injuries following a road traffic accident. Emergency laparotomy with peri-hepatic packing was performed to control haemorrhage from lacerations in segments VI and VII. Forceful packing resulted in an area of focal ischaemia in segment VI. Trauma to the liver should not be considered an absolute contraindication to controlled NHBD.     

Liver fatty acid-binding protein: an early and sensitive plasma marker of hepatocellular damage and a reliable predictor of graft viability after liver transplantation from non-heart-beating donors

OBJECTIVE: Liver fatty acid-binding protein (L-FABP) is a small protein (15 kD) involved in the intracellular transport of long-chain fatty acids in the liver. The L-FABP is regarded as a sensitive marker for liver cell damage. In a pig model for liver transplantation (LTx) from non-heart-beating donors (NHBD), we evaluated plasma changes of L-FABP early after reperfusion of grafts exposed to increasing periods of warm ischemia (WI). METHODS: Porcine livers were procured after 0, 15, 30, 45, and 60 minutes' WI. After 4 hours' cold ischemia (CI), LTx was performed. Primary graft nonfunction (PNF) and day 4 survival were recorded. Plasma samples were collected prior to and 15, 60, and 180 minutes after graft reperfusion for determination of L-FABP and aspartate transaminase (AST). RESULTS: Early after reperfusion, levels of L-FABP correlated well with the duration of WI. The PNF developed in 100% of animals after 60 minutes of WI, 50% after 30, and 45 minutes' WI, and was absent after no WI and 15 minutes of WI. Day 4 survival was 100% in 0 minutes' WI, 83% in 15 minutes' WI, 50% in 30 and 45 minutes' WI, and 0% in 60 minutes of WI. CONCLUSIONS: Plasma levels of L-FABP correlated well with WI and concomitant hepatocellular damage in LTx from NHBD. Monitoring of posttransplant L-FABP plasma levels is a valuable new tool to quantify early the extent of parenchymal cell damage of NHBD livers and to predict their viability and function.     

脑死亡来源供肝肝移植9例临床分析

目的总结使用脑死亡来源供肝肝移植的临床经验,初步分析脑死亡来源供肝应用于临床的安全性。方法2006年1月至2007年12月我院器官移植科共实施9例脑死亡来源供肝肝移植。供体年龄16～43岁,死于颅脑外伤7例,死于脑血管意外2例,器官切取前平均动脉压(105±5.2)mmHg(1mmHg=1.333kPa)(6例需使用升压药物),肝功能检测丙氨酸转氨酶(175±40)U/L,天冬氨酸转氨酶(180±46)U/L,总胆红素(40±8.6)mmol/L。受者年龄(48.6±10.1)岁,男性8例,女性1例;术前诊断为肝硬化5例,肝癌4例,术前MELD评分(27.6±6.7)分。结果供肝冷缺血时间为(7.4±2.8)h,所有患者手术顺利。1例于术后7天死于肾功能衰竭。8例受者康复出院并随访6～24个月,1例于术后24个月死于肿瘤复发,其他并发症发生包括急性排斥反应2例,胆道狭窄并感染1例,胆道缺血1例,肺部感染1例。结论按照我们选择脑死亡供肝的原则,肝移植受者术后近期及中期预后良好,具有临床应用前景。