A Survival Case of ABO-Incompatible Liver Transplantation Complicated With Severe Preoperative Infection and Subsequent Overwhelming Postsplenectomy Infection

A 47-year-old Japanese man was transferred to our hospital because of acute-on-chronic hepatitis B virus infection. On admission, he was suffering from sepsis due to a catheter infection and respiratory failure caused by pulmonary edema and pneumonia, but, as a result of preoperative intensive care, we avoided septic shock. ABO-incompatible liver transplantation (ABO-I-LT) was performed. In accordance with our ABO-I-LT protocol, we administered, rituximab and performed plasma exchange, splenectomy as well as hepatic artery infusion. The patient was discharged 80 days after living donor transplantation (LDLT). However, 136 days after LDLT, he experienced recurrent respiratory failure due to severe pneumonia. At that time, the CD19⁺ B-cell count in the peripheral blood flow remained below 1%. We suspected a mixed infection involving Streptococcus pneumonia, Pneumocystis carinii, and fungus. The cause of the complication was overwhelming postsplenectomy infection (OPSI). We started administration of sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim, ciprofloxacin hydrochloride, and micafungin sodium therapy as well as γ-globulin. Oxygenation improved gradually; the patient was discharged at 41 days after re-admission. Although this patient survived the OPSI, it was clear that some aspects of the ABO-I-LT protocol should also be altered.