Living donor liver transplantation for high model for endstage liver disease score:What have we learned?

AIM: To assess the impact of model for end-stage liver disease(MELD) score on patient survival and morbidity post living donor liver transplantation(LDLT). METHODS: A retrospective study was performed on 80 adult patients who had LDLT from 2011-2013. Nine patients were excluded and 71 patients were divided into two groups; Group 1 included 38 patients with a MELD score < 20, and Group 2 included 33 patients with a MELD score > 20. Comparison between both groups was done regarding operative time, intra-operative blood requirement, intensive care unit(ICU) and hospital stay, infection, and patient survival.RESULTS: Eleven patients died(15.5%); 3/38(7.9%)patients in Group 1 and 8/33(24.2%) in Group 2 with significant difference(P = 0.02). Mean operative time, duration of hospital stay, and ICU stay were similar in both groups. Mean volume of blood transfusion and cell saver re-transfusion were 8 ± 4 units and 1668 ± 202 m L, respectively, in Group 1 in comparison to 10 ± 6 units and 1910 ± 679 m L, respectively, in Group 2 with no significant difference(P = 0.09 and 0.167, respectively). The rates of infection and systemic complications(renal, respiratory, cardiovascular and neurological complications) were similar in both groups. CONCLUSION: A MELD score > 20 may predict mortality after LDLT.

Biliary complications in recipients of living donor liver transplantation:A single-centre study

BACKGROUND Biliary complications(BCs)after liver transplantation(LT)remain a considerable cause of morbidity,mortality,increased cost,and graft loss.AIM To investigate the impact of BCs on chronic graft rejection,graft failure and mortality.METHODS From 2011 to 2016,215 adult recipients underwent right-lobe living-donor liver transplantation(RT-LDLT)at our centre.We excluded 46 recipients who met the exclusion criteria,and 169 recipients were included in the final analysis.Donors’and recipients’demographic data,clinical data,operative details and postoperative course information were collected.We also reviewed the management and outcomes of BCs.Recipients were followed for at least 12 mo post-LT until December 2017 or graft or patient loss.RESULTS The overall incidence rate of BCs including biliary leakage,biliary infection and biliary stricture was 57.4%.Twenty-seven(16%)patients experienced chronic graft rejection.Graft failure developed in 20(11.8%)patients.A total of 28(16.6%)deaths occurred during follow-up.BCs were a risk factor for the occurrence of chronic graft rejection and failure;however,mortality was determined by recurrent hepatitis C virus infection.CONCLUSION Biliary complications after RT-LDLT represent an independent risk factor for chronic graft rejection and graft failure;nonetheless,effective management of these complications can improve patient and graft survival.

Impact of biliary complications on quality of life in live-donor liver transplant recipients

BACKGROUND Despite significant advancements in liver transplantation(LT)surgical procedures and perioperative care,post-LT biliary complications(BCs)remain a significant source of morbidity,mortality,and graft failure.In addition,data are conflicting regarding the health-related quality of life(HRQoL)of LT recipients.Thus,the success of LT should be considered in terms of both the survival and recovery of HRQoL.AIM To assess the impact of BCs on the HRQoL of live-donor LT recipients(LDLT-Rs).METHODS We retrospectively analysed data for 25 LDLT-Rs who developed BCs post-LT between January 2011 and December 2016 at our institution.The Short Form 12 version 2(SF 12v2)health survey was used to assess their HRQoL.We also included 25 LDLT-Rs without any post-LT complications as a control group.RESULTS The scores for HRQoL of LDLT-Rs who developed BCs were significantly higher than the norm-based scores in the domains of physical functioning(P=0.003),role-physical(P<0.001),bodily pain(P=0.003),general health(P=0.004),social functioning(P=0.005),role-emotional(P<0.001),and mental health(P<0.001).No significant difference between the two groups regarding vitality was detected(P=1.000).The LDLT-Rs with BCs had significantly lower scores than LDLT-Rs without BCs in all HRQoL domains(P<0.001)and the mental(P<0.001)and physical(P=0.0002)component summary scores.CONCLUSION The development of BCs in LDLT-Rs causes a lower range of improvement in HRQoL.

Intensive care unit readmission in adult Egyptian patients undergoing living donor liver transplant:A single-centre retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND Patients who undergo living donor liver transplantation(LDLT)may suffer complications that require intensive care unit(ICU)readmission.AIM To identify the incidence,causes,and outcomes of ICU readmission after LDLT.METHODS A retrospective cohort study was conducted on patients who underwent LDLT.The collected data included patient demographics,preoperative characteristics,intraoperative details;postoperative stay,complications,causes of ICU readmission,and outcomes.Patients were divided into two groups according to ICU readmission after hospital discharge.Risk factors for ICU readmission were identified in univariate and multivariate analyses.RESULTS The present study included 299 patients.Thirty-one(10.4%)patients were readmitted to the ICU after discharge.Patients who were readmitted to the ICU were older in age(53.0±5.1 vs 49.4±8.8,P=0.001)and had a significantly higher percentage of women(29%vs 13.4%,P=0.032),diabetics(41.9%vs 24.6%,P=0.039),hypertensives(22.6%vs 6.3%,P=0.006),and renal(6.5%vs 0%,P=0.010)patients as well as a significantly longer initial ICU stay(6 vs 4 d,respectively,P<0.001).Logistic regression analysis revealed that significant independent risk factors for ICU readmission included recipient age(OR=1.048,95%CI=1.005-1.094,P=0.030)and length of initial hospital stay(OR=0.836,95%CI=0.789-0.885,P<0.001).CONCLUSION The identification of high-risk patients(older age and shorter initial hospital stay)before ICU discharge may help provide optimal care and tailor follow-up to reduce the rate of ICU readmission.

Bacterial infections post-living-donor liver transplantation in Egyptian hepatitis C virus-cirrhotic patients: A singlecenter study

AIM To determine risk factors, causative organisms and antimicrobial resistance of bacterial infections following living-donor liver transplantation(LDLT) in cirrhotic patients.METHODS This prospective study included 45 patients with hepatitis C virus-related end-stage liver disease who underwent LDLT at Ain Shams Center for Organ Transplant, Cairo, Egypt from January 2014 to November 2015. Patients were followed-up for the first 3 mo after LDLT for detection of bacterial infections. All patients were examined for the possible risk factors suggestive of acquiring infection pre-, intra-and post-operatively. Positive cultures based on clinical suspicion and patterns of antimicrobial resistance were identified. RESULTS Thirty-three patients(73.3%) suffered from bacterial infections; 21 of them had a single infection episode, and 12 had repeated infection episodes. Bile was the most common site for both single and repeated episodes of infection(28.6% and 27.8%, respectively). The most common isolated organisms were gramnegative bacteria. Acinetobacter baumannii was the most common organism isolated from both single and repeated infection episodes(19% and 33.3%, respectively), followed by Escherichia coli for repeated infections(11.1%), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa for single infections(19%). Levofloxacin showed high sensitivity against repeated infection episodes(P = 0.03). Klebsiella, Acinetobacter and Pseudomonas were multi-drug resistant(MDR). Pre-transplant hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) and duration of drain insertion(in days) were independent risk factors for the occurrence of repeated infection episodes(P = 0.024).CONCLUSION MDR gram-negative bacterial infections are common post-LDLT. Pre-transplant HCC and duration of drain insertion were independent risk factors for the occurrence of repeated infection episodes.