Clinical Features of Patients who Received Liver Transplantation in China

Baek, Bum Su; Choi, Dong Lak; Han, Young Seok; Kim, Mi Kyung

Abstract

Purpose: Liver transplantation (LT) is now considered as a standard treatment modality for patients with end-stage liver disease. The number of patients waiting for liver graft is continuosly increasing as there is a shortage of brain-dead donors, living donor liver transplantation has been regarded as an alternative. Furthermore, China where donors are more readily available is quickly growing as a place to travel for transplantation.
Methods
Twenty-eight patients who were on follow up after LT in China were enrolled. Pre-transplantation state of donors and recipients, surgical problems at the time of arrival, and complications that were detected on follow up were evaluated and analyzed.
Results
All patients did not have the information of donors and knowledge of their transplanted state. All patients were received conventional deceased donor LT and the type of duct anastomosis was duct to duct technique. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) recurrence was detected in two patients, various prophylaxes were used, and inappropriate modalities were detected. Biliary complications occurred in 6 patients, who were treated with percutanous or endoscopic method. There were 5 patients mortalities: 3 patient-hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence, 1- post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease, 1-cardiac arrhythmia after retransplantation.
Conclusion
The shortage of deceased donor resulted in more and more travel to China for liver transplantation. However, we have problems to solve: lack of donor information, insufficient techniques of transplantation, inappropriate post-transplantation care, and lack of education for immunosuppression and prophylaxis of HBV recurrence. In addition, the efforts to increase donations should be continued.