J Korean Soc Transplant.  2014 Mar;28(1):1-4. 10.4285/jkstn.2014.28.1.1.

ABO-Incompatible Living Donor Liver Transplantation

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. yjongman21@gmail.com

Abstract

Poor results after ABO-incompatible living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) are closely associated with severe hyperacute rejection due to the presence of anti-donor ABO antibodies during the early postoperative period. Nonetheless, ABO-incompatible LDLT has not been abandoned, and several different protocols have been proposed with the aim of avoiding acute graft necrosis and chronic biliary damage, both of which are recognized as major causes of poor outcome. Plasmapheresis to decrease anti-ABO titers and rituximab prophylaxis have been utilized to improve the outcome of ABO-incompatible LDLT. The lack of alternatives to LDLT provides a strong ongoing justification for performing ABO-incompatible LDLT in Korea.

Keyword

ABO blood-group system; Rituximab; Plasmapheresis; Treatment

MeSH Terms

ABO Blood-Group System
Antibodies
Humans
Korea
Liver Transplantation*
Liver*
Living Donors*
Necrosis
Plasmapheresis
Postoperative Period
Rituximab
Transplants
ABO Blood-Group System
Antibodies
DB Error: unknown error