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Selected AbstractsBiliary reconstruction using non-penetrating, tissue everting clips versus conventional sewn biliary anastomosis in liver transplantationHPB, Issue 2 2006K. Tyson Thomas Background. Biliary complications occur following approximately 25% of liver transplantations. Efforts to decrease biliary complications include methods designed to diminish tissue ischemia. Previously, we reported excellent short-term results and decreased biliary anastomosis time in a porcine liver transplant model using non-penetrating, tissue everting clips (NTEC), specifically VCS® clips. Methods. We examined the incidence of biliary anastomotic complications in a group of patients in whom orthotopic liver transplantation was performed with biliary reconstruction using NTEC and compared that group to a matched group treated with biliary reconstruction via conventional end-to-end sewn choledochocholedochostomy. Patients were matched in a 1:2 fashion by age at transplantation, disease etiology, Child-Turcot-Pugh scores, MELD score or UNOS status (prior to 1998), cold and warm ischemia times, organ donor age, and date of transplantation. Results. Seventeen patients had clipped anastomosis and 34 comparison patients had conventional sewn anastomosis. There were no differences between groups in terms of baseline clinical or demographic data. The median time from completion of the hepatic artery anastomosis to completion of clipped versus conventional sewn biliary anastomosis was 45 (interquartile range = 20 min) versus 47 min (interquartile range = 23 min), respectively (p=0.12). Patients were followed for a mean of 29 months. Biliary anastomotic complications, including leak or anastomotic stricture, were observed in 18% of the clipped group and 24% of the conventional sewn group. Conclusions. Biliary reconstruction can be performed clinically using NTEC as an alternative to conventional sewn biliary anastomoses with good results. [source] Graft and patient survival after adult live donor liver transplantation compared to a matched cohort who received a deceased donor transplantationLIVER TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 10 2004Paul J. Thuluvath Live donor liver transplantation (LDLT) has become increasingly common in the United States and around the world. In this study, we compared the outcome of 764 patients who received LDLT in the United States and compared the results with a matched population that received deceased donor transplantation (DDLT) using the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) database. For each LDLT recipient (n = 764), two DDLT recipients (n = 1,470), matched for age, gender, race, diagnosis, and year of transplantation, were selected from the UNOS data after excluding multiple organ transplantation or retransplantation, children, and those with incomplete data. Despite our matching, recipients of LDLT had more stable liver disease, as shown by fewer patients with UNOS status 1 or 2A, in an intensive care unit, or on life support. Creatinine and cold ischemia time were also lower in the LDLT group. Primary graft nonfunction, hyperacute rejection rates, and patient survival by Kaplan-Meier analysis were similar in both groups (2-year survival was 79.0% in LDLT vs. 80.7% in case-controls; P = .5), but graft survival was significantly lower in LDLT (2-year graft survival was 64.4% vs. 73.3%; P < .001). Cox regression (after adjusting for confounding variables) analysis showed that LDLT recipients were 60% more likely to lose their graft compared to DDLT recipients (hazard ratio [HR] 1.6; confidence interval 1.1-2.5). Among hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients, LDLT recipients showed lower graft survival when compared to those who received DDLT. In conclusion, short-term patient survival in LDLT is similar to that in the DDLT group, but graft survival is significantly lower in LDLT recipients. LDLT is a reasonable option for patients who are unlikely to receive DDLT in a timely fashion. (Liver Transpl 2004;10:1263,1268.) [source] A model to predict survival at one month, one year, and five years after liver transplantation based on pretransplant clinical characteristicsLIVER TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 5 2003Paul J. Thuluvath MD Reliable models that could predict outcome of liver transplantation (LT) may guide physicians to advise their patients of immediate and late survival chances and may help them to optimize organ use. The objective of this study was to develop user-friendly models to predict short and long-term mortality after LT in adults based on pre-LT recipient characteristics. The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) transplant registry (n = 38,876) from 1987 to 2001 was used to develop and validate the model. Two thirds of patients were randomized to develop the model (the modeling group), and the remaining third was randomized to cross-validate (the cross-validation group) it. Three separate models, using multivariate logistic regression analysis, were created and validated to predict survival at 1 month, 1 year, and 5 years. Using the total severity scores of patients in the modeling group, a predictive model then was created, and the predicted probability of death as a function of total score then was compared in the cross-validation group. The independent variables that were found to be very significant for 1 month and 1 year survival were age, body mass index (BMI), UNOS status 1, etiology, serum bilirubin (for 1 month and 1 year only), creatinine, and race (only for 5 years). The actual deaths in the cross-validation group followed very closely the predicted survival graph. The chi-squared goodness-of-fit test confirmed that the model could predict mortality reliably at 1 month, 1 year, and 5 years. We have developed and validated user-friendly models that could reliably predict short-term and long-term survival after LT. [source] Consequences of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus in liver transplant recipients: a matched control studyCLINICAL TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 6 2005Michelle Gearhart Abstract:, Background:, Liver transplant recipients are at high risk for multi-drug resistant infections because of broad-spectrum antibiotic and immunosuppression. This study evaluates the clinical and financial impact of vancomycin resistant Enterococcus (VRE) in liver transplant recipients. Methods:, Liver transplant recipients with VRE from 1995 to 2002 were identified and matched (age, gender, UNOS status, liver disease and transplant date) to controls. Demographics, clinical factors, co-infections, antibiotic use, length of stay, abdominal surgeries, biliary complications, survival and resource utilization were compared with matched controls. Results:, Nineteen patients were found to have 28 VRE infections via evaluation of microbiologic culture results of all liver transplant patients in the transplant registry. Thirty-eight non-VRE patients served as matched controls. The four most common sites VRE was cultured from included blood (35%), peritoneal fluid (35%), bile (20%), and urine (12%). Median time from transplant to infection was 48 d (range of 4,348). No significant differences in demographics were observed. The VRE group had a higher incidence of prior antibiotic use than the non-VRE group (95% vs. 34%; p < 0.05). The VRE group also experienced more abdominal surgery (20/19 vs. 3/38; p = 0.029), biliary complications (9/19 vs. 9/38; p = 0.018) and a longer length of stay (42.5 vs. 21.7 d; p = .005). Survival in the VRE group was lower (52% vs. 82%; p = 0.048). Six of the 19 VRE patients were treated with linezolid for eight infection episodes, and four of six patients survived. Eight patients were treated with quinupristin/dalfopristin for nine infections, and two of eight survived. Increased cost of care was observed in the VRE group. Laboratory costs were higher in the VRE group ($6500 vs. 1750; p = 0.02) as well. Conclusion:, VRE was associated with prior antibiotic use, multiple abdominal surgeries, biliary complications and resulted in decreased survival compared to non-VRE control patients. VRE patients also utilized more hospital resources. Linezolid showed a trend toward improved survival. [source] |