Liver retransplantation study detailed

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Liver retransplantation study detailed

BERLIN,

Feb. 5 (UPI) -- A German study of liver re-transplantation spanning 15 years

finds there were fewer rejections, complications, and recurrence of disease

during that time.

Researchers,

led by Dr. Pfitzmann of the Virchow Charity Clinic in Berlin,

say the positive trend might be due to improvements in intensive care

management and immunosuppressants, along with early

decisions about when to re-transplant despite the shortage of quality donor

organs.

The study

involved 119 re-transplant recipients in the clinic between 1989 and 2003. Indications for re-transplant included initial

non-function of a transplanted liver, recurrence of the underlying disease,

rejection, blood clots in the main artery that carries blood to the liver, and

ischemic-type-biliary-lesions, a complication of liver transplants.

Sixty-five

percent of re-transplants were performed within the first year of the initial

transplant, the vast majority taking place within three months.

The mean

follow-up was approximately 5 years.

The

detailed study's methodology and results appear in the February issue of the

journal Liver Transplantation.

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