The potential impact of using donations after cardiac death on the liver transplantation program and waiting list in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil

Eleazar Chaib, Eduardo Massad – 24 November 2008 – Liver transplantation was first performed at the University of Sao Paulo School of Medicine in 1968. Since then, the patient waiting list for liver transplantation has increased at a rate of 150 new cases per month. Liver transplantation itself rose 1.84‐fold (from 160 to 295) from 1988 to 2004. However, the number of patients on the liver waiting list jumped 2.71‐fold (from 553 to 1500). Consequently, the number of deaths on the liver waiting list moved to a higher level, from 321 to 671, increasing 2.09‐fold.

Impact of immunosuppression without steroids on rejection and hepatitis C virus evolution after liver transplantation: Results of a prospective randomized study

Laura Lladó, Joan Fabregat, Jose Castellote, Emilio Ramos, Xavier Xiol, Jaume Torras, Teresa Serrano, Carme Baliellas, Joan Figueras, Agustin Garcia‐Gil, Antoni Rafecas – 24 November 2008 – The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of a steroid‐free immunosuppression on hepatitis C virus (HCV) recurrence. A total of 198 liver transplantation (LT) patients were randomized to receive immunosuppression with basiliximab and cyclosporine, either with prednisone (steroid [St] group) or without prednisone (no steroids [NoSt] group).

Hydroxyethyl starch–based preservation solutions enhance gene therapy vector delivery under hypothermic conditions

Scot D. Henry, Pascal van der Wegen, Herold J. Metselaar, Bob J. Scholte, Hugo W. Tilanus, Luc J. W. van der Laan – 24 November 2008 – Isolated liver perfusion offers a unique prospect for safe, effective targeting of gene therapies that can be directed against allograft rejection or recurrent diseases such as reinfection by hepatitis C virus (HCV). We aimed to examine the effect of organ preservation solutions on vector‐based gene therapy delivery under hypothermic conditions.

Biliary reconstruction for infantile living donor liver transplantation: Roux‐en‐Y hepaticojejunostomy or duct‐to‐duct choledochocholedochostomy?

Yasumasa Shirouzu, Hideaki Okajima, Satsuki Ogata, Yuki Ohya, Yukika Tsukamoto, Hidekazu Yamamoto, Takayuki Takeichi, Lee Kwang‐Jong, Katsuhiro Asonuma, Yukihiro Inomata – 24 November 2008 – Hepaticojejunostomy is a standard biliary reconstruction method for infantile living donor liver transplantation (LDLT), but choledochocholedochostomy for infants is not generally accepted yet. Ten pediatric recipients weighing no more than 10 kg underwent duct‐to‐duct choledochocholedochostomy (DD) for biliary reconstruction for LDLT.

Report of the Paris consensus meeting on expanded criteria donors in liver transplantation

François Durand, John F. Renz, Barbara Alkofer, Patrizia Burra, Pierre‐Alain Clavien, Robert J. Porte, Richard B. Freeman, Jacques Belghiti – 24 November 2008 – Because of organ shortage and a constant imbalance between available organs and candidates for liver transplantation, expanded criteria donors are needed. Experience shows that there are wide variations in the definitions, selection criteria, and use of expanded criteria donors according to different geographic areas and different centers. Overall, selection criteria for donors have tended to be relaxed in recent years.

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