Grace L. Su, Richard D. Klein, Alireza Aminlari, Hong Y. Zhang, Lars Steinstraesser, William H. Alarcon, Daniel G. Remick, Stewart C. Wang – 30 December 2003 – Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) binding protein (LBP) is a key serum factor that mediates LPS activation of mononuclear cells. In the presence of LBP, 1/1,000 the concentration of LPS is sufficient to activate peripheral blood monocytes.

Emilio Ramos, Antonia Dalmau, Antonio Sabate, Carmen Lama, Laura Llado, Juan Figueras, Eduardo Jaurrieta – 30 December 2003 – Objectives of this study are to quantify the need for blood transfusion during liver transplantation (LT) and confirm the importance of intraoperative blood transfusion as an independent prognostic factor for postoperative outcome. Furthermore, we try to detect useful variables for the preoperative identification of patients likely to require transfusion of packed red blood cell units (PRCUs) and identify measures to reduce transfusion needs.

Yuichi Nakazawa, Yasuhiko Hashikura, Koichi Urata, Toshihiko Ikegami, Masaru Terada, Hideo Yagi, Hiromichi Ishizashi, Masanori Matsumoto, Yoshihiro Fujimura, Shinichi Miyagawa – 30 December 2003 – Defective plasma activity of Von Willebrand factor (VWF)‐cleaving protease (CP) and/or the inhibitors against this protease has been shown to have a pathological role in several forms of thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA). This report describes a patient for whom a diagnosis of TMA was made immediately after living donor liver transplantation.

Chi‐Leung Liu, Yi Zhao, Chung‐Mau Lo, Sheung‐Tat Fan – 30 December 2003 – Inclusion of the middle hepatic vein (MHV) in a right lobe graft is essential to guarantee uniform venous drainage and optimum function of the graft, but end‐to‐end recipient‐to‐donor MHV anastomosis may result in outflow obstruction. To avoid outflow obstruction, we designed the venoplasty technique. From September 2000 to November 2002, 65 adult patients received right lobe live donor liver transplantation (LDLT) with grafts containing the right hepatic vein (RHV) and MHV.

Lydia M. Petrovic – 30 December 2003 – Background: Chronic rejection (CR) in liver allografts show a rapid onset and progressive course, leading to graft failure within the first year after transplantation. Most cases are preceded by episodes of acute cellular rejection (AR), but histological features predictive for the transition toward CR are not well documented. Method: We assessed the predictive value of centrilobular necrosis, central vein endothelialitis (CVE), central vein fibrosis, and lobular inflammation in the development of CR.

30 December 2003

30 December 2003

Marcelo Facciuto, David Heidt, James Guarrera, Carol A. Bodian, Charles M. Miller, Sukru Emre, Stephen R. Guy, Thomas M. Fishbein, Myron E. Schwartz, Patricia A. Sheiner – 30 December 2003 – As patient survival after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) improves, late complications, including late graft failure, more commonly occur and retransplantation (re‐OLT) is required more often. Survival after re‐OLT is poorer than after primary OLT, and given the organ shortage, it is essential that we optimize our use of scarce donor livers.

Thomas Minor, Susanne Akbar, Yuzo Yamamoto – 30 December 2003 – The shortage of organ donors has led to reconsideration for the use of non–heart‐beating donors (NHBDs). However, graft injury caused by warm ischemia in livers from NHBDs strongly affects posttransplantation outcome. The aim of the present study is to investigate the role of adenosine A2 receptor with regard to hepatic viability after cold preservation of NHBD livers. Cardiac arrest was induced in Wistar rats by phrenotomy of the anesthetized nonheparinized animal.

M. Roy First – 30 December 2003