Graft failure secondary to necrotizing enterocolitis in multi-visceral transplantation recipients: two case reports

We report on two recipients of multi-visceral grafts who exhibited sudden onset of acute abdomen discomfort 2 weeks post-transplantation after a fairly uneventful immediate post-operative course. Both patients were shown to have pneumatosis intestinalis and one had air in the portal vein. Both patients underwent exploration, which showed non-viable intestine (terminal ileum and colon in the first patient and the entire small intestine distal to the ligament of Treitz in the second patient). There was no vascular thrombosis. The necrotic intestine was resected in both cases. The first patient developed sepsis and died 15 days later despite the rescue efforts. The second patient was re-transplanted twice and is doing well. The histopathology of the segments involved revealed cryptitis, vasculitis, and features of transmural necrosis. Accordingly, both clinical and pathologic features are diagnostic of necrotizing enterocolitis. To our knowledge this is the first report of this complication following intestinal or multi-visceral transplantation.