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Liver transplantation using an organ donor with HELLP syndrome
Pedro J Briceno1, Jorge A Ortiz, Cosme Manzarbeitia
1Department of Surgery, Albert Einstein Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA 19141, USA.
Background:
The shortage of organs for liver transplantation has forced transplant centers to expand the donor pool by using donors traditionally labeled as marginal. One such example is liver transplantation using a donor with HELLP syndrome (hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelets), a disorder of late pregnancy that involves the liver as one of the target organs.
Methods:
Two patients who died from complications of HELLP syndrome were evaluated for attempted multi-organ procurement. Donor characteristics, gross and microscopic liver findings, and procurement and transplant outcomes were reviewed.
Results:
One of the liver allografts was successfully transplanted; the other was not procured because of poor macroscopic appearance.
Conclusion:
It is possible to successfully transplant the liver from a donor that succumbs to HELLP syndrome, provided there is adequate recovery of liver function before procurement.