Liver transplantation for chronic graft-versus-host disease: case report with 10-year follow-up

Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a frequent complication of bone marrow transplantation (BMT). Chronic GVHD (cGVHD) may lead to irreversible liver failure. We report a case of successful liver transplantation (LT) for end-stage liver failure because of cGVHD that had developed 22 months after BMT in a 24-year-old male. Re-transplantation was necessary 6 months later because of intrahepatic ischaemic type biliary tract lesions. He is now in excellent condition 10 years after the first transplant. This experience and the review of literature indicate that LT can cure GVHD-related chronic liver failure. Recurrent GVHD in the allograft has not yet been reported.