Retransplantation of the liver

Retransplantation (re-TX) is the only available therapy for irreversible liver graft dysfunction. The outcome of a second procedure depends upon several factors, some of which are not defined at the time of the decision to retransplant. This study is an analysis of all re-TX of the liver performed at our unit between January 1995 and January 2004. Among the 474 liver TX were 55 (11.6%) re-TX in 47 patients. We studied (1) diagnosis at first TX; (2) indication for re-TX and time lapse; (3) donor age and cold ischemia time (CIT); (4) duration of operation, peroperative bleeding, and complications; (5) ICU and ward periods; and (6) patient and graft survivals. Patients who underwent re-TX did not differ from those transplanted once with regard to age, gender, or diagnosis. The indications for re-TX were roughly one-third biliary tract complications/chronic rejection, one-third hepatic artery thrombosis, and one-third others, including primary nonfunction, acute rejection, portal vein thrombosis, sepsis, and B/C hepatitis. The re-TX were "urgent" in 29 and "elective" in 26 cases. Complications were common; about half of the patients were reoperated due to bleeding or biliary problems. To date (May 2004), 15 patients have died (12 "urgent" and 3 "elective"), of whom 5 had well functioning grafts. In summary, liver re-TX is a complicated procedure associated with significant mortality and morbidity, but considering that the actual patient group has a poor prognosis without re-TX, the results are nevertheless encouraging.