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Updated: Jun 23, 2026
12:49
Porcine Liver Transplantation Without Veno-Venous Bypass As an Extended Criteria Donor Model
Published on: August 17, 2022
[Liver transplantation: indications and results]
1Klinik für Gastroenterologie, Hepatologie und Endokrinologie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Hannover. Strassburg.christian@mh-hannover.de
Der Internist
|April 24, 2009
Summary
Liver transplantation is a standard treatment for chronic liver diseases, with survival rates of 72% at 5 years. The Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score now determines transplant priority, changing recipient selection and waiting list management.
Area of Science:
- Hepatology and Transplant Surgery
- Medical Statistics and Predictive Modeling
Context:
- Liver transplantation has become a primary treatment for end-stage liver disease since 1988, with over 64,000 procedures in Europe.
- Cirrhosis from various causes is the leading indication for liver transplants.
- Key indications in Germany include alcoholic cirrhosis, tumors, and viral hepatitis-induced cirrhosis.
Purpose:
- To outline the evolution and current status of liver transplantation as a treatment for chronic liver diseases.
- To explain the shift in organ allocation priority to the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score.
- To highlight the impact of MELD and standard exceptions on patient selection and waiting list dynamics.
Summary:
- Liver transplantation offers a survival rate of 72% at 5 years and 62% at 10 years for patients with cirrhosis.
- The MELD score, implemented in 2006, assesses 3-month mortality risk using serum creatinine, bilirubin, and coagulation levels.
- Standard exceptions are used for conditions not accurately reflected by MELD, impacting recipient selection and waitlist management.
Impact:
- The adoption of the MELD system has significantly altered the criteria for liver transplant eligibility and organ distribution.
- This has led to profound changes in how potential recipients are prioritized and how waiting lists are managed.
- Understanding these changes is crucial for clinicians, patients, and policymakers involved in liver transplantation.
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