Evidence for hyperacute rejection of human liver grafts: The case of the canary kidneys

Sequential liver and kidney transplantation from the same donor was performed in 2 patients. The kidney in Patient 1, which was transplanted after the liver, was hyperacutely rejected and removed 6 hours later. The first liver as well as another liver transplanted 3 days later developed widespread hemorrhagic necrosis. Although the cytotoxic crossmatch of preoperative recipient serum with both donors was negative, patchy widespread IgM and C(1q) deposits were found in all 3 organs. In Patient 2, who had a strongly positive cytotoxic crossmatch with his donor, the liver suffered a massive but reversible injury, while the kidney never functioned. Both patients developed a coagulopathy a few minutes after liver revascularization. The kidneys in these cases had served like the canaries which miners once used to detect a hostile environment and their presence made more understandable how an indolent version of hyperacute rejection of the liver can take place.