Outcomes of living donor liver transplantation using elderly donors

Living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) using elderly donors is increasing in frequency in response to organ shortage. However, elderly donor graft has been reported to negatively affect graft patency and patient survival.

We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 604 patients who underwent LDLT at Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea between May 1999 and September 2012. Elderly donors were defined as those ≥55 years of age. Here, we evaluate the survival differences and causes of death of recipients of elderly donor grafts.

THE OVERALL MORTALITY RATE OF THE RECIPIENTS WAS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER IN THE ELDERLY DONOR GROUP (GROUP A) THAN IN THE YOUNGER DONOR GROUP (GROUP B: 46.2% vs. 18.1%, P = 0.004). The survival length of group A was significantly shorter than that of group B (31.2 ± 31.3 and 51.4 ± 40.8 months, P = 0.014). The significantly common causes of death in group A were biliary (41.7%) and arterial complication (16.7%), and it was higher than those in group B (P = 0.000 and P = 0.043, respectively).

LDLT using elderly donors could induce more serious complications and higher mortality rates than those at using younger donors. As such, careful donor selection is needed, especially with regard to assessing the condition of potential elderly donor livers. Furthermore, a large-volume and multicenter study of complications and outcomes of LDLT using elderly donor liver is required.