Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 12, 2026
Porcine Liver Transplantation Without Veno-Venous Bypass As an Extended Criteria Donor Model
Published on: August 17, 2022
Postoperative resource utilization and survival among liver transplant recipients with Model for End-stage Liver
Background:
Cirrhotic patients with Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD) score ≥ 40 have high risk for death without liver transplant (LT).
Objective:
To evaluate these patients' outcomes after LT.
Methods:
The present study analyzed a retrospective cohort of 519 cirrhotic adult patients who underwent LT at a single Canadian centre between 2002 and 2012. Primary exposure was severity of liver disease measured by MELD score at LT (≥ 40 versus < 40). Primary outcome was duration of first intensive care unit (ICU) stay after LT. Secondary outcomes were duration of first hospital stay after LT, rate of ICU readmission, re-LT and survival rates.
Results:
On the day of LT, 5% (28 of 519) of patients had a MELD score ≥ 40. These patients had longer first ICU stays after LT (14 versus two days; P < 0.001). MELD score ≥ 40 at LT was independently associated with first ICU stay after LT ≥ 10 days (OR 3.21). These patients had longer first hospital stays after LT (45 versus 18 days; P < 0.001); however, there was no significant difference in the rate of ICU readmission (18% versus 22%; P = 0.58) or re-LT rate (4% versus 4%; P = 1.00). Cumulative survival at one month, three months, one year, three years and five years was 98%, 96%, 90%, 79% and 72%, respectively. There was no significant difference in cumulative survival stratified according to MELD score ≥ 40 versus < 40 at LT (P = 0.59).
Conclusions:
Cirrhotic patients with MELD score ≥ 40 at LT utilize greater postoperative health resources; however, they derive similar long-term survival benefit from LT.
