Having a Healthy Birth With a 100-Year-Old Liver

Area of Science:

• Hepatology
• Transplantation Medicine
• Geriatric Donor Organs

Background:

• Acute-on-chronic liver failure necessitates timely liver transplantation.
• Organ donor shortages often lead to the consideration of marginal grafts.
• A 19-year-old woman required an emergency liver transplant due to acute-on-chronic liver failure.

Observation:

• A marginal deceased donor liver from a 93-year-old woman, containing a hydatid cyst, was offered after rejection by other centers.
• Due to low donation rates, the marginal liver was accepted for transplantation.
• Postoperative recovery was uneventful, with the patient experiencing long-term graft survival.

Findings:

• The nonagenarian liver with hydatid disease demonstrated sustained viability in the younger recipient.
• The transplanted liver supported the recipient through a successful pregnancy and childbirth five years post-transplant.
• The combined age of the donor liver and recipient reached 100 years, highlighting the graft's longevity.

Implications:

• This case demonstrates the potential utility of elderly donor livers, even those with specific conditions like hydatid disease, in addressing organ shortages.
• Successful transplantation and subsequent pregnancy underscore the resilience of marginal donor organs and advancements in transplant care.
• The findings encourage a re-evaluation of donor age criteria and the acceptance of grafts previously considered unsuitable.