Octogenarian Donors in Liver Transplantation.

Area of Science:

• Hepatology
• Transplantation Surgery
• Geriatric Medicine

Background:

• Increasing organ donor shortages necessitate the use of older donors for liver transplantation.
• Octogenarian donors (aged 80+) are increasingly considered to meet recipient demand.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the outcomes of liver transplantation utilizing donors aged 80 years and older.
• To assess the safety and efficacy of using grafts from octogenarian liver donors.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 33 liver transplantations using donors aged 80+ from 2003-2016.
• Donor selection criteria included preoperative liver function, hemodynamic stability, and intraoperative appearance.
• Grafts were excluded for retransplantation or recipients with complex surgical histories.

Main Results:

• Mean donor age was 82.7 years; 9.1% had a history of diabetes.
• Graft survival at 1 and 3 years was 92.6% and 86.4%, respectively.
• Low rates of primary nonfunction (0%), hepatic artery thrombosis (3%), and biliary complications (12.5%) were observed.

Conclusions:

• Liver transplantation with octogenarian donors can achieve excellent mid-term results.
• Strict donor selection protocols and appropriate graft allocation are crucial for successful outcomes.