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Updated: Dec 23, 2025
Heterotopic Auxiliary Whole Liver Rat Transplant Model Utilizing a Hepaticoureterostomy for Allograft Rejection Studies
Published on: March 8, 2024
Long-term Outcomes After Controlled Oxygenated Rewarming of Human Livers Before Transplantation
Dieter P Hoyer1, Tamas Benkö1, Paul Manka2
1General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, University Hospital Essen, Germany.
Abstract:
Controlled oxygenated rewarming (COR) has been shown to be a feasible and safe method in clinical practice and to reduce peak serum transaminases after liver transplantation. This study aimed to demonstrate further clinical experience of this method of now 18 clinical liver transplantations utilizing COR and demonstrate the long-term results.
Methods:
In this extended series of 18 patients, cold-stored livers were subjected to machine-assisted slow COR for ≈120 minutes before transplantation. A cohort of 178 patients transplanted during the same period with similar clinical characteristics were used for comparison of key outcomes.
Results:
All livers were perfused in accordance to the COR protocol without incidences and transplanted successfully. Early allograft dysfunction was observed in 2 (11.1%) cases after COR. Liver elasticity measurements indicated normal healthy liver parenchyma at the last follow-up. Graft survival demonstrated excellent outcomes after COR. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year patient survival rates were 100%, 100%, and 93.8% compared with 84.5%, 82.0%, and 75.8% in the control group (P = 0.12).
Conclusions:
The present study demonstrates excellent clinical outcomes after COR before liver transplantation. Comparison with a control cohort shows superiority of graft survival. Further evidence is needed to assess this promising method to improve organ preservation, finally.
