Reusing hepatic grafts in Korea: a case report

The shortage of donor organs has compelled transplant centers to use organs from non-standard donors. The Korean Network for Organ Sharing data showed that there were 5,804 potential recipients on the waiting list, and only 1,579 patients underwent liver transplant in 2019. Reuse of a graft that has been transplanted previously to other recipients could be an option in this situation. However, given the susceptibility of hepatic grafts to ischemic damage, their reuse must be considered extremely carefully. In this retrospective, observational study, we investigated the outcomes of six cases of hepatic graft reuse in Korea since the year 2000, from information gathered from patient medical records from ten transplant centers. Only three of the six reused hepatic grafts functioned well. Among the three successful transplants, two had minimal ischemic damage owing to a longer interval between the first and second transplants, and because they were obtained from living donors. Two of the five cadaveric transplants were successful. The outcome of reusing hepatic grafts in Korea has not been ideal. However, in patients with limited choices, it can be carefully considered, provided the graft is thoroughly checked for ischemic damage and the recipient status is ascertained.