Dental and ENT Evaluation Before Liver Transplantation

Area of Science:

• Hepatology
• Transplantation Medicine
• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

Background:

• Dental and ear, nose, and throat (ENT) evaluations are vital in pre-transplant assessments for liver recipients.
• These assessments address risks like sepsis, post-transplant immunosuppression effects, malignancies (including oral potentially malignant disorders), and contraindications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the importance of dental and ENT evaluations in liver transplantation.
• To address the lack of clear guidelines and conflicting results in current literature.
• To emphasize judicious testing to avoid delays and unnecessary burdens, especially in live donor liver transplantation (LDLT).

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive examination of oral and ENT regions.
• Inclusion of relevant laboratory tests.
• Review of existing literature and recent studies on pre-transplant evaluations.

Main Results:

• Current literature lacks clear guidelines and protocols for dental and ENT evaluations.
• Recent studies show conflicting results, raising concerns about cost-effectiveness.
• Judicious application of these evaluations is necessary to prevent delays in patient listing.

Conclusions:

• Comprehensive oral and ENT assessments are pivotal for identifying and managing diseases pre-liver transplantation.
• Timely intervention minimizes perioperative morbidity and mortality.
• Prospective trials are needed to establish evidence-based guidelines for dental and ENT evaluations in liver transplant recipients.