Early Graft Loss With Suspected Seventh-Day Syndrome Following Pediatric Liver Transplantation

Allograft dysfunction within the first week posttransplant is an uncommon but known complication following liver transplantation. Seventh-Day Syndrome (7DS) is a rare complication of allograft dysfunction following liver transplantation characterized by the rapid clinical deterioration of a formerly well-functioning allograft within the first week posttransplant. The etiology of 7DS is unknown, and treatment options remain limited. While cases of graft survival have been reported, the risk of mortality remains exceedingly high without urgent retransplantation.

Patient data was retrospectively analyzed and a literature review performed.

We present a unique case of split liver transplantation into two pediatric recipients in which one recipient developed rapidly progressive graft failure approximately 1 week postoperatively requiring urgent retransplantation while the other recipient had an unremarkable postoperative course. Upon clinical manifestation of progressive graft failure, the patient was treated with thymoglobulin, rituximab, intravenous immunoglobulin, and plasmapheresis. Despite this, the patient's clinical status continued to decline and she underwent retransplantation 11 days following her initial liver transplant.

Seventh-Day Syndrome is a rare complication following liver transplantation that is associated with a high risk of morbidity and mortality. Our case adds to the limited literature on 7DS in children and is the first to report a comparative posttransplant clinical course in two recipients who received split grafts from the same donor.