Non-Surgical Procedure May Prevent Deadly Complications In Partial-Liver Transplants

Main Category: Transplants / Organ Donations
Article Date: 05 Oct 2007 - 13:00 PDT

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Small-for-size syndrome (SFSS) is a dangerous and often fatal condition that commonly occurs in living donor transplant recipients who receive part of a liver, rather than the whole organ. According to a new study in Clinical Transplantation, this syndrome can be prevented with a combination of early detection and a non-surgical procedure called splenic arterial embolization.

"In patients with end-stage liver disease undergoing partial liver transplantation, if the volume of the donated liver is significantly less than standard liver weight, the excessive flow of blood to the small organ may cause early hypertension in the portal vein leading from the intestine to the liver," says study author Dr. Salvatore Gruttadauria. "This can lead to severe illness or death." If SFSS is not treated early, graft failure can also compromise the transplant.

According to the author, symptoms of SFSS can be detected as early as the first week following transplant. "Early treatment is crucial to preventing a cascade of events that may lead to graft failure or need for re-transplantation," says Gruttadauria.

"Several surgical options have been proposed for dealing with the syndrome, but our experience has demonstrated that surgery is not always necessary," says the author. Splenic arterial embolism is a non-surgical option that can lower portal hypertension, particularly if it is done in the earliest stages of SFSS.

Clinical Transplantation is a vital channel of communication, for all those involved in the care of people who require, or have had, organ or tissue transplants. The Journal is published bi-monthly, with an international editorial board that includes specialists in all the major organ areas. It also covers the often controversial, social, ethical and psychological issues involved. For more information, please visit http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/ctr.

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