title: [The treatment of acute liver failure due to fulminating hepatitis by total or partial orthotopic liver transplantation. The clinical results].
abstract: Indications for liver transplant in acute fulminating hepatitis (AFH) are predominantly affected by the high mortality of this spontaneous evolution (80-100%). At present patients with AFH have priority for transplant since they form part of the 0 emergency group according to the National Transplant Organisation. During the period between 1986 and the end of February 1992, a total of 254 liver transplants were performed in 202 patients (52 retransplants). In 26 patients (12.8%) (16 females and 10 males) the indication was fulminating acute hepatitis. Etiology was unknown in 20 patients, secondary to hepatitis B in 4 and to hepatitis A in 1, and was caused by isonazide ingestion in 1 case. The age limits were 3-60 years (X = 31.5 years). An isogroup graft was performed in 16 patients (61.5%), compatible in 3 (11.6%) and incompatible in 7 (26.9%). Due to anthropometric differences, a partial graft was used in 7 patients (26.9%); in 2 of the latter the graft was taken from the same donor ("split-liver"). Placement was always orthotopic with resection of the retrohepatic vena cava in 25 patients and its preservation in 1 (left lobe of split-liver). Peroperative (30 days) mortality was 23% (6/26); 2 due to cerebral death, 2 due to sepsis, 1 due to multisystemic insufficiency (MSI) and 1 due to acute pancreatitis. Four patients (15.3%) died some time after transplant; 1 after 5 months due to broncho-pulmonary complications, 1 after 7 months due to subacute hepatitis, 1 after 3 months due to respiratory failure and the last after 5 months due to anoxic encephalopathy and lung infection. Ten patients (39.4%) were re-transplanted; 4 following chronic rejection, 4 due to primary graft no function, 1 due to arterial thrombosis and 1 due to recurrent hepatitis (with cirrhosis). Two of the latter patients died intraoperatively due to coagulopathy and hemorrhage, and 3 following surgery (1 due to sepsis, 1 due to respiratory complications and 1 due to respiratory insufficiency). Two patients underwent a second re-transplant (1 due to chronic rejection and 1 due to recurrent hepatitis) and of these 1 died peroperatively due to sepsis and MSF. Overall mortality was therefore 61.5% (16/26) and the actuarial survival rate of 17 patients (10 living + 7 postoperative deaths) was 68% at 12 months and 52.9% at 36 months. Even if peroperative mortality is relatively high, liver transplant is currently the elective treatment for fulminating acute hepatitis.
authors.affiliation: Hospital 12 de Octubre, Universidad Complutense di Madrid, Spagna.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Moreno González
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: García Garciá
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Loinaz Segurola
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gómez Sanz
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: González Pinto
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Maffettone
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jiménez Romero
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lumbreras
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bercedo Martínez
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ibánez Aguirre
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery; D006505:Hepatitis / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D017114:Liver Failure, Acute / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000379:methods* / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012086:Reoperation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D016019:Survival Analysis
vernacular_title: Il trattamento dell'insufficienza epatica acuta per epatite fulminante mediante trapianto epatico ortotopico totale o parziale. Risultati clinici.