Peripheral nerves regenerated in familial amyloid polyneuropathy after liver transplantation.
BACKGROUND
Liver transplantation holds promise as a treatment for familial amyloid polyneuropathy.


OBJECTIVE
To determine whether peripheral nerves regenerate in patients with familial amyloid polyneuropathy after liver transplantation.


METHODS
Case report.


METHODS
University hospital in Matsumoto, Japan.


METHODS
A 34 year-old-women with familial amyloid polyneuropathy who had liver transplantation and showed marked clinical improvement 3 years after surgery.


METHODS
Histopathologic examination and morphometric analysis of biopsy specimens taken from sural nerves.


RESULTS
Diffuse fiber loss and amyloid deposits were seen in a biopsy specimen of the left sural nerve obtained before liver transplantation (total number of myelinated fibers, 1326/mm2 of the endoneurial area). In the biopsy specimen of the right sural nerve, which was obtained 3 years after transplantation, amyloid deposits remained but the number of myelinated fibers was markedly increased (total number of myelinated fibers, 4740/mm2).


CONCLUSIONS
Peripheral nerves regenerated in a patient with familial amyloid polyneuropathy after liver transplantation.
Ikeda
S
S
Department of Medicine (Neurology), Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan.
Takei
Y
Y
Yanagisawa
N
N
Matsunami
H
H
Hashikura
Y
Y
Ikegami
T
T
Kawasaki
S
S
D000328:Adult; D000682:Amyloid / Q000378:metabolism; D017772:Amyloid Neuropathies / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000502:physiology*; D017933:Peripheral Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013497:Sural Nerve / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology
D000682:Amyloid