title: Delayed granuloma formation in a patient with vanishing bile duct syndrome 7 years post-liver transplantation.
abstract: A patient was found to have numerous granulomata 7 years after orthotopic liver transplantation for primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) on a recent liver biopsy specimen. This histopathologic finding prompted a review of the literature to determine the commonality of this feature in the absence of the usual causes of granulomatous liver disease, none of which were found to be the cause of this patient's liver histopathologic state. The presence of posttransplantation granulomata is rare, and although previously reported to occur shortly after liver transplantation, this finding has not been reported previously with either PSC or vanishing bile duct syndrome. We are not aware of another case of granulomata associated with recurrent PSC or vanishing bile duct syndrome 7 years after liver transplantation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, The University of Maryland Medical Center and School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201-1595, USA. fanania@medicine.umaryland.edu
authors.forename: F A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Anania
authors.forename: C D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Howell
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Laurin
authors.forename: C I
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Drachenberg
mesh_terms: D001649:Bile Duct Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000209:etiology; D006099:Granuloma / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011184:Postoperative Period; D013997:Time Factors