Liver transplantation in patients with fulminant hepatitis B: experience in Canton, China.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of orthotopic liver transplantation on fulminant hepatitis B and the preventive efficiency of lamivudine on recurrence of hepatitis B in China.


METHODS
Ten patients with fulminant hepatitis B received orthotopic liver transplantation under veno-venous bypass. All patients had preoperatively serious jaundice, ascites and coagulopathy, and of whom 7 with encephalopathy, 2 with acute renal failure, and 1 with gastro-hemorrhage. RUSULT: Seven of the 10 patients have survived for 3 approximately 18 months, but 3 died of multi-organ failure or recurrence of fulminant hepatitis B. Seven survivors took lamivudine and 6 of them have survived for 3 approximately 18 months without the signs of recurrence of hepatitis B.


CONCLUSIONS
Orthotopic liver transplantation is an effective therapy for fulminant hepatitis B, and lamivudine may prevent recurrence of hepatitis B after transplantation.
Zhu
Xiaofeng
X
Transplantation Center, Affiliated First Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou 510080.
Chen
Guihua
G
He
Xiaoshun
X
Lu
Minqiang
M
Wang
Guodong
G
Cai
Changjie
C
Yang
Yang
Y
Huang
Jiefu
J
D000328:Adult; D006501:Hepatic Encephalopathy / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D019259:Lamivudine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012008:Recurrence; D015996:Survival Rate
D019259:Lamivudine