title: Selection criteria and outcome of patients referred to intestinal transplantation: an European center experience.
abstract: Until 1998, intestinal transplantation (SBT) had not been performed in our region of Flanders, Belgium. Potential SBT activity was not known and selection criteria had not been validated. A multidisciplinary SBT program was launched in 1998. We analyzed requests for SBT and outcomes in these patients whether with or without SBT. Listing for SBT was only considered for patients with irreversible short bowel syndrome who had developed life-threatening complications of total parenteral nutrition, but whose general condition was still thought compatible with surgery and immunosuppression. During the study period 1998 to 2004, one third of the requests for SBT (10/31) were deemed suitable. SBT in this group was lifesaving (100% survival) when performed in time. Mortality in this group without SBT was high (67%). Two thirds of the patients (21/31) did not fulfill the SBT inclusion criteria, either because they were "too moribund" to tolerate transplantation or because they were "too well". This preliminary study emphasized the importance of (1) early referral of potential SBT candidates, (2) adherence to strict criteria for listing patients for SBT, and (3) referral of intestinal donors to procurement organizations.
authors.affiliation: Abdominal Transplant Surgery Department, University Hospitals Leuven, Herestraat 49, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium. Jacques.Pirenne@uz.kuleuven.ac.be
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pirenne
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hoffman
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miserez
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Coosemans
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Aerts
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Monbaliu
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ferdinande
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hiele
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Van Assche
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rutgeerts
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Janssens
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tack
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vlasselaers
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Desmet
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nevens
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Veereman
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fevery
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lombaerts
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D005060:Europe; D006801:Humans; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000637:transplantation*; D010289:Parenteral Nutrition, Total; D018579:Patient Selection; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous / Q000502:physiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome