Hepatitis C and liver transplantation: enhancing outcomes and should patients be retransplanted.
Hepatitis C (HCV)-related end-stage liver disease is the most common indication for liver transplantation. Safe expansion of the donor pool with improved rates of deceased donation and more widespread use of living and extended criteria donation are likely to decrease wait list mortality. In addition, improved antiviral treatments and a better understanding of the delicate balance between under- and over-immunosuppression in this population are needed. Finally, when recurrent advanced fibrosis occurs, the criteria for patient selection for retransplantation remain widely debated. This article reviews the literature on these topics and the work being done in each area to maximize outcomes in patients receiving transplants for HCV-related cirrhosis.
Verna
Elizabeth C
EC
Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases, Department of Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA.
Brown
Robert S
RS
D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D017093:Liver Failure / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D012008:Recurrence; D012086:Reoperation