title: Predictive value of frozen-section analysis in the histological assessment of steatosis before liver transplantation.
abstract: Histological quality assessment of donated livers is a key factor for extending the cadaveric donor pool for liver transplantation. We retrospectively compared frozen-section analysis with routine histological permanent slides and the outcomes of grafts in liver biopsies from 294 candidate donors. The kappa concordance coefficient of agreement between frozen-section analysis and routine histological analysis was very good for macrosteatosis (kappa = 0.934), microsteatosis (kappa = 0.828), and total steatosis (kappa = 0.814). The correlation between the mean amounts of macrosteatosis, microsteatosis, and total steatosis in frozen and permanent sections was also significant (P < 0.001, Spearman's test). Macrosteatosis and microsteatosis were overestimated to >30% in 4 of 32 cases (12.5%) and in 23 of 62 cases (37.1%), respectively. The only 2 histological parameters of frozen sections able to predict graft dysfunction within 7 days of transplantation were macrosteatosis and total steatosis (P = 0.018 and P = 0.015, respectively, Mann-Whitney test). None of the other histopathological features evaluated in frozen sections, including portal inflammation, lobular necrosis, myointimal thickening, biliocyte regression, cholestasis, hepatocellular polymorphism, lipofuscin storage, and fibrous septa, were significantly correlated with the graft outcome. The frozen-section histological evaluation of biopsies from cadaveric liver donors is an accurate, time-effective, and predictive method for the assessment of graft suitability.
authors: Pathology Unit, Addarii Institute of Oncology, Sant' Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, Bologna, Italy. michelangelo.fiorentino@aosp.bo.it
authors: Michelangelo
authors: M
authors: Fiorentino
authors: Francesco
authors: F
authors: Vasuri
authors: Matteo
authors: M
authors: Ravaioli
authors: Lorenza
authors: L
authors: Ridolfi
authors: Walter Franco
authors: WF
authors: Grigioni
authors: Antonio Daniele
authors: AD
authors: Pinna
authors: Antonia
authors: A
authors: D'Errico-Grigioni
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001706:Biopsy; D002102:Cadaver; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005629:Frozen Sections; D006085:Graft Survival; D006801:Humans; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011300:Preoperative Care; D055031:Primary Graft Dysfunction / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors; D014019:Tissue Donors / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D055815:Young Adult