Poor Long-Term Outcomes of Adult Liver Transplantation Involving Elderly Living Donors.
BACKGROUND
Donor hepatectomy requires particular care to ensure the safety of the donor and the success of the liver transplantation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of donor age on the postoperative outcomes of liver transplant donors and the long-term graft survival rates.


METHODS
We retrospectively reviewed 56 consecutive adult patients who underwent living donor liver transplantation at our institution between April 2001 and August 2010. Donors and recipients were divided into 2 groups, based on the age of the donor: the elderly donor group (donor age ≥50 years) and the younger donor group (donor age <50 years). Perioperative variables, postoperative complication rates, and long-term graft survival rates were compared between the 2 groups.


RESULTS
The average ages in the elderly donor group and younger donor group were 58 years and 32 years, respectively. Baseline data excluding the age of the donor did not differ between the groups, nor did the overall complication rates of the donors. Hospital stays were longer in the elderly donor group than in the younger donor group (25 vs 18 days, P < .05). The 1-, 3-, and 5-year graft survival rates were 80%, 60%, and 50% in the elderly donor group, and 89%, 87%, and 82% in the younger donor group, respectively (P = .0002).


CONCLUSIONS
Donor hepatectomy can be performed safely in elderly patients. However, compared with younger donors, their hospital stays were longer and the graft survival rates were shorter.
Department of Advanced Surgical Science and Technology, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan. Electronic address: tsu7ka5so8mi@med.tohoku.ac.jp.
K
K
Tokodai
Department of Advanced Surgical Science and Technology, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
N
N
Kawagishi
Department of Advanced Surgical Science and Technology, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
S
S
Miyagi
Department of Advanced Surgical Science and Technology, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
C
C
Nakanishi
Department of Advanced Surgical Science and Technology, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
Y
Y
Hara
Department of Advanced Surgical Science and Technology, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
A
A
Fujio
Department of Advanced Surgical Science and Technology, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
T
T
Kashiwadate
Department of Advanced Surgical Science and Technology, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
K
K
Maida
Department of Advanced Surgical Science and Technology, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
H
H
Goto
Department of Advanced Surgical Science and Technology, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
T
T
Kamei
Department of Advanced Surgical Science and Technology, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
N
N
Ohuchi
D000293:Adolescent; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077552:Basiliximab; D065095:Calcineurin Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006085:Graft Survival; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007902:Length of Stay; D008099:Liver; D017093:Liver Failure / Q000601:surgery*; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D019520:Living Donors; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D020858:Tissue and Organ Harvesting; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D065095:Calcineurin Inhibitors; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D000077552:Basiliximab