Transplantation proceedings
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Cardiac dysfunction in patients with cirrhosis and potential clinical implications have long been known, but the pathophysiology and potential targets for therapeutic intervention are still under investigation and are only now becoming understood. The pathophysiological changes result in systolic dysfunction, diastolic dysfunction, and electrophysiological changes. Here, we aim to review cirrhotic cardiomyopathy from a cellular and physiological model and how these patients develop overt heart failure in the setting of stress, such as infection, ascites, and procedures including transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt, portocaval shunts, and orthotopic liver transplantation. We will also review the most current, although limited, available therapeutic modalities.
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Although stroke volume variation (SVV) is a valuable index of preload responsiveness, there is limited information about the association between low SVV and increased hepatectomy-related bleeding. We therefore evaluated whether SVV predicts blood loss during living donor hepatectomy. ⋯ SVV is a significant independent predictor of blood loss ≥ 700 mL during donor hepatectomy, suggesting that low SVV may provide useful information on intraoperative bleeding in donors undergoing right hepatectomy.
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Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) commonly develops in cirrhotic or noncirrhotic livers affected by congenital hemochromatosis. In patients with congenital hemochromatosis and HCC, liver transplantation is a therapeutic option with a 5-year posttransplantation survival rate as high as 80%. Herein is reported congenital hemochromatosis in a 37-year-old man. ⋯ At 20 months of rapamycin-based immunosuppression therapy, there were no signs of HCC recurrence. This is, to our knowledge, the first report of liver transplantation performed to treat suspected HCC based on the finding of IFF in congenital hemochromatosis, with histopathologic confirmation of the diagnosis of HCC after transplantation. According to this case and the current literature, IFF in patients with congenital hemochromatosis should be considered preneoplastic lesions vulnerable to possible development of HCC.
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There is a wide interest in epidemiologic studies assessing different causes of post-kidney transplantation rehospitalization. However, there is a paucity of knowledge on the long-term survival and graft function of rehospitalized kidney transplant recipients during the first year. Knowledge of posttransplant rehospitalization causes may help guide the preventive program at the first year. In our study, we assess causes for hospitalization and investigate the long-term patient and graft survival after non-fatal rehospitalization in kidney recipients during the first year. ⋯ During the first year after kidney transplantation, rehospitalization was especially required because of infections and renal dysfunction. The risk factors of rehospitalization were cadaveric graft, use of mycophenolate mofetil, use of cyclosporine, and cytomegalovirus infection. To prevent and minimize rehospitalizations during the first year, a specific preventive program based on infection prevention and graft function monitoring should be established.
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Case Reports
Successful lung retransplantation after extended use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation as a bridge.
Redo lung transplantation remains a major clinical challenge and its indication for patients with early allograft dysfunction is difficult to determine. We report a case of potentially fatal early allograft dysfunction owing to possible acute cellular rejection after single lung transplantation in a patient who underwent redo double lung transplantation after successful use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation as a bridge, which resulted in a successful outcome.