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Robinson T, Vargas PA, Yemini R, Goldaracena N, Pelletier S. Are we on track to increase organ utilization? An analysis of machine perfusion preservation for liver transplantation in the United States. Artif Organs 2024. [PMID: 39034871 DOI: 10.1111/aor.14812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Revised: 05/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Efforts to improve the quality of marginal grafts for transplantation are essential. Machine perfusion preservation appears as a promising solution. METHODS The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) database was queried for deceased liver donor records between 2016 and 2022. The primary outcome of interest was the organ nonutilization rate. Long-term graft and patient survival among extended criteria donors (ECDs) were also analyzed. RESULTS During the study period, out of 54 578 liver grafts recovered for transplant, 5085 (9.3%) were nonutilized. Multivariable analysis identified normothermic machine perfusion (NMP) preservation as the only predictor associated with a reduction in graft nonutilization (OR = 0.12; 95% CI = 0.06-0.023, p < 0.001). Further analysis of ECD grafts that were transplanted revealed comparable 1-,2- and 3-years graft survival (89%/88%/82% vs. 90%/85%/81%, p = 0.60), and patient survival (92%/91%/84% vs. 92%/88%/84%, p = 0.65) between grafts that underwent MP vs. those who did not, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Liver nonutilization rates in the United States are at an all-time high. Available data, most likely including cases from clinical trials, showed that NMP reduced the odds of organ nonutilization by 12% among the entire deceased donor pool and by 16% among grafts from ECD. Collective efforts and further evidence reflecting day-to-day clinical practice are needed to fully reach the potential of MP for liver transplant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Todd Robinson
- Division of Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Paola A Vargas
- Division of Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Renana Yemini
- Division of Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Nicolas Goldaracena
- Division of Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Shawn Pelletier
- Division of Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
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Zhao Q, Wang X, Liu K, Chen H, Dan J, Zhu Z, Guo L, Chen H, Ju W, Wang D, Tang Y, Guo Z, He X. Activation of farnesoid X receptor enhances the efficacy of normothermic machine perfusion in ameliorating liver ischemia-reperfusion injury. Am J Transplant 2024:S1600-6135(24)00274-0. [PMID: 38615902 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajt.2024.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
The shortage of transplant organs remains a severe global issue. Normothermic machine perfusion (NMP) has the potential to increase organ availability, yet its efficacy is hampered by the inflammatory response during machine perfusion. Mouse liver ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) models, discarded human liver models, and porcine marginal liver transplantation models were utilized to investigate whether farnesoid X receptor (FXR) activation could mitigate inflammation-induced liver damage. FXR expression levels before and after reperfusion were measured. Gene editing and coimmunoprecipitation techniques were employed to explore the regulatory mechanism of FXR in inflammation inhibition. The expression of FXR correlates with the extent of liver damage after reperfusion. Activation of FXR significantly suppressed the inflammatory response triggered by IRI, diminished the release of proinflammatory cytokines, and improved liver function recovery during NMP, assisting discarded human livers to reach transplant standards. Mechanistically, FXR disrupts the interaction between p65 and p300, thus inhibiting modulating the nuclear factor kappa-B signaling pathway, a key instigator of inflammation. Our research across multiple species confirms that activating FXR can optimize NMP by attenuating IRI-related liver damage, thereby improving the utilization of marginal livers for transplantation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Zhao
- Organ Transplant Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Organ Donation and Transplant Immunology, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial International Cooperation Base of Science and Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaobo Wang
- Organ Transplant Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Organ Donation and Transplant Immunology, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial International Cooperation Base of Science and Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Kunpeng Liu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Disease, Cell-Gene Therapy Translational Medicine Research Center, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Honghui Chen
- Organ Transplant Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Organ Donation and Transplant Immunology, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial International Cooperation Base of Science and Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jia Dan
- Organ Transplant Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Organ Donation and Transplant Immunology, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial International Cooperation Base of Science and Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zebin Zhu
- Organ Transplant Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Lili Guo
- Organ Transplant Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Organ Donation and Transplant Immunology, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial International Cooperation Base of Science and Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Huadi Chen
- Organ Transplant Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Organ Donation and Transplant Immunology, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial International Cooperation Base of Science and Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Weiqiang Ju
- Organ Transplant Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Organ Donation and Transplant Immunology, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial International Cooperation Base of Science and Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Dongping Wang
- Organ Transplant Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Organ Donation and Transplant Immunology, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial International Cooperation Base of Science and Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yunhua Tang
- Organ Transplant Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Organ Donation and Transplant Immunology, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial International Cooperation Base of Science and Technology, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Zhiyong Guo
- Organ Transplant Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Organ Donation and Transplant Immunology, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial International Cooperation Base of Science and Technology, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Xiaoshun He
- Organ Transplant Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Organ Donation and Transplant Immunology, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial International Cooperation Base of Science and Technology, Guangzhou, China.
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Flores Carvalho M, Boteon YL, Guarrera JV, Modi PR, Lladó L, Lurje G, Kasahara M, Dutkowski P, Schlegel A. Obstacles to implement machine perfusion technology in routine clinical practice of transplantation: Why are we not there yet? Hepatology 2024; 79:713-730. [PMID: 37013926 DOI: 10.1097/hep.0000000000000394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023]
Abstract
Machine perfusion of solid human organs is an old technique, and the basic principles were presented as early as 1855 by Claude Barnard. More than 50 years ago, the first perfusion system was used in clinical kidney transplantation. Despite the well-known benefits of dynamic organ preservation and significant medical and technical development in the last decades, perfusion devices are still not in routine use. This article describes the various challenges to implement this technology in practice, critically analyzing the role of all involved stakeholders, including clinicians, hospitals, regulatory, and industry, on the background of regional differences worldwide. The clinical need for this technology is discussed first, followed by the current status of research and the impact of costs and regulations. Considering the need for strong collaborations between clinical users, regulatory bodies, and industry, integrated road maps and pathways required to achieve a wider implementation are presented. The role of research development, clear regulatory pathways, and the need for more flexible reimbursement schemes is discussed together with potential solutions to address the most relevant hurdles. This article paints an overall picture of the current liver perfusion landscape and highlights the role of clinical, regulatory, and financial stakeholders worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mauricio Flores Carvalho
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Hepatobiliary Unit, University of Florence, AOU Careggi, Florence, Italy
| | - Yuri L Boteon
- Liver Unit, Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - James V Guarrera
- Division of Abdominal Transplant Surgery, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Department of Surgery, Newark, New Jersey, USA
| | - Pranjal R Modi
- Department of Transplantation Surgery, Institute of Kidney Diseases and Research Center and Dr. H L Trivedi Institute of Transplantation Sciences (IKDRC-ITS), Ahmedabad, India
| | - Laura Lladó
- Liver Transplant Unit, Hospital Universitario de Bellvitge, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Georg Lurje
- Department of Surgery, Campus Charité Mitte, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Mureo Kasahara
- Transplantation Center, National Center for Child Health and Development, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Philipp Dutkowski
- Department of Surgery and Transplantation, Swiss HPB Centre, University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Andrea Schlegel
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Hepatobiliary Unit, University of Florence, AOU Careggi, Florence, Italy
- Department of Surgery and Transplantation, Swiss HPB Centre, University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland
- Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Center for Preclinical Research, 20100 Milan, Italy
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Brüggenwirth IMA, van Leeuwen OB, Porte RJ, Martins PN. The Emerging Role of Viability Testing During Liver Machine Perfusion. Liver Transpl 2022; 28:876-886. [PMID: 33963657 DOI: 10.1002/lt.26092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2020] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The transplant community continues to be challenged by the disparity between the need for liver transplantation and the shortage of suitable donor organs. At the same time, the number of unused donor livers continues to increase, most likely attributed to the worsening quality of these organs. To date, there is no reliable marker of liver graft viability that can predict good posttransplant outcomes. Ex situ machine perfusion offers additional data to assess the viability of donor livers before transplantation. Hence, livers initially considered unsuitable for transplantation can be assessed during machine perfusion in terms of appearance and consistency, hemodynamics, and metabolic and excretory function. In addition, postoperative complications such as primary nonfunction or posttransplant cholangiopathy may be predicted and avoided. A variety of viability criteria have been used in machine perfusion, and to date there is no widely accepted composition of criteria for clinical use. This review discusses potential viability markers for hepatobiliary function during machine perfusion, describes current limitations, and provides future recommendations for the use of viability criteria in clinical liver transplantation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel M A Brüggenwirth
- Department of Surgery, Section of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery and Liver Transplantation, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.,Division of Organ Transplantation, Department of Surgery, UMass Memorial Medical Center, University of Massachusetts, Worcester, MA
| | - Otto B van Leeuwen
- Department of Surgery, Section of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery and Liver Transplantation, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Robert J Porte
- Department of Surgery, Section of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery and Liver Transplantation, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Paulo N Martins
- Division of Organ Transplantation, Department of Surgery, UMass Memorial Medical Center, University of Massachusetts, Worcester, MA
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Boteon YL, Hessheimer AJ, Brüggenwirth IMA, Boteon APCS, Padilla M, de Meijer VE, Domínguez-Gil B, Porte RJ, Perera MTPR, Martins PN. The economic impact of machine perfusion technology in liver transplantation. Artif Organs 2021; 46:191-200. [PMID: 34878658 DOI: 10.1111/aor.14131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Revised: 11/03/2021] [Accepted: 11/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Several clinical studies have demonstrated the safety, feasibility, and efficacy of machine perfusion in liver transplantation, although its economic outcomes are still underexplored. This review aimed to examine the costs related to machine perfusion and its associated outcomes. METHODS Expert opinion of several groups representing different machine perfusion modalities. Critical analysis of the published literature reporting the economic outcomes of the most used techniques of machine perfusion in liver transplantation (normothermic and hypothermic ex situ machine perfusion and in situ normothermic regional perfusion). RESULTS Machine perfusion costs include disposable components of the perfusion device, perfusate components, personnel and facility fees, and depreciation of the perfusion device or device lease fee. The limited current literature suggests that although this upfront cost varies between perfusion modalities, its use is highly likely to be cost-effective. Optimization of the donor liver utilization rate, local conditions of transplant programs (long waiting list times and higher MELD scores), a decreased rate of complications, changes in logistics, and length of hospital stay are potential cost savings points that must highlight the expected benefits of this intervention. An additional unaccounted factor is that machine perfusion optimizing donor organ utilization allows patients to be transplanted earlier, avoiding clinical deterioration while on the waiting list and the costs associated with hospital admissions and other required procedures. CONCLUSION So far, the clinical benefits have guided machine perfusion implementation in liver transplantation. Albeit there is data suggesting the economic benefit of the technique, further investigation of its costs to healthcare systems and society and associated outcomes is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuri L Boteon
- Liver Unit, Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Amelia J Hessheimer
- Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery & Transplantation, General & Digestive Surgery Service, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, Spain
| | - Isabel M A Brüggenwirth
- Department of Surgery, Section of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Liver Transplantation, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | | | - María Padilla
- Organización Nacional de Trasplantes, Ministerio de Sanidad, Madrid, Spain
| | - Vincent E de Meijer
- Department of Surgery, Section of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Liver Transplantation, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | | | - Robert J Porte
- Department of Surgery, Section of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Liver Transplantation, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - M Thamara P R Perera
- Liver Unit, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK
| | - Paulo N Martins
- Department of Surgery, Transplant Division, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
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Ghinolfi D, Jassem W, Martins PN. Ischemia-free liver transplantation. Is this the right answer to overpass organ shortage and post-liver transplant complications? THE LANCET REGIONAL HEALTH. WESTERN PACIFIC 2021; 16:100263. [PMID: 34590065 PMCID: PMC8429951 DOI: 10.1016/j.lanwpc.2021.100263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Davide Ghinolfi
- Division of Hepatic Surgery and Liver Transplantation, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Wayel Jassem
- Institute of Liver Studies, King's College Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Paulo N. Martins
- Department of Surgery, Transplant Division, University of Massachusetts, Worcester, MA, USA
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