Current update in domino liver transplantation

Perioperative management in pediatric domino liver transplantation for metabolic disorders: A narrative review

Domino liver transplantation and domino-auxiliary partial orthotopic liver transplantation are emerging techniques that can expand the liver donor pool and provide hope for children with liver disease. The innovative technique of domino liver transplantation has emerged as a pioneering strategy, capitalizing on structurally preserved livers from donors exhibiting single enzymatic defects within a morphologically normal context, effectively broadening the donor pool. Concurrently, the increasingly prevalent domino-auxiliary partial orthotopic liver transplantation method assumes a critical role in bolstering available donor resources. These advanced transplantation methods present a unique opportunity for pediatric patients who, despite having structurally and functionally intact livers and lacking early signs of portal hypertension or extrahepatic involvement, do not attain priority on conventional transplant lists. Utilizing optimal clinical conditions enhances posttransplant outcomes, benefiting patients who would otherwise endure extended waiting periods for traditional transplantation. The perioperative management of children undergoing these procedures is complex and requires careful consideration of some factors, including clinical and metabolic conditions of the specific metabolic disorder, and the need for tailored perioperative management planning. Furthermore, the prudent consideration of de novo disease development in the recipient assumes paramount significance when selecting suitable donors for domino liver transplantation, as it profoundly influences prognosis, mortality, and morbidity. This narrative review of domino liver transplantation will discuss the pathophysiology, clinical evaluation, perioperative management, and prognostic expectations, focusing on perioperative anesthetic considerations for children undergoing domino liver transplantation.

Safety and use of late-turndown liver allografts to increase rate of transplantation

BACKGROUND

The demand for liver transplants (LT) in the United States far surpasses the availability of allografts. New allocation schemes have resulted in occasional difficulties with allograft placement and increased intraoperative turndowns. We aimed to evaluate the outcomes related to use of late-turndown liver allografts.

METHODS

A review of prospectively collected data of LTs at a single center from July 2019 to July 2023 was performed. Late-turndown placement was defined as an open offer 6 h prior to donation, intraoperative turndown by primary center, or post-cross-clamp turndown.

RESULTS

Of 565 LTs, 25.1% (n = 142) received a late-turndown liver allograft. There were no significant differences in recipient age, gender, BMI, or race (all p > 0.05), but MELD was lower for the late-turndown LT recipient group (median 15 vs 21, p < 0.001). No difference in 30-day, 6-month, or 1-year survival was noted on logistic regression, and no difference in patient or graft survival was noted on Cox proportional hazard regression. Late-turndown utilization increased during the study from 17.2% to 25.8%, and median waitlist time decreased from 77 days in 2019 to 18 days in 2023 (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Use of late-turndown livers has increased and can increase transplant rates without compromising post-transplant outcomes with appropriate selection.

Safety, Tolerability, and Outcomes of Tafamidis for the Treatment of Acquired Amyloid Neuropathy in Domino Liver Transplant Recipients

INTRODUCTION

Acquired amyloid neuropathy is an iatrogenic disease that appears years after a domino liver transplant. The objectives of our study are to analyze the efficacy and tolerability of tafamidis for the treatment of acquired amyloid neuropathy in domino liver transplant recipients. This post-authorization, prospective, longitudinal study included seven domino liver transplant recipients with acquired amyloid neuropathy who received treatment with tafamidis for 18 months.

METHODS

The primary endpoints were the response rate, defined as those patients with an increase of < 2 points on the Neurological Impairment Score (NIS) from baseline, and the change in the NIS score from baseline. Secondary endpoints included the Quantitative Sensory Test, 10-m walk test, quality of life (Norfolk), and disability (Rasch-built Overall Disability Scale). As safety parameters, the evidence of graft rejection, changes in immunosuppressive trough levels and changes in antiviral and allogeneic cellular immunity before and 12 months after tafamidis treatment were also assessed.

RESULTS

Six patients (85.7%) had responded at 18-months. Compared to baseline, we observed non-statistically significant improvement in mean NIS score at 6 months (- 2.54 points, CI - 5.92 to 0.84), 12 months (- 3.25 points; CI - 6.63 to 0.13), and 18 months (- 2.35 points; CI - 5.74 to 1.02). Changes in the Quantitative Sensory Test, 10-m walk tests and the quality of life and disability questionnaires were not statistically significant. The use of tafamidis did not induce relevant side effects or drug interactions. Also, no acute rejections events nor changes in functional adaptive immunity were observed.

CONCLUSION

Our study supports the safety and tolerability of tafamidis for the treatment of acquired amyloid neuropathy in domino liver transplant recipients. Tafamidis shows promise as a useful treatment in the clinical management of these patients. Future randomized placebo-controlled clinical trials with longer follow-up durations are needed.

Multi-organ structural homogeneity of amyloid fibrils in ATTRv-T60A amyloidosis patients, revealed by Cryo-EM

ATTR amyloidosis is a degenerative disorder characterized by the systemic deposition of the protein transthyretin. These amyloid aggregates of transthyretin (ATTR) can deposit in different parts of the body causing diverse clinical manifestations. Our laboratory aims to investigate a potential relationship between the different genotypes, organ of deposition, clinical phenotypes, and the structure of ATTR fibrils. Using cryo-electron microscopy, we have recently described how the neuropathic related mutations ATTRv-I84S and ATTRv-V122∆ can drive structural polymorphism in ex vivo fibrils. Here we question whether the mutation ATTRv-T60A, that commonly triggers cardiac and neuropathic symptoms, has a similar effect. To address this question, we extracted and determined the structure of ATTR-T60A fibrils from multiple organs (heart, thyroid, kidney, and liver) from the same patient and from the heart of two additional patients. We have found a consistent conformation among all the fibril structures, acquiring the "closed-gate morphology" previously found in ATTRwt and others ATTRv related to cardiac or mixed manifestations. The closed-gate morphology is composed by two segments of the protein that interact together forming a polar channel, where the residues glycine 57 to isoleucine 68 act as a gate of the polar cavity. Our study indicates that ATTR-T60A fibrils present in peripheral organs adopt the same structural conformation in all patients, regardless of the organ of deposition.

Clinical outcomes after transplantation of domino grafts or standard deceased donor livers: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Domino liver transplantation (DLT) utilizes otherwise discarded livers as donor grafts for another recipients. It is unclear whether DLT has less favorable outcomes compared to deceased donor liver transplantation (DDLT). We aimed to assess the outcomes of DLT compared to DDLT.

METHODS

MEDLINE, Embase, and Web of Science database were searched to identify studies comparing outcomes after DLT with DDLT. Data were pooled using random-effects modeling, evaluating odds ratios (OR) or mean difference (MD) for outcomes including waiting list time, severe hemorrhage, intensive care unit (ICU), length hospital stay (LOS), rejection, renal, vascular, and biliary events, and recipient survival at 1, 3, 5, and 10 years.

RESULTS

Five studies were identified including 945 patients (DLT = 409, DDLT = 536). The DLT recipients were older compared to the DDLT group (P = 0.04), and both cohorts were comparable regarding lab MELD, hepatocellular carcinoma, and waitlist time. There were no differences in vascular (OR: 1.60, P = 0.39), renal (OR: 0.62, P = 0.24), biliary (OR: 1.51, P = 0.21), severe hemorrhage (OR: 1.09, P = 0.86), rejection (OR: 0.78, P = 0.51), ICU stay (MD: 0.50, P = 0.21), or LOS (MD: 1.68, P = 0.46) between DLT and DDLT. DLT and DDLT were associated with comparable 1-year (78.9% vs 80.4%; OR: 1.03, P = 0.89), 3-year (56.2% vs 54.1%; OR: 1.35, P = 0.07), and 10-year survival (6.5% vs 8.5%; OR: 0.8, P = 0.67) rates. DLT was associated with higher 5-year survival (41.6% vs 36.4%; OR: 1.70; P = 0.003) compared to DDLT, which was not confirmed at sensitivity analysis.

CONCLUSION

This meta-analysis of the best available evidence (Level 2a) demonstrated that DLT and DDLT have comparable outcomes. As indications for liver transplantation expand, future high-quality research is encouraged to increase the DLT numbers in clinical practice, serving the growing waiting list candidates, with the caveat of uncertain de novo disease transmission risks.

Autologous bone marrow infusion via portal vein combined with splenectomy for decompensated liver cirrhosis: A retrospective study

BACKGROUND

In a previous study, autologous bone marrow infusion (ABMI) was performed in patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis (DLC) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and achieved good results, but whether splenectomy affected outcome was unclear.

AIM

To investigate the efficacy of ABMI combined with splenectomy for treatment of DLC.

METHODS

Eighty-three patients with DLC were divided into an intervention group (43 cases) and control group (40 cases) according to whether splenectomy was performed. The control group was treated with ABMI through the right omental vein, and the intervention group was additionally treated with splenectomy.

RESULTS

After ABMI, the prothrombin time, serum total bilirubin levels, ascites volume and model for end-stage liver disease score in both groups were significantly lower, while the albumin levels were significantly higher than before ABMI (P < 0.01), but there were no significant differences between the groups (P > 0.05). After ABMI, the white blood cell and platelets counts in both groups were significantly higher than before ABMI (P < 0.01), and the counts in the intervention group were significantly higher than in the control group (P < 0.01). After ABMI the CD4+ and CD8+ T cell counts in both groups were significantly higher than before ABMI (P < 0.01). The CD8+ T cell counts in the intervention group increased continuously and the increase had a shorter duration compared with control group.

CONCLUSION

ABMI through the portal vein in patients with DLC can significantly improve liver synthetic and secretory functions, and splenectomy promotes improvement of bone marrow hematopoietic and cellular immune functions.

Ocular findings in patients with acquired ATTRv amyloidosis following domino liver transplantation

PURPOSE

To investigate the presence of amyloidosis-related ocular findings in patients who received domino liver transplantation from ATTRv amyloidosis donors.

METHODS

We reviewed the ocular findings in patients who had previously undergone domino liver transplantation and received ophthalmologic examinations between January 2009 and March 2023. The presence of amyloidosis-related ocular findings was retrospectively assessed by two ophthalmologists.

RESULTS

During the study period, a total of 7 patients with 14 eyes were examined. All patients were considered as acquired ATTRv amyloidosis. The mean age at the final visit was 64.6±8.4 years (52-75 years), and the mean time since domino liver transplantation was 167.6±76.2 months (69-257 months). The two evaluators' assessments for amyloidosis-related ocular findings were completely identical. No amyloid fibril deposition was observed in the pupil, lens, or vitreous. Five patients (10 eyes) had a Schirmer test result of 5mm or less than 5 mm, and four patients with a total of 8 eyes underwent fluorescein angiography and indocyanine green angiography, and no evidence of retinal amyloid angiopathy was found on fluorescein angiography. However, three patients with 6 eyes showed choroidal amyloid angiopathy on indocyanine green angiography.

CONCLUSION

While cases of choroidal amyloid angiopathy were observed, serious amyloidosis-related ocular complications such as vitreous opacity or secondary glaucoma did not occur even in the long term after domino liver transplantation.

Treatment of acquired transthyretin amyloidosis in domino liver transplantation

BACKGROUND

Domino liver transplantation (DLT) has been commonly used during the last two decades to partly meet the high need for liver transplants. However, the recipients of grafts from patients with noncirrhotic inherited metabolic disorders may ultimately develop metabolic syndrome, and management is usually intricate, being complicated by the underlying initial disorder, other comorbidities, and post-transplantation conditions.

CASE

We report here the management and the outcome in a patient with acquired transthyretin amyloidosis after DLT and significant comorbidities. Final treatment with a transthyretin gene silencing agent, patisiran, was well tolerated and resulted in remission of the aggravating neurological deficits in a follow-up period of 2 years.

CONCLUSIONS

The case presented here supports the concept that patisiran can target the hepatocytes producing the mutated transthyretin in acquired transthyretin amyloidosis, as efficiently as in hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis (hATTR), and can be used to treat patients with transthyretin amyloidosis after DLT.

The first successful report of liver transplantation from category III donation after circulatory death in South Korea: a case report

Deceased donor liver transplantation (DDLT) using donations after brain death (DBDs) has been widely performed in Korea. However, to date, there is no report regarding donation after circulatory death (DCD) category III. A 56-year-old male patient diagnosed with hepatitis B virus-associated liver cirrhosis underwent DDLT using DCD category III. The recipient's recovery was uneventful, and he was discharged on postoperative day 37. Currently, the patient is alive, with no complications 20 months after transplantation. This case suggests that DCD with LT is both feasible and safe. Further studies are required to validate this finding.

Domino hepatocyte transplantation using explanted human livers with metabolic defects attenuates D-GalN/LPS-induced acute liver failure

Background

Explanted livers from patients with inherited metabolic liver diseases possess the potential to be a cell source of good-quality hepatocytes for hepatocyte transplantation (HT). This study evaluated the therapeutic effects of domino HT using hepatocytes isolated from explanted human livers for acute liver failure (ALF).

Methods

Isolated hepatocytes were evaluated for viability and function and then transplanted into d-galactosamine/lipopolysaccharide-induced ALF mice via splenic injection. The survival rate was analyzed by the Kaplan–Meier method and log-rank test. Liver function was evaluated by serum biochemical parameters, and inflammatory cytokine levels were measured by ELISA. The pathological changes in the liver tissues were assessed by hematoxylin–eosin staining. Hepatocyte apoptosis was investigated by TUNEL, and hepatocyte apoptosis-related proteins were detected by western blot. The localization of human hepatocytes in the injured mouse livers was detected by immunohistochemical analyses.

Results

Hepatocytes were successfully isolated from explanted livers of 10 pediatric patients with various liver-based metabolic disorders, with an average viability of 85.3% ± 13.0% and average yield of 9.2 × 10⁶ ± 3.4 × 10⁶ cells/g. Isolated hepatocytes had an excellent ability to secret albumin, produce urea, uptake indocyanine green, storage glycogen, and express alpha 1 antitrypsin, albumin, cytokeratin 18, and CYP3A4. Domino HT significantly reduced mortality, decreased serum levels of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase, and improved the pathological damage. Moreover, transplanted hepatocytes inhibited interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α levels. Domino HT also ameliorates hepatocyte apoptosis, as evidenced by decreased TUNEL positive cells. Positive staining for human albumin suggested the localization of human hepatocytes in ALF mice livers.

Conclusion

Explanted livers from patients with inheritable metabolic disorders can serve as a viable cell source for cell-based therapies. Domino HT using hepatocytes with certain metabolic defects has the potential to be a novel therapeutic strategy for ALF.

Individualized risk estimation for postoperative pulmonary complications after hepatectomy based on perioperative variables

BACKGROUND

At present, there is no perfect system to evaluate pulmonary complications of liver surgery using perioperative variables.

AIM

To design and verify a risk assessment system for predicting postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) after hepatectomy based on perioperative variables.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis was performed on 1633 patients who underwent liver surgery. The variables were screened using univariate and multivariate analyses, and graded scores were assigned to the selected variables. Logistic regression was used to develop the liver operation pulmonary complication scoring system (LOPCSS) for the prediction of PPCs. The LOPCSS was verified using the receiver operating characteristic curve.

RESULTS

According to the multivariate correlation analysis, the independent factors which influenced PPCs of liver surgery were age [≥ 65 years old/< 65 years old, odds ratio (OR) = 1.926, P = 0.011], medical diseases requiring drug treatment (yes/no, OR = 3.523, P < 0.001), number of liver segments to be removed (≥ 3/≤ 2, OR = 1.683, P = 0.002), operation duration (≥ 180 min/< 180 min, OR = 1.896, P = 0.004), and blood transfusion (yes/no, OR = 1.836, P = 0.003). The area under the curve (AUC) of the LOPCSS was 0.742. The cut-off value of the expected score for complications was 5. The incidence of complications in the group with ≤ 4 points was significantly lower than that in the group with ≥ 6 points (2.95% vs 33.40%, P < 0.001). Furthermore, in the validation dataset, the corresponding AUC of LOPCSS was 0.767.

CONCLUSION

As a novel and simplified assessment system, the LOPCSS can effectively predict PPCs of liver surgery through perioperative variables.

Domino liver transplants: where do we stand after a quarter-century? A US national analysis

BACKGROUND

Domino liver transplantation (DLT) utilizes a phenotypically normal explant from select recipients as a donor graft in another patient. The procedure is not widely employed and remains restricted to a small number of centers. The purpose of this study was to assess the national profile of DLT in the United States (US) and evaluate current survival outcomes.

METHODS

The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) database was queried for all liver transplants (LT) between 1996 and 2020. Outcomes of interest were long-term graft and patient survival.

RESULTS

Of 181,976 LTs performed nationally during the study period, 185 (0.1%) were DLTs. Amyloidosis and maple syrup urine disease (MSUD) accounted for 83% of dominoed allografts. Out of 210 explants with amyloidosis, 103 (49%) were dominoed into secondary recipients. Only 50 (22%) of all MSUD explants (n = 227) were dominoed. Graft survival was 79%, 73% and 53% at 3-, 5- and 10-years, respectively, for DLT recipients. Overall patient survival was 83%, 76% and 57% at 3-, 5- and 10-years.

CONCLUSION

Despite excellent long-term survival outcomes, DLT allografts comprise a very small percentage of the liver donor pool. A large proportion of potential DLTs may be unconscionably excluded despite shortages in deceased donor organs.

High and Low Frequency Domino Liver Transplantation Centers Demonstrate Similar Performance Outcomes

INTRODUCTION

A Domino Liver Transplant (DLT) is a successfully validated surgical option for a subset of patients awaiting liver transplant. Increased utilization of DLTs could increase the donor organ pool. However, DLTs occur primarily at a small number of high volume centers, and are rarely performed at lower volume transplant centers. This study compares DLT recipient performance outcomes between high frequency DLT centers and low frequency DLT centers.

METHODS

The UNOS/OPTN STAR database was queried for DLTs performed at transplant centers between 1996-2018. 193 patients were identified and categorized into high (>5 DLTs) or low (≤5 DLTs) frequency centers. Our primary endpoint was allograft survival. Our secondary endpoints were graft status at last follow up and mortality secondary to cardiac, renal, or respiratory failure.

RESULTS

Overall median allograft survival between high and low volume DLT centers was similar (48.2 months versus 42.7 months, P >0.314). The one-year (82% versus 76%), three-year (57% versus 56%), and five-year (45% versus 43%) survival percentages were also similar between the high and low volume DLT centers respectively. Overall mortality from cardiac (high 4% versus low 1.7%), renal (high 0.8% versus low 1.7%), or respiratory failure (high 0.8% versus low 1.7%) was similarly low in both groups.

CONCLUSION

Low volume and high volume DLT centers are associated with similar outcomes of allograft survival and mortality. DLTs should be utilized more frequently, when the criteria are met, including in centers with limited experience, to expand the donor pool, decrease time on the waitlist, and improve overall survival.

DISCLOSURES

There are no disclosures. The authors report no proprietary or commercial interest in any product mentioned or concept discussed in this article.