Liver transplantation using livers from septuagenarian and octogenarian donors: an underused strategy to reduce mortality on the waiting list

Usefulness of T-Tube in Liver Transplantation: Still Effective or Outmoded Strategy?

Introduction: T-tube placement during liver transplantation (LT) is still debated. We performed a retrospective study to evaluate the usefulness of T-tube after LT in two cohorts differing in post-transplant risk. Methods: A total of 327 LTs performed between 2015 and 2018 were included in the analysis. LTs from donation after circulatory death and living donation, split-liver transplants, and LTs with hepaticojejunostomy were excluded. T-tube was reserved for marginal grafts, high-risk recipients, and bile duct size discrepancy. A balance of risk (BAR) score of ≤9 defined the low-risk cohort (232 patients, 68 with and 164 without T-tube), while a BAR score of >9 defined the high-risk cohort (95 patients, 43 with and 52 without T-tube). Postoperative complications were estimated with the comprehensive complication index (CCI). Postoperative biliary complications were classified in anastomotic stricture (AS), non-anastomotic stricture (NAS), and biliary leakage (BL). Results: In the low-risk cohort, LTs with and without T-tube had similar rates of NAS (0 vs. 2.9%, p = 0.36), AS (2.9 vs. 2.4%, p = 0.83), and BL (1.4 vs. 2.4%, p = 0.64). Analogous outcomes were found in the high-risk cohort: NAS (0 vs. 0), AS (0 vs. 5.7%, p = 0.11), and BL (0 vs. 1.3%, p = 0.27). There were more postoperative complications among patients with T-tube, in both the low-risk (CCI 29 vs. 21, p < 0.001) and high-risk (CCI 51 vs. 29, p < 0.001) cohort. No differences in primary non-function, hepatic artery thrombosis, and mortality were observed. Conclusions: T-tube placement did not influence postoperative biliary complications. Although the two cohorts were normalized for post-transplant risk, LT recipients with T-tube had a more complicated course.

Dual aortic and portal perfusion at procurement prevents ischaemic-type biliary lesions in liver transplantation when using octogenarian donors: a retrospective cohort study

Several risk factors for ischaemic-type biliary lesions (ITBL) after liver transplantation (LT) have been identified, but the role of portal vein perfusion at graft procurement is still unclear. This was a prospective study on double aortic and portal perfusion (DP) of liver grafts stratified by donor's decade (<60 yo; 60-69 yo; 70-79 yo and ≥80 yo) versus similar historical cohorts of primary, adult grafts procured with single aortic perfusion (SP) only. The primary study aim was to assess the role of DP on the incidence of ITBL. There was no difference in the incidence of overall biliary complications according to procurement technique for recipients of grafts <80 years. A higher incidence of ITBL was observed for patients receiving grafts ≥80 years and perfused through the aorta only (1.9 vs. 13.4%; P = 0.008). When analysing octogenarian grafts, donor male gender (HR = 6.4; P = 0.001), haemodynamic instability (HR = 4.9; P = 0.008), and type-2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) (HR = 3.0; P = 0.03) were all independent risk factors for ITBL, while double perfusion at procurement (HR = 0.1; P = 0.04) and longer donor intensive care unit (ICU) stay (HR = 0.7; P = 0.04) were protective factors. Dual aortic and portal perfusion has the potential to reduce post-transplant ITBL incidence for recipients of octogenarian donor grafts. Larger series are needed to confirm this preliminary experience.

Viability testing and transplantation of marginal livers (VITTAL) using normothermic machine perfusion: study protocol for an open-label, non-randomised, prospective, single-arm trial

INTRODUCTION

The use of marginal or extended criteria donor livers is increasing. These organs carry a greater risk of initial dysfunction and early failure, as well as inferior long-term outcomes. As such, many are rejected due to a perceived risk of use and use varies widely between centres. Ex situ normothermic machine perfusion of the liver (NMP-L) may enable the safe transplantation of organs that meet defined objective criteria denoting their high-risk status and are currently being declined for use by all the UK transplant centres.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

Viability testing and transplantation of marginal livers is an open-label, non-randomised, prospective, single-arm trial designed to determine whether currently unused donor livers can be salvaged and safely transplanted with equivalent outcomes in terms of patient survival. The procured rejected livers must meet predefined criteria that objectively denote their marginal condition. The liver is subjected to NMP-L following a period of static cold storage. Organs metabolising lactate to ≤2.5 mmol/L within 4 hours of the perfusion commencing in combination with two or more of the following parameters-bile production, metabolism of glucose, a hepatic arterial flow rate ≥150 mL/min and a portal venous flow rate ≥500 mL/min, a pH ≥7.30 and/or maintain a homogeneous perfusion-will be considered viable and transplanted into a suitable consented recipient. The coprimary outcome measures are the success rate of NMP-L to produce a transplantable organ and 90-day patient post-transplant survival.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

The protocol was approved by the National Research Ethics Service (London-Dulwich Research Ethics Committee, 16/LO/1056), the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency and is endorsed by the National Health Service Blood and Transplant Research, Innovation and Novel Technologies Advisory Group. The findings of this trial will be disseminated through national and international presentations and peer-reviewed publications.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT02740608; Pre-results.

Octogenarian donors in liver transplantation grant an equivalent perioperative course to ideal young donors

BACKGROUND

Use of grafts from very old donors for liver transplantation is controversial.

AIM

To compare the perioperative course of patients receiving liver grafts from young ideal vs octogenarian donors.

METHODS

Analysis of the perioperative course of patients receiving liver grafts from young, ideal (18-39 years) vs octogenarian (≥80years) deceased donors between 2001 and 2014.

RESULTS

346 patients were studied: 179 (51.7%) received grafts aged 18-39 years whereas 167 (48.3%) received a graft from a donor aged ≥80years. Intra-operative cardiovascular (p=0.2), coagulopathy (p=0.5) and respiratory (p=1.0) complications and incidence of reperfusion syndrome (p=0.3) were similar. Patients receiving a young graft required more fresh frozen plasma units (p≤0.03) but did not differ for the need of packed red cells (p=0.2) and platelet (p=0.3) transfusions. Median ICU stay was identical (p=0.4). Patients receiving octogenarian vs young grafts did not differ in terms of death or re-transplant (p=1.0) during the ICU stay. Similar cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, infectious and neurological postoperative complication rates were observed in the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Octogenarian donors in liver transplantation grant an equivalent perioperative course to ideal young donors.

Risk analysis of ischemic-type biliary lesions after liver transplant using octogenarian donors

The use of octogenarian donors to increase the donor pool in liver transplantation (LT) is controversial because advanced donor age is associated with a higher risk of ischemic-type biliary lesions (ITBL). The aim of this study was to investigate retrospectively the role of a number of different pre-LT risk factors for ITBL in a selected population of recipients of octogenarian donor grafts. Between January 2003 and December 2013, 123 patients underwent transplantation at our institution with deceased donor grafts from donors of age ≥80 years. Patients were divided into 2 groups based on the presence of ITBL in the posttransplant course. Exclusion criteria were retransplantations, presence of vascular complications, and no availability of procurement liver biopsy. A total of 88 primary LTs were included, 73 (83.0%) with no posttransplant ITBLs and 15 (17.0%) with ITBLs. The median follow-up after LT was 2.1 years (range, 0.7-5.4 years). At multivariate analysis, donor hemodynamic instability (hazard ratio [HR], 7.6; P = 0.005), donor diabetes mellitus (HR, 9.5; P = 0.009), and donor age-Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (HR, 1.0; P = 0.04) were risk factors for ITBL. Transplantation of liver grafts from donors of age ≥80 years is associated with a higher risk for ITBL. However, favorable results can be achieved with accurate donor selection. Donor hemodynamic instability, a donor history of diabetes mellitus, and allocation to higher Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score recipient all increase the risk of ITBL and are associated with worse graft survival when octogenarian donors are used. Liver Transplantation 22 588-598 2016 AASLD.

Use of octogenarian donors for liver transplantation: a survival analysis

Use of very old donors in liver transplantation (LT) is controversial because advanced donor age is associated with a higher risk for graft dysfunction and worse long-term results, especially for hepatitis C virus (HCV)-positive recipients. This was a retrospective, single-center review of primary, ABO-compatible LT performed between 2001 and 2010. Recipients were stratified in four groups based on donor age (<60 years; 60-69 years; 70-79 years and ≥80 years) and their outcomes were compared. A total of 842 patients were included: 348 (41.3%) with donors <60 years; 176 (20.9%) with donors 60-69 years; 233 (27.7%) with donors 70-79 years and 85 (10.1%) with donors ≥80 years. There was no difference across groups in terms of early (≤30 days) graft loss, and graft survival at 1 and 5 years was 90.5% and 78.6% for grafts <60 years; 88.6% and 81.3% for grafts 60-69 years; 87.6% and 75.1% for grafts 70-79 years and 84.7% and 77.1% for grafts ≥80 years (p = 0.065). In the group ≥80 years, the 5-year graft survival was lower for HCV-positive versus HCV-negative recipients (62.4% vs. 85.6%, p = 0.034). Based on our experience, grafts from donors ≥80 years may provide favorable results but require appropriate selection and allocation policies.

Matching donor to recipient in liver transplantation: Relevance in clinical practice

Achieving optimum outcomes after liver transplantation requires an understanding of the interaction between donor, graft and recipient factors. Within the cohort of patients waiting for a transplant, better matching of the donor organ to the recipient will improve transplant outcomes and benefit the overall waiting list by minimizing graft failure and need for re-transplantation. A PubMed search was conducted to identify published literature investigating the effects of donor factors such as age, gender, ethnicity, viral serology; graft factors such as size and quality, recipient factors such as age, size, gender and transplant factors such as major or minor blood group incompatibility and immunological factors. We also report technical and therapeutic modifications that can be used to manage donor-recipient mismatch identified from literature and the authors’ clinical experience. Multiple donor and recipient factors impact graft survival after liver transplantation. Appropriate matching based on donor-organ-recipient variables, modification of surgical technique and innovative peri-transplant strategies can increase the donor pool by utilizing grafts from marginal donors that are traditionally turned down.

Septuagenarian and octogenarian donors provide excellent liver grafts for transplantation

BACKGROUND

Wider utilization of liver grafts from donors ≥ 70 years old could substantially expand the organ pool, but their use remains limited by fear of poorer outcomes. We examined the results at our center of liver transplantation (OLT) using livers from donors ≥ 70 years old.

METHODS

From February 2003 to August 2010, we performed 450 OLT including 58 (13%) using donors ≥ 70 whose outcomes were compared with those using donors <70 years old.

RESULTS

Cerebrovascular causes of death predominated among donors ≥ 70 (85% vs 47% in donors <70; P < .001). In contrast, traumatic causes of death predominated among donors <70 (36% vs 14% in donors ≥ 70; P = .002). Unlike grafts from donors <70 years old, grafts from older individuals had no additional risk factors (steatosis, high sodium, or hemodynamic instability). Both groups were comparable for cold and warm ischemia times. No difference was noted in posttransplant peak transaminases, incidence of primary nonfunction, hepatic artery thrombosis, biliary strictures, or retransplantation rates between groups. The 1- and 5-year patient survivals were 88% and 82% in recipients of livers <70 versus 90% and 84% in those from ≥ 70 years old (P = .705). Recipients of older grafts, who were 6 years older than recipients of younger grafts (P < .001), tended to have a lower laboratory Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score (P = .074).

CONCLUSIONS

Short and mid-term survival following OLT using donors ≥ 70 yo can be excellent provided that there is adequate donor and recipient selection. Septuagenarians and octogenarians with cerebrovascular ischemic and bleeding accidents represent a large pool of potential donors whose wider use could substantially reduce mortality on the OLT waiting list.

Aging and its impact onthe quality of grafts: an experimental study in rats livers

CONTEXT: There are consistent clues of worse results with grafts from older donors, especially in hepatitis C. University of Wisconsin (UW) solution is adopted for liver preservation, but other solutions are being studied, as fructose-1,6-bisphosphate (FBP). OBJECTIVE: To determinate the impact of aging of the donor on the cold ischemia injury in rat livers and compare UW and FBP. METHODS: Twenty male Wistar rats were studied - 10, aging 20 weeks: 5 to preservation with UW (C-UW) and 5, FBP (C-FBP); and other 10, aging 50 weeks: 5 to UW (E-UW) and 5 to FBP (E-FBP). Rats were anesthesized, submitted to hepatectomy, and graft was kept under 2-4ºC for 8 hours. Liquid samples were taken at 2, 4, 6, and 8 hours, to determine AST and LDH. At the end, in the liver tissue thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and catalase were determined. RESULTS: Average liver weight was similar between controls and the others (12.5 g ± 1.8 and 13.4 g ± 2.0). AST and LDH levels were higher in C-UW group (P<0.05). In the older group, there was a difference between UW and FBP preserved livers related to LDH, but not to AST. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances were superior in control group than in the older one (P = 0.001). Catalase activity was similar between these groups (P = 0.11), but it was superior in UW preserved animals (P = 0.02). CONCLUSION: Livers from older rats were similar to the controls regarding cold ischemia injury in FBP group. Surprisingly, with UW solution there was less cold ischemia injury in the elderly group. When comparing both solutions, FBP provided significantly more protection than UW in the controls. There was a trend to FBP to being better than UW in the elderly group. Further studies with liver from older donors and ischemia and reperfusion are needed.

Liver transplantation using University of Wisconsin or Celsior preserving solutions in the portal vein and Euro-Collins in the aorta

INTRODUCTION

Orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) is today the gold standard treatment of the end-stage liver disease. Different solutions are used for graft preservation. Our objective was to compare the results of cadaveric donor OLT, preserved with the University of Wisconsin (UW) or Celsior solutions in the portal vein and Euro-Collins in the aorta.

METHODS

We evaluated retrospectively 72 OLT recipients, including 36 with UW solution (group UW) and 36 with Celsior (group CS). Donors were perfused in situ with 1000 mL UW or Celsior in the portal vein of and 3000 mL of Euro-Collins in the aortia and on the back table managed with 500 mL UW or Celsior in the portal vein, 250 mL in the hepatic artery, and 250 mL in the biliary duct. We evaluated the following variables: donor characteristics, recipient features, intraoperative details, reperfusion injury, and steatosis via a biopsy after reperfusion. We noted grafts with primary nonfunction (PNF), initial poor function (IPF), rejection episodes, biliary duct complications, hepatic artery complications, re-OLT, and recipient death in the first year after OLT.

RESULTS

The average age was 33.6 years in the UW group versus 41 years in the CS group (P = .048). There was a longer duration of surgery in the UW group (P = .001). The other recipient characteristics, ischemia-reperfusion injury, steatosis, PNF, IPF, rejection, re-OLT, and recipient survival were not different. Stenosis of the biliary duct occured in 3 (8.3%) cases in the UW group and 8 (22.2%) in the CS (P = .19) with hepatic artery thrombosis in 4 (11.1%) CS versus none in the UW group (P = .11).

CONCLUSION

Cadaveric donor OLT showed similar results with organs preserved with UW or Celsior in the portal vein and Euro-Collins in the aorta.

Change in donor profile influenced the percentage of organs transplanted from multiple organ donors

We hypothesized that the change in donor profile over the years influenced the percentage of transplantations. We reviewed medical records for all multiple-organ donors (MODs) within our network. The percentage of transplanted organs was compared between 1991-1992 (A) and 2006-2007 (B). In period A, 156 potential MODs were identified compared with 278 in period B. Fifteen potential donors (10%) in period A and 114 (41%) in period B were rejected because they were medically not suitable (40% vs 75%) or there was no family consent (60% vs 25%). Of the remaining effective MODs (141 in period A and 164 in period B), mean (standard deviation = SD) age was 34 (5) years vs 49 (17) years (P < .001). Brain death resulted from craniocerebral trauma in 69% vs 39%, cerebrovascular disease in 24% vs 46%, hypoxia in 4% vs 15%, and brain tumor in 2% vs 0.6% (P < .001). Chest trauma was present in 19% vs 9% (P < .01). The percentage of MODs who received mechanical ventilation for more than 5 days was 8% vs 24% (P < .001). The percentage of organs transplanted in periods A vs B was kidneys, 97% vs 79%; livers, 64% vs 85%; hearts, 60% vs 26%; lungs, 7% vs 35%; and pancreas, 6% vs 13% (P < .001). The number of referred potential MODs increased by 80%, resulting in a small increase in effective MOD organs (17%), mainly because of medical contraindications. The MOD profile changed to older age, fewer traumatic brain deaths, and longer ventilation time. We transplanted more livers, lungs, and pancreases but fewer kidneys and hearts.

A randomized pilot trial of oral branched-chain amino acids in early cirrhosis: validation using prognostic markers for pre-liver transplant status

Because of the chronic shortage of liver donors, hepatologists are required to prolong the liver transplant waiting period by preserving the hepatic reserve of scheduled recipients. This study examined the effectiveness of oral branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), using outcome markers indicating pretransplant hepatic reserve. Fifty-six consecutive eligible patients with Child class A cirrhosis without major complications were randomly assigned to receive oral BCAA granules (12.45 g/day) for least 1 year or no BCAAs. Differences between groups in the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score, Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) score, asialoscintigraphic clearance index (CI), and complications were examined. Of 50 remaining patients, 27 received BCAAs, and 23 received no BCAAs (mean duration, 3.2 years). The mean annual changes in the MELD score, CTP score, and asialoscintigraphic CI were smaller in the BCAA group than in the control group (-0.06 +/- 0.23 versus 0.10 +/- 0.40, P = 0.024, 0.06 +/- 0.30 versus 0.30 +/- 0.48, P = 0.037, and 0.00 +/- 0.02 versus 0.02 +/- 0.04, P = 0.040, respectively). The mean annual changes in the serum total bilirubin and the serum albumin in the BCAA group were better preserved than those in the control group (-0.07 +/- 0.20 versus 0.12 +/- 0.18 mg/dL, P < 0.001, and 0.07 +/- 0.13 versus -0.02 +/- 0.19 g/dL, P = 0.005, respectively); other laboratory variables were not significant. The incidence of overall major cirrhotic complications was lower in the BCAA group than in the control group [14.8% (4 of 27 patients) versus 30.4% (7 of 23 patients) at 3 years, P = 0.043]; only ascites was significant individually. In conclusion, early interventional oral BCAAs might prolong the liver transplant waiting period by preserving hepatic reserve in cirrhosis.