Inclusion of spleen in pediatric multivisceral transplantation

Intestinal Transplantation: Include the Spleen with Intestinal Graft?

The traditional procedure for multivisceral transplant (MVT) is to transplant the stomach, pancreas, intestine, and liver en bloc. During surgery, the native spleen is routinely removed from the recipient, and it usually creates more space in the abdomen to insert the allogeneic graft. Thus, recipients often become asplenic after MVT. Considering all of the risks and benefits, we advocate that temporary transplant of the donor spleen could be the best option for MVT recipients; it could potentially reduce the rate of intestinal allograft rejection without increasing the risk for graft-versus-host disease.

Temporary Deceased Donor Splenic Transplant Prior to Intestinal Transplantation: A New Strategy for Desensitization?

Intestinal transplantation is a therapeutic treatment option for patients with irreversible intestinal failure. The presence of donor-specific antibodies (DSAs) has been associated with increased antibody-mediated rejection and allograft loss for recipients of all the solid organ transplants. This case report describes the posttransplant course in the first year of a patient who received a T-cell and B-cell flow cross-match (FXM) and complement-dependent cytotoxicity cross-match positive intestinal transplant in the presence of several class I and class II DSAs who underwent a "temporary desensitization" using the donor spleen. The temporary donor splenic transplant removed several class I and II DSAs as demonstrated by the negative subsequent T-cell FXM, the decreased mean channel shift of the positive B-cell FXM with a significant decrease in DSA mean florescence intensity post temporary splenic transplant. The patient experienced an isolated incidence of acute rejection, which responded to therapy. He had no infectious or cancerous sequelae from the immunosuppression modalities. He was able to discontinue total parenteral nutrition and gained weight after the procedure. Long-term effects are not able to be determined from this approach; hence, further research is warranted to better evaluate the real efficacy of this strategy.

Multivisceral Transplantation for Diffuse Portomesenteric Thrombosis: Lessons Learned for Surgical Optimization

Background: Multivisceral transplantation entails the en-bloc transplantation of stomach, duodenum, pancreas, liver and bowel following resection of the native organs. Diffuse portomesenteric thrombosis, defined as the complete occlusion of the portal system, can lead to life-threatening gastrointestinal bleeding, malnutrition and can be associated with liver and intestinal failure. Multivisceral transplantation is the only procedure that offers a definitive solution by completely replacing the portal system. However, this procedure is technically challenging in this setting. The aim of this study is to describe our experience, highlight the challenges and propose technical solutions.

Materials and Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of our cohort undergoing multivisceral transplantation for diffuse portomesenteric thrombosis at our institution from 2000 to 2020. Donor and recipient demographics and surgical strategies were reviewed in detail and posttransplant complications and survival were analyzed.

Results: Five patients underwent MVTx. Median age was 47 years (23–62). All had diffuse portomesenteric thrombosis with life-threatening variceal bleeding. Major blood loss during exenteration was avoided by combining two techniques: embolization of the native organs followed by a novel, staged extraction. This prevented major perioperative blood loss [median intra-operative transfusion of 3 packed red blood cell units (0–5)]. Median CIT was 330 min (316–416). There was no perioperative death. One patient died due to invasive aspergillosis. Four others are alive and well with a median follow-up of 4.1 years (0.3–5.9).

Conclusions: Multivisceral transplantation should be considered in patients with diffuse portomesenteric thrombosis that cannot be treated by any other means. We propose a standardized surgical approach to limit the operative risk and improve the outcome.

Intestinal transplantation: current improvements and perspectives

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This review summarizes the most recent relevant knowledge in clinical practice in the field of intestinal transplantation.

RECENT FINDINGS

Three important factors that have allowed improving results during the last few years are reviewed here. The first relates to the development of a different approach to tackle the underlying cause of intestinal failure and to the patient's characteristics in terms of liver function, age, and body size. The second involves immune modulation and especially the immunosuppressive regimen at induction. The third refers to posttransplantation monitoring, in particular the diagnosis and treatment of intestinal graft rejection and lymphoproliferative disorders. Patient status and referral for intestinal transplantation remain debated. The Intestinal Transplant Registry and a report from an individual program have demonstrated the relationship between a patient's pretransplant status and outcome. Candidacy for intestinal transplantation was analysed in a European survey of home parenteral nutrition patients. Early referral and listing are important for successful outcomes after intestinal grafting.

SUMMARY

Patient management should include therapies adapted to each stage of intestinal failure based on a multidisciplinary approach in centers involving surgery, gastroenterology, parenteral nutrition expertise, home parenteral nutrition programs, and liver-intestinal transplantation experience. Timing for referral of patients in specialized centers remains a crucial issue.

Preservation of the native spleen in multivisceral transplantation

The native spleen is usually removed in patients undergoing MTV. The consequential asplenic state is associated with a high risk of sepsis, especially in immunosuppressed children. In contrast, the inclusion of an allogeneic spleen in multivisceral grafts has been associated with a high incidence of GVHD. We propose an alternative technique for patients undergoing MTV, consisting of the preservation of the native spleen. This approach avoids the additional risk of infection that characterizes the asplenic state without the detrimental side effects of the allogeneic spleen.

Combined en bloc liver/pancreas transplantation in two different patients

Combined en bloc liver/pancreas transplantation (CLPT) was used primarily in the treatment of otherwise non-resectable upper abdominal malignancy. In fact, a more appropriate indication is in patients with liver disease and insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). Here, we report on two successful cases of CLPT at our hospital. One was a patient with non-resectable advanced liver cancer. The recipient survived for 23 mo and finally died of recurrent tumor. The other was a patient with severe biliary complication after orthotopic liver transplantation and preoperative IDDM. We performed CLPT with a modified surgical technique of preserving the native pancreas. He is currently liver-disease- and insulin-free more than 27 mo post-transplant. Based on our experience in two cases of abdominal cluster transplantation, we describe the technical details of CLPT and a modification of the surgical procedure.