Landscape of Living Multiorgan Donation in the United States: A Registry-Based Cohort Study

Sequential liver and kidney living donors: Making the ultimate gift twice

There are nearly 150 living donors in the United States who donated more than one solid organ. Using our divisional database, we found 20 individuals who donated a liver and a kidney at different times. We performed a retrospective chart review of these donors, studying their motivating factors, complications and outcomes. The donors included 11 (55%) males and nine females. Thirteen (65%) donated the kidney before the liver. Fourteen (70%) were nondirected donors at the first donation, and four of the six directed donors in the first donation became nondirected in the second donation. Seventeen (85%) were nondirected at the second donation. Common reasons for donating the second time were a good experience with the first donation and knowing that one can donate again. Outcomes and the incidence of early complications were not significantly different after the 2nd versus the 1st donation. All donors recovered and currently are doing well. Our results show a significant number of dual organ donors are nondirected and motivated by their strong desire to help. A positive experience with the 1st donation often was the driving factor for the 2nd. A history of previous organ donation did not negatively impact the 2nd donation.

Extreme living donation: A single center simultaneous and sequential living liver-kidney donor experience with long-term outcomes under literature review

Objective: Living liver and kidney donor surgeries are major surgical procedures applied to healthy people with mortality and morbidity risks not providing any direct therapeutic advantage to the donor. In this study, we aimed to share our simultaneous and sequential living liver-kidney donor experience under literature review in this worldwide rare practice.

Material and Methods: Between January 2007 and February 2018, a total of 1109 living donor nephrectomies and 867 living liver donor hepatectomies were performed with no mortality to living-related donors. Eight donors who were simultaneous or sequential living liver-kidney donors in this time period were retrospectively reviewed and presented with their minimum 2- year follow-up.

Results: Of the 8 donors, 3 of them were simultaneous and 5 of them were sequential liver-kidney donation. All of them were close relatives. Mean age was 39 (26-61) years and mean BMI was 25.7 (17.7-40). In 3 donors, right lobe, in 4 donors, left lateral sector, and in 1 donor, left lobe hepatectomy were performed. Median hospital stay was 9 (7-13) days. Two donors experienced early and late postoperative complications (Grade 3b and Grade 1). No mortality and no other long-term complication occurred.

Conclusion: Expansion of the donor pool by utilizing grafts from living donors is a globally-accepted proposition since it provides safety and successful outcomes. Simultaneous or sequential liver and kidney donation from the same donor seems to be a reasonable option for combined liver-kidney transplant recipients in special circumstances with acceptable outcomes.

Deceased vs living donor grafts for pediatric simultaneous liver-kidney transplantation: A single-center experience

Introduction

In conditions of limited experience of pediatric simultaneous liver‐kidney transplantation (SLKT) using grafts from living and deceased donors, there is a certain need to validate the approach.

Patients

The retrospective study of 18 pediatric patients who received SLKT between 2008 and 2019.

Results

Grafts were obtained from both living and deceased donors. The patients’ age ranged from 2 to 16 years (9 years ±4). The body weight of the children varied from 9.5 to 39 kg (22 kg ±9). The follow‐up period lasted from 1 to 109 months (median 38 months ±35). The various graft combinations were used in both groups. There was no mortality during the follow‐up. There was no significant difference in baseline parameters in recipients who received grafts from living and deceased donors except age (7.5 years ±2.2 vs 11.8 years ±4.1; P = .038). Rate of complications > grade II was higher among recipients of deceased donor SLKT (7.7% vs 60%; OR, 7.8; 95% CI, 1.04‐58.48; P = .044). All the patients are alive with both grafts functioning. All the living donors returned to the normal life.

Conclusion

SLKT is a safe and effective procedure for children with both simultaneous end‐stage liver disease and end‐stage renal disease. Both living donor partial liver and kidney transplantation and deceased donor liver‐kidney transplantation can be considered as safe and feasible options.

Simultaneous laparoscopic left lateral sectionectomy and nephrectomy in the same living donor: The first case report

With the presence of organ shortage, living donors remain important sources of grafts, especially for pediatric recipients. Laparoscopic nephrectomy has become the gold standard for living donors. Additionally, laparoscopic partial liver procurement in living donors has proven its safety and feasibility in the latest studies. We have combined both approaches to perform a simultaneous liver-kidney transplantation in a pediatric patient from the same living donor. Our experience of laparoscopic left lateral sectionectomy and laparoscopic nephrectomy in living donors was the basis for adapting to this procedure. A 29-year-old mother was an ABO-incompatible (ABOi) donor for the left lateral section (LLS) of the liver and left kidney for her 2-year-old son. The postoperative period was uneventful. Two sessions of plasmapheresis and rituximab induction were necessary to prepare for ABOi transplantation. The donor and recipient were discharged on postoperative days 5 and 28, respectively. Simultaneous laparoscopic left lateral sectionectomy and nephrectomy in the same living donor is feasible for transplantation from the parent to the child with advanced laparoscopic expertise.