Vanessa Sauer, Ramsi Siaj, Sandra Stöppeler, Ralf Bahde, Hans‐Ullrich Spiegel, Gabriele Köhler, Andree Zibert, Hartmut H.‐J. Schmidt – 5 December 2011 – The outcome of consecutive hepatocyte transplants was explored in a rat model of Wilson's disease before the onset of fulminant hepatitis without preconditioning regimens. Rats received a high‐copper diet in order to induce a rapid induction of liver failure. Sham‐operated rats (15/15) developed jaundice and fulminant hepatitis, and they died within 4 weeks of first transplantation.

Richard Ruiz, Koji Tomiyama, Jeffrey Campsen, Robert M. Goldstein, Marlon F. Levy, Greg J. McKenna, Nicholas Onaca, Brian Susskind, Glenn W. Tillery, Goran B. Klintmalm – 5 December 2011 – Whether a positive crossmatch result has any relevance to liver transplantation (LT) outcomes remains controversial. We assessed the impact of a positive crossmatch result on patient and graft survival and posttransplant complications. During a 20‐year period, 2723 LT procedures with crossmatch results were identified: 2479 primary transplants and 244 retransplants.

Corlan O. Adebajo, Jayant A. Talwalkar, John J. Poterucha, W. Ray Kim, Michael R. Charlton – 5 December 2011 – Ultrasound‐based transient elastography (TE) is a promising noninvasive alternative to liver biopsy for the detection of hepatic fibrosis due to recurrent hepatitis C virus (HCV) after liver transplantation (LT). However, its overall test performance in various settings remains unknown.

Nicole T. do O, Dennis Eurich, Petra Schmitz, Maximilian Schmeding, Christoph Heidenhain, Marcus Bahra, Christian Trautwein, Peter Neuhaus, Ulf P. Neumann, Hermann E. Wasmuth – 5 December 2011 – Fibrosis recurrence after liver transplantation (LT) for hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a universal event and strongly determines a patient's prognosis. The recipient risk factors for fibrosis recurrence are still poorly defined. Here we assess a genetic risk score as a predictor of fibrosis after LT.

Monica Franciosi, Lucio Caccamo, Paolo De Simone, Antonio Daniele Pinna, Giovanni Giuseppe Di Costanzo, Riccardo Volpes, Vincenzo Scuderi, Paolo Strignano, Patrizia Boccagni, Patrizia Burra, Antonio Nicolucci, for the TWINS I Study Group – 5 December 2011 – To date, there is still a lack of instruments for specifically assessing the impact of anti–hepatitis B virus prophylaxis after liver transplantation (LT) on health‐related quality of life (HRQOL) and treatment satisfaction.

C. Burcin Taner, Darrin L. Willingham, Ilynn G. Bulatao, Timothy S. Shine, Prith Peiris, Klaus D. Torp, Juan Canabal, Justin H. Nguyen, David J. Kramer – 5 December 2011 – The continuation of hemodynamic, respiratory, and metabolic support for a variable period after liver transplantation (LT) in the intensive care unit (ICU) is considered routine by many transplant programs. However, some LT recipients may be liberated from mechanical ventilation shortly after the discontinuation of anesthesia.

Jacqueline C. Jones, Jeff S. Coombes, Graeme A. Macdonald – 5 December 2011 – Exercise capacity and muscle strength are predictors of outcome in a number of clinical populations. Advanced liver disease is a catabolic state, and patients often have muscle wasting. However, the relationships between exercise capacity, strength, and outcomes for patients undergoing liver transplantation are poorly understood.

Mazen Albeldawi, Ashish Aggarwal, Surabhi Madhwal, Jacek Cywinski, Rocio Lopez, Bijan Eghtesad, Nizar N. Zein – 5 December 2011 – As survival after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) improves, cardiovascular (CV) disease has emerged as the leading cause of non–graft‐related deaths. The aims of our study were to determine the cumulative risk of CV events after OLT and to analyze predictive risk factors for those experiencing a CV event after OLT. We identified all adult patients who underwent OLT at our institution for end‐stage liver disease between October 1996 and July 2008.

Ashley N. Bedel, Trina S. Hemmelgarn, Rohit Kohli – 5 December 2011 – Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is the most common viral infection after solid organ transplantation (SOT). Safe and effective prophylactic regimens that decrease its incidence after SOT are essential for long‐term graft survival. Although valganciclovir is not Food and Drug Administration–approved for CMV prophylaxis in liver transplant recipients, postmarketing studies have shown valganciclovir to be as effective as ganciclovir in high‐risk adult patients undergoing SOT.

Shin Hwang, Tae‐Yong Ha, Chul‐Soo Ahn, Deok‐Bog Moon, Ki‐Hun Kim, Gi‐Won Song, Dong‐Hwan Jung, Gil‐Chun Park, Jung‐Man Namgoong, Sung‐Won Jung, Sam‐Youl Yoon, Kyu‐Bo Sung, Gi‐Young Ko, Byungchul Cho, Kyoung Won Kim, Sung‐Gyu Lee – 5 December 2011 – Because revascularization of the inferior right hepatic vein (IRHV) is a major component of right liver graft (RLG) reconstruction, we assessed the surgical techniques and clinical outcomes of IRHV reconstruction so that we could formulate practical guidelines for standardized procedures.