Michiel C. Warlé, Herold J. Metselaar, Wim C.J. Hop, Hugo W. Tilanus – 22 December 2004 – In the field of liver transplantation, 7 reports have been published investigating the association between polymorphisms in cytokine genes and the occurrence of acute rejection in liver graft recipients. However, most of the individual studies lack the statistical power to detect a small‐to‐moderate effect of cytokine gene polymorphisms on the acute rejection rate.

Shin Hwang, Sung‐Gyu Lee, Kwang‐Min Park, Ki‐Hun Kim, Chul‐Soo Ahn, Deok‐Bog Moon, Tae‐Yong Ha – 22 December 2004 – Major short hepatic veins (SHV) are indicated for vascular reconstruction to prevent excessive hepatic venous congestion of right liver grafts. As separate anastomoses of multiple small SHVs are vulnerable to stenosis or regeneration‐related torsion, a conjoined large opening of SHVs may be better than multiple separate anastomoses. We devised an innovative method to reconstruct SHVs through a patchwork quilt using autologous greater saphenous vein (GSV).

Julie K. Heimbach, K.V. Narayanan Menon, Michael B. Ishitani, Scott L. Nyberg, Christopher J. Jankowski, Keith D. Lindor, Charles B. Rosen – 22 December 2004 – Situs inversus totalis is a rare anatomic variant in which there is a complete mirror image of the thoracic and abdominal viscera. The common association of situs inversus and biliary atresia has led to a variety of modifications of surgical techniques utilizing both living donor and deceased donor liver grafts, with mixed results in the pediatric liver transplant population.

Ryuta Nishitai, Cody A. Koch, Kiyoshi Ogata, Bruce E. Knudsen, Timothy B. Plummer, Kim A. Butters, Jeffrey L. Platt – 22 December 2004 – Xenogeneic hepatocyte transplantation might offer an unobtrusive alternative to whole liver allotransplantation. Having previously found that the immune response to such grafts can be controlled by immunosuppression, we sought approaches to collection and delivery that would optimize survival and function after transplantation.

Santiago Moreno, Jesús Fortún, Carmen Quereda, Ana Moreno, Ma Jesús Pérez‐Elías, Pilar Martín‐Dávila, Emilio de Vicente, Rafael Bárcena, Yolanda Quijano, Miguel García, Javier Nuño, Adolfo Martínez – 22 December 2004 – Liver transplantation is being evaluated as a therapeutic option for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)‐infected patients with end‐stage liver disease, but experience is still scarce. We describe the outcome of 4 HIV‐infected patients who underwent liver transplantation in our hospital between July 2002 and April 2003.

Victor W. Xia, Randolph H. Steadman – 22 December 2004 – This article reviews the current status and controversies of the 3 commonly used antifibrinolytics—epsilon‐aminocaproic acid, tranexamic acid and aprotinin—during liver transplantation. There is no general consensus on how, when or which antifibrinolytics should be used in liver transplantation. Although these drugs appear to reduce blood loss and decrease transfusion requirements during liver transplantation, their use is not supported uniformly in clinical trials.

John O'Grady – 1 December 2004

Gabriela De Larrañaga, Silvia Perés, Jorge Benetucci – 24 November 2004

Anthony T. Dann, Anna P. Kenyon, Paul T. Seed, Lucilla Poston, Andrew H. Shennan, Rachel M. Tribe – 24 November 2004 – Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) is a pregnancy‐specific liver disease associated with poor maternal and fetal outcome. The diagnosis is based on pruritus with abnormal liver function in the absence of other pathological conditions. However, pruritus in pregnancy is common, and it may be the only presenting feature in ICP.

Albert Lau, Curt Bay, Abdul Nadir – 24 November 2004