John Fung, Dympna Kelly, Zakiyah Kadry, Kusum Patel‐Tom, Bijan Eghtesad – 17 February 2005 – Although calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs) remain the mainstay of immunosuppression in liver transplantation (LTX), their long‐term toxicity significantly contributes to morbidity and mortality. The elucidation of mechanisms of alloimmunity and leukocyte migration have provided novel targets for immunosuppression development. The toxicities of these agents differ from that of the CNI and act additively or synergistically.

Roy Y. Calne – 17 February 2005

Takuya Hashimoto, Yasuhiko Sugawara, Yoji Kishi, Nobuhisa Akamatsu, Yuichi Matsui, Norihiro Kokudo, Masatoshi Makuuchi – 17 February 2005 – A right lateral sector graft (RLSG) was devised to overcome graft‐size disparity in living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). When the RLSG has a middle hepatic vein (MHV) tributary, which drains a significant part of segment VI, the MHV tributary (V6) should be reconstructed to avoid congestion of the RLSG.

Marianne Samyn, Paul Cheeseman, Lynsey Bevis, Rachel Taylor, Beatrice Samaroo, Muriel Buxton‐Thomas, Nigel Heaton, Mohamed Rela, Giorgina Mieli‐Vergani, Anil Dhawan – 17 February 2005 – Renal dysfunction of variable severity is being increasingly recognized as a major complication of calcineurin inhibitors (CI), in some patients even necessitating renal transplantation. Close and effective monitoring of the renal function is indicated. Current methods for this monitoring are calculation of the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) based on creatinine or exogenous substances like 51Cr‐EDTA.

Robert J. Boyle, Winita Hardikar, Mimi L.K. Tang – 17 February 2005 – The acquisition of new food allergy after orthotopic liver transplantation is now a well described phenomenon, mainly reported in children. The etiology of this phenomenon is at present unclear, but has been ascribed by some to tacrolimus treatment. Here we report a case of liver transplant acquired food allergy (LTAFA) in a child who received a split liver graft. The case is remarkable for the absence of new food allergy in the adult recipient of the same graft.

Josh Levitsky, Andre Kalil, Jane L. Meza, Glenn E. Hurst, Alison Freifeld – 17 February 2005 – Prior case series have suggested that herpes zoster (HZ) after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) may lead to serious complications due to visceral involvement. We sought to determine the incidence, risk factors, and long term outcomes of HZ after OLT. Clinical data from September 1993 to April 2004 were collected on all cases of HZ after OLT, and at the same post‐OLT time points in age, gender, and transplant‐year–matched HZ‐negative controls.

Sheila Savur, Maurizio Bonacini, Natalie Bzowej, Robert Gish, Adil Wakil, Robert Osorio – 17 February 2005

Mi Sook Gwak, Kwang‐Woong Lee, Shi Yeon Kim, Jihyun Lee, Jae Won Joh, Sung Joo Kim, Hwan Hyo Lee, Jean Wan Park, Gaab Soo Kim, Suk‐Koo Lee – 17 February 2005 – During liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients, HCC could theoretically be introduced into the systemic circulation when salvaged blood is used with an autotransfusion device. Several reports have shown that some types of leukocyte depletion filters (LDFs) could completely reduce the risk for reintroducing some types of tumor cells.

17 February 2005

Pratima Sharma, Jorge Rakela – 17 February 2005