Auxiliary versus orthotopic liver transplantation for acute liver failure

• Published in: Journal of hepatology 1999-04, Vol.30 (4), p.699-705
• Main Authors: Hoek, Bart van, Boer, Jan de, Boudjema, Karim, Williams, Roger, Corsmit, Oscar, Terpstra, Onno T
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acute liver failure; Auxiliary; Biological and medical sciences; Complications; Hepatic artery thrombosis; Heterotopic; Liver transplantation; Liver, biliary tract, pancreas, portal circulation, spleen; Medical sciences; Outcome; Portal vein thrombosis; Primary non-function; Regeneration; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; Surgery of the digestive system
• ISSN: 0168-8278; 1600-0641
• DOI: 10.1016/S0168-8278(99)80202-5

Background/Aims/Methods: We report 1-year results after auxiliary liver transplantation for acute liver failure in a cohort of 47 patients transplanted in 12 European centers as compared with those of 384 consecutive patients undergoing orthotopic liver transplantation for acute liver failure in the Eurotransplant area. Results: One-year patient survival resp. retransplant-free patient survival did not differ between orthotopic (61%, 232/384 resp. 52%, 200/384) and auxiliary liver transplantation (62%, 29/47 resp. 53%, 25/47). One-year patient survival resp. retransplant-free patient survival after auxiliary partial orthotopic liver transplantation was 71% (25/35) resp. 60% (21/35), not significantly different from orthotopic liver transplantation (61%, 232/384 resp. 52%, 200/384), while both transplantation techniques had better 1-year patient survival resp. retransplant-free patient survival than after heterotopic auxiliary liver transplantation (33%, 4/12) ( p