Analysis of critical issues in case management for liver retransplantation

摘要

We report a case of a patient who underwent successful combined liver-kidney transplant after two prior liver transplantations. The topic of liver retransplantation is very controversial. Given the critical organ shortage, the question arises as to whether hepatic retransplantation should be offered liberally despite its greater cost, and inevitable denial of access to primary transplantation for the other patients on the waiting list. We suggest that careful selection of the retransplant candidates will improve outcomes and allow rational use of the limited organ supply. Analysis of the available literature allows us to identify the main predictors of morbidity and mortality for this patient population. It also enables development of a detailed plan for perioperative management. The role of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) as a monitor in the complex liver transplant cases is also discussed. Our report is a significant contribution to the very limited data available on the subject of multiple liver retransplants.