Progress in liver transplantation

Since the first clinical orthotopic liver transplant was performed 13 years ago, approximately 275 patients have undergone this procedure. The Denver series constitutes about 40% of this total experience. In our series, the overall 1-year survival has been 29%; the longest survivor is now 6 2/3 years posttransplantation. Most of the early deaths have been caused by technical complications, frequently related to difficulties in establishing and maintaining adequate biliary drainage. The late deaths have been from a variety of causes, including recurrent tumor, hepatitis, bile duct obstruction, and chronic rejection. Favorable indications for liver transplantation include biliary atresia, chronic aggressive hepatitis, inborn errors of metabolism, and certain other benign hepatic diseases. Alcoholic cirrhosis is a less favorable indication and primary hepatic malignancy is a relative contraindication. The immunologic criteria for donor-recipient selection are much less rigid than for renal transplantation. Biliary reconstruction is the principal technical problem encountered with orthotopic liver transplantation. Guidelines for the establishment of biliary drainage, its evaluation, and the management of postoperative biliary complications are discussed.