Latin American association for the study of the liver (ALEH) guidance of preoperative care in liver transplantation: referral criteria, patient assessment, and waiting list management.

Abstract

Liver transplantation (LT) is the standard of care therapy for patients with decompensated cirrhosis, early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma, acute liver failure, and other expanding indications. Latin America is a highly heterogeneous region characterized by an uneven distribution of socio-economic conditions and irregular access to health resources, and consequently LT activity varies across it. This current guidance of preoperative care in LT represents a collaborative effort to assess and standardize preoperative evaluation of liver transplant candidates in Latin America. It is the first position paper of the special interest group on LT of the Latin American Association for the Study of the Liver (ALEH), which draws evidence-based comprehensive recommendations regarding who to refer, the LT assessment and how to manage the patient on the waiting list, taking into consideration their applicability in Latin America.