Jessica P E Davis, Anesia Reticker, Hyosun Han, Babak J Orandi, Zachary Henry, Shirley M Tsunoda, Julie K Heimbach, Allison R Schulman, Monica A Tincopa
{"title":"Management of obesity in liver transplant candidates & recipients: Rethinking the false dichotomy between pharmacotherapy and surgical intervention.","authors":"Jessica P E Davis, Anesia Reticker, Hyosun Han, Babak J Orandi, Zachary Henry, Shirley M Tsunoda, Julie K Heimbach, Allison R Schulman, Monica A Tincopa","doi":"10.1097/LVT.0000000000000645","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1097/LVT.0000000000000645","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The prevalence of comorbid metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and obesity has increased exponentially over the last several years, with current estimates demonstrating that up to 40% of adults in the United States have MASLD. Metabolic associated steatohepatitis (MASH) is now a leading indication for liver transplantation and rates of obesity and MASLD pre- and post-transplant are on the rise. Our understanding of the physiology of obesity and metabolic disease and the availability of effective obesity treatments has evolved over the same time frame. With the availability of new anti-obesity medications (AOM), there has been a debate over the role of pharmacotherapy versus interventional approaches in the treatment of obesity and MASLD in the liver transplantation population. In October 2024, the American Society of Transplantation (AST) Liver and Intestinal Community of Practice held a virtual Controversies Conference on obesity and liver transplantation. Experts in the field presented the available data and smaller working groups had interactive breakout sessions that identified knowledge gaps and developed recommendations. This perspective prepared on behalf the participants of the AST Controversies Conference on obesity and liver transplant aims to summarize the available evidence for surgical and pharmaceutical treatment in the liver transplantation population.</p>","PeriodicalId":18072,"journal":{"name":"Liver Transplantation","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144208879","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Balancing abstinence and harm reduction across the continuum of care for liver transplantation in alcohol-associated liver disease.","authors":"Sue Hyon Kim, Sasha Deutsch-Link, Marina Serper","doi":"10.1097/LVT.0000000000000644","DOIUrl":"10.1097/LVT.0000000000000644","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Alcohol use following liver transplantation (LT) is associated with worse outcomes. Strategies for predicting, preventing, and managing alcohol consumption among candidates and recipients of LT with alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) have historically emphasized complete abstinence. We propose a harm reduction approach as a possible complementary and realistic strategy for managing alcohol use in the context of LT for ALD. In this article, we outline the ethical and clinical foundations for applying harm reduction across the continuum of care for LT in ALD. Although complete alcohol abstinence prevents liver damage, harm reduction promotes shared decision-making that balances liver function with realistic patient circumstances and patient autonomy. Approaches grounded in harm reduction may allow us to improve outcomes across different alcohol consumption patterns and more effectively address health disparities in certain patient groups facing additional challenges in maintaining complete abstinence. Harm reduction strategies may also help prevent psychological distress in candidates and recipients of transplant with ALD and encourage early disclosure of alcohol use that enables timely interventions. Listing procedures and waitlist management for patients with ALD that incorporate principles of harm reduction may also broaden access to life-saving care while maintaining organ utility. Based on clinical evidence, we highlight the need to examine current LT selection processes, coordinate alcohol use disorder treatment for patients with ALD, and develop comprehensive markers of posttransplant success. Finally, we discuss potential challenges and considerations when applying the harm reduction approach to nuanced scenarios of candidates and recipients of LT with ALD.</p>","PeriodicalId":18072,"journal":{"name":"Liver Transplantation","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144199472","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Liver TransplantationPub Date : 2025-06-01Epub Date: 2024-10-28DOI: 10.1097/LVT.0000000000000522
Tommaso Maria Manzia, Bruno Sensi, Paolo Gentileschi, Claudia Quaranta, Luca Toti, Leonardo Baiocchi, Mario Dauri, Roberta Angelico, Giuseppe Tisone
{"title":"Safety and efficacy of simultaneous liver transplantation and sleeve gastrectomy in morbid obese patients with end-stage liver disease: The LT-SG study.","authors":"Tommaso Maria Manzia, Bruno Sensi, Paolo Gentileschi, Claudia Quaranta, Luca Toti, Leonardo Baiocchi, Mario Dauri, Roberta Angelico, Giuseppe Tisone","doi":"10.1097/LVT.0000000000000522","DOIUrl":"10.1097/LVT.0000000000000522","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In obese patients, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease is becoming a leading etiology of end-stage liver disease and HCC. Simultaneous liver transplantation and sleeve gastrectomy (LT-SG) have been proposed in the United States, but the safety and efficacy of the procedure have not been widely explored in Europe. Between January 2016 and December 2022, morbidly obese patients listed for liver transplantation at Tor Vergata University were enrolled in the LT-SG study. Primary outcomes were (1) safety expressed as 30- and 90-day overall survival and (2) major postoperative complications (Clavien-Dindo >IIIa). The secondary outcome was efficacy expressed as a 3-year %excess body mass index (BMI) loss. Eleven patients were enrolled in the study. The median BMI at transplantation was 42 (IQR 38-48). Indications of LT-SG were HCC (63.6%) and cirrhosis (36.4%). In 54% of cases, donors had high-risk characteristics (eurotransplant donor risk index >1.6). The 30- and 90-day overall survival were 63.6% and 54.5%, respectively. All deaths occurred in patients with P-SOFT >15 or in patients who had at least 3 of the following characteristics: >60 years, BMI >45, metabolic syndrome, MELD >25 or eurotransplant donor risk index >1.6. The 6 months, 1, 2, and 3 years %excess BMI loss was 73%, 60%, 50%, and 43%, respectively. LT-SG is a complex procedure that may carry excess risk in an unselected population. It should be considered only in highly selected patients. Standard donors are recommended, and prioritization of severely obese patients on the waiting list should be considered.</p>","PeriodicalId":18072,"journal":{"name":"Liver Transplantation","volume":" ","pages":"770-780"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142503072","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Liver TransplantationPub Date : 2025-06-01Epub Date: 2025-02-28DOI: 10.1097/LVT.0000000000000589
Sudha Kodali, Laura Kulik, Antonio D'Allessio, Eleonora De Martin, Abdul Rahman Hakeem, Monica Lewinska, Stacie Lindsey, Ken Liu, Zorana Maravic, Madhukar S Patel, David Pinato, Ashwin Rammohan, Nicole Rich, Marco Sanduzzi Zamparelli, David W Victor, Carmen Vinaxia, Elizabeth W Brombosz, Augusto Villanueva, Tim Meyer, Nazia Selzner, Rafik Mark Ghobrial, Mohamed Rela, Gonzalo Sapisochin
{"title":"The 2024 ILTS-ILCA consensus recommendations for liver transplantation for HCC and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.","authors":"Sudha Kodali, Laura Kulik, Antonio D'Allessio, Eleonora De Martin, Abdul Rahman Hakeem, Monica Lewinska, Stacie Lindsey, Ken Liu, Zorana Maravic, Madhukar S Patel, David Pinato, Ashwin Rammohan, Nicole Rich, Marco Sanduzzi Zamparelli, David W Victor, Carmen Vinaxia, Elizabeth W Brombosz, Augusto Villanueva, Tim Meyer, Nazia Selzner, Rafik Mark Ghobrial, Mohamed Rela, Gonzalo Sapisochin","doi":"10.1097/LVT.0000000000000589","DOIUrl":"10.1097/LVT.0000000000000589","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Liver transplantation (LT) provides the best long-term survival outcomes for patients with liver cancer. As a result, the field of transplant oncology has grown greatly over the past few decades, and many centers have expanded their criteria to allow increased access to LT for liver malignancies. Center-level guidelines and practices in transplant oncology significantly vary across the world, leading to debate regarding the best course of treatment for this patient population. An international consensus conference was convened by the International Liver Transplantation Society and the International Liver Cancer Association on February 1-2, 2024, in Valencia, Spain to establish a more universal consensus regarding LT for oncologic indications. The conference followed the Delphi process, followed by an external expert review. Consensus statements were accepted regarding patient assessment and waitlisting criteria, pretransplant treatment (including immunotherapy) and downstaging, living donor LT, post-LT patient management, and patient- and caregiver-related outcomes. The multidisciplinary participants in the consensus conference provided up-to-date recommendations regarding the selection and management of patients with liver cancer being considered for LT. Although participants deferred to center protocols in many cases, there was great interest in safely expanding access to LT for patients with larger tumor burden and biologically amenable lesions.</p>","PeriodicalId":18072,"journal":{"name":"Liver Transplantation","volume":" ","pages":"815-831"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143515935","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Liver TransplantationPub Date : 2025-06-01Epub Date: 2024-11-22DOI: 10.1097/LVT.0000000000000504
Jesús Quintero Bernabeu, Javier Juamperez Goñi, Maria Mercadal Hally, Cristina Padrós Fornieles, Mauricio Larrarte King, José Andrés Molino Gahete, Anna Coma Muñoz, Iratxe Diez Miranda, Mercedes Pérez Lafuente, Ramon Charco Torra, Ernest Hidalgo Llompart
{"title":"Less is more: The use of single biodegradable stenting to treat biliary anastomotic strictures in pediatric liver transplantation.","authors":"Jesús Quintero Bernabeu, Javier Juamperez Goñi, Maria Mercadal Hally, Cristina Padrós Fornieles, Mauricio Larrarte King, José Andrés Molino Gahete, Anna Coma Muñoz, Iratxe Diez Miranda, Mercedes Pérez Lafuente, Ramon Charco Torra, Ernest Hidalgo Llompart","doi":"10.1097/LVT.0000000000000504","DOIUrl":"10.1097/LVT.0000000000000504","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study reports our experience of using biodegradable biliary stents (BBSs) for anastomotic biliary strictures (ABSs) in pediatric patients undergoing liver transplants. It involves the analysis of a retrospective data collection from January 2014 to January 2023, including all pediatric recipients of liver transplants in our center treated for ABSs with BBSs. In phase 1 (2014-2019), there was an initial percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography with anastomotic dilatation followed 2 weeks after a second percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography with BBS insertion. In phase 2 (2019-2023), the BBS was placed shortly after ABS dilatation, requiring only 1 percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography. All patients were followed up with routine tests and ultrasound. Forty-six ABSs were diagnosed in 43 pediatric recipients of liver transplants with a median of 6.7 months after liver transplantation (0.1-246.8 mo). Eight out of 46 ABSs (17.4%) treated with BBSs relapsed (median recurrence time: 6.5 mo; 1.6-17.0 mo). Four resolved with further BBS placement; only 4 needed surgical revision (8.7%) after a median follow-up time of 43.9 months (0.3-106.3). There were no differences in ABS recurrence rate, time between stent placement and recurrence, or the presence of cholangitis based on whether the BBS was deployed in 1 or 2 steps. Patients with end-to-end anastomosis had a higher ABS recurrence (OR 10.8; 1.4-81.3, p = 0.008) than those with bilioenteric anastomosis. The use of biodegradable stents could be a good option for treating ABSs in pediatric patients undergoing liver transplants, with our series showing a success rate of over 90% and an average follow-up of 43.9 months.</p>","PeriodicalId":18072,"journal":{"name":"Liver Transplantation","volume":" ","pages":"793-802"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142349434","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Liver TransplantationPub Date : 2025-06-01Epub Date: 2024-12-25DOI: 10.1097/LVT.0000000000000563
Dimitri A Parra
{"title":"Why and when biodegradable biliary stents may be used in children? The emerging evidence may be starting to answer these questions.","authors":"Dimitri A Parra","doi":"10.1097/LVT.0000000000000563","DOIUrl":"10.1097/LVT.0000000000000563","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":18072,"journal":{"name":"Liver Transplantation","volume":" ","pages":"707-708"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142886000","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Liver TransplantationPub Date : 2025-06-01Epub Date: 2025-01-29DOI: 10.1097/LVT.0000000000000578
Jeong W Han, George Cholankeril, Fadl A Zeineddine, Maria F Machicao, Nhu Thao Nguyen Galván, John A Goss, Hashem B El-Serag, Fasiha Kanwal, Abbas Rana, Tzu-Hao Lee
{"title":"Racial and ethnic disparities in extended criteria allograft use for liver transplantation.","authors":"Jeong W Han, George Cholankeril, Fadl A Zeineddine, Maria F Machicao, Nhu Thao Nguyen Galván, John A Goss, Hashem B El-Serag, Fasiha Kanwal, Abbas Rana, Tzu-Hao Lee","doi":"10.1097/LVT.0000000000000578","DOIUrl":"10.1097/LVT.0000000000000578","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":18072,"journal":{"name":"Liver Transplantation","volume":" ","pages":"844-847"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143059826","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Liver TransplantationPub Date : 2025-06-01Epub Date: 2025-02-27DOI: 10.1097/LVT.0000000000000588
Victoria T Kronsten, Ashwin Dhanda
{"title":"A holistic approach is needed for the treatment of alcohol use disorder.","authors":"Victoria T Kronsten, Ashwin Dhanda","doi":"10.1097/LVT.0000000000000588","DOIUrl":"10.1097/LVT.0000000000000588","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":18072,"journal":{"name":"Liver Transplantation","volume":" ","pages":"699-700"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143501860","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Liver TransplantationPub Date : 2025-06-01Epub Date: 2024-12-25DOI: 10.1097/LVT.0000000000000560
Qimeng Gao, Isaac S Alderete, Nihal Aykun, Kannan P Samy, Christopher L Nauser, Siavash Raigani, Isabel F DeLaura, Riley Kahan, Imran J Anwar, Nader Abraham, W Jonathan Dunkman, Timothy E Miller, Lindsay Y King, Carl L Berg, Deepak S Vikraman, Kadiyala Ravindra, Aparna S Rege, Bradley H Collins, Lisa M McElroy, Ian Jamieson, Stuart J Knechtle, Debra L Sudan, Andrew S Barbas
{"title":"Transforming the logistics of liver transplantation with normothermic machine perfusion: Clinical impact versus cost.","authors":"Qimeng Gao, Isaac S Alderete, Nihal Aykun, Kannan P Samy, Christopher L Nauser, Siavash Raigani, Isabel F DeLaura, Riley Kahan, Imran J Anwar, Nader Abraham, W Jonathan Dunkman, Timothy E Miller, Lindsay Y King, Carl L Berg, Deepak S Vikraman, Kadiyala Ravindra, Aparna S Rege, Bradley H Collins, Lisa M McElroy, Ian Jamieson, Stuart J Knechtle, Debra L Sudan, Andrew S Barbas","doi":"10.1097/LVT.0000000000000560","DOIUrl":"10.1097/LVT.0000000000000560","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Normothermic machine perfusion (NMP) facilitates the utilization of marginal liver allografts. It remains unknown whether clinical benefits offset additional costs in the real-world setting. We performed a comparison of outcomes and hospitalization costs for donor livers preserved by NMP versus static cold storage at a high-volume center. Adult patients receiving deceased donor liver transplants preserved by either NMP (TransMedics Organ Care System) or static cold storage between January 1, 2021, and December 31, 2023, were included. Donor and recipient characteristics, operative parameters, post-transplant outcomes, and hospitalization costs were compared. A total of 144 NMP and 149 static cold storage cases were included. A higher proportion of NMP cases were donation after circulatory death (38.2% vs. 4.7%, p <0.001). Despite a significantly higher Liver Donor Risk Index (2.1 vs. 1.7, p <0.001) and longer preservation time (877 vs. 355 min, p <0.001), recipients of NMP experienced lower rates of reperfusion syndrome (4.3% vs. 32.9%, p <0.001), less blood loss (1.5 vs. 3.0 L, p <0.001), and required less blood product transfusion. This resulted in shorter operative time for NMP cases (357 vs. 438 min, p <0.001) and significant reductions in both intensive care unit (3 vs. 5 d, p =0.005) and hospital length of stay (11 vs. 13 d, p =0.03). NMP facilitated the transition of cases to daytime hours (88.9% vs. 46.3%, p <0.001). Despite the clinical and logistical benefits observed, index hospitalization costs were significantly higher in the NMP cohort ($256,810 vs. $209,144, p <0.001), driven largely by higher organ acquisition costs ($135,930 vs. $50,940, p <0.001). In conclusion, utilization of NMP comes with an attendant increase in cost but provides substantial clinical benefit. Transplant programs must weigh these considerations in their practice environments before initiating an NMP program.</p>","PeriodicalId":18072,"journal":{"name":"Liver Transplantation","volume":" ","pages":"750-761"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142895858","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}