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Review
. 2021 Jan;46(1):2-8.
doi: 10.1007/s00261-019-02357-w.

Liver transplantation: current and future

Christopher B Hughes  1 , Abhinav Humar  2
Affiliations
Review

Liver transplantation: current and future

Christopher B Hughes et al. Abdom Radiol (NY). 2021 Jan.

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this paper is to summarize the allocation challenges facing the field of liver transplantation while providing examples of the expansion of indications for the procedure.

Methods: UNOS allocation policy was reviewed as well as the recent literature describing expanded criteria for recipient candidate selection.

Results: Liver allocation policy changes for deceased-donor organs remain gridlocked in legal and bureaucratic red tape. Meanwhile, the indications for liver transplantation are being expanded to include acute alcoholic hepatitis, intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, and colorectal metastasis, previously viewed as absolute contraindications, but under strict selection criteria.

Conclusions: Attempting to meet the demand for livers, transplant centers are increasingly turning to living donor liver transplantation, protocols such as HCV-positive to HCV-negative transplants, and machine perfusion of marginal organs.

Keywords: Allocation; Liver; Transplantation.

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References

    1. OPTN Database. http://optn.transplant.hrsa.gov . 2019.
    1. Hughes CB (2015) The history of trying to fix liver allocation: Why a consensus approach will never work. Clin Transplant 29(6):477-483. https://doi.org/10.1111/ctr.12550
    1. Shulman M. (2013) Case 1:18-cv-06371, Cruz v HHS. 29181United States Dist Court South Dist New. 53(9):1-49.
    1. Canfield P, Bunting-Graden J (2019) Case 1:19-cv-01783AT. United States Dist Court North Dist Georg Atlanta Div:1-93.
    1. Luthi S (2019) Judge agrees to delay liver disribution policy again. Natl Coalit Transpl Equity.;May 16:1-2.

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