Small intestinal transplantation using cyclosporine. Report of a case

Abstract

A case of small intestinal allotransplantation is described. Cyclosporine and Solumedrol were used for immunosuppression. A hemolytic episode occurred, caused by anti-A antibodies derived from graft lymphocytes. Sudden severe encephalopathy developed on the ninth postoperative day, followed by intractable hypotension and death. Hepatic and splenic microinfarcts were identified on postmortem examination. Allograft rejection was identified by serial stomal biopsies and correlated with a rise in monocyte procoagulant activity, a potentially useful serologic marker of rejection. The absence of an anatomic circuit for recycling of cyclosporine did not alter serum radioimmunoassay/high-performance liquid chromatography ratios.