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C O Esquivel

Publications and source records attributed to C O Esquivel.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Experience with the piggyback technique without caval occlusion in adult orthotopic liver transplantation.

BACKGROUND: To assess the feasibility and outcome of a piggyback technique without caval occlusion or veno-venous bypass (VB), we retrospectively reviewed 131 consecutive adult orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) performed in 129 patients between May 1993 and February 1995. Six were second transplants, and six were combined liver-kidney transplants. The piggyback technique was attempted in all cases. METHODS: We were able to perform the piggyback technique in 98 OLTs (75%). The remaining 33 OLTs (25%) were converted to the standard technique; of these, 20 (15%) required VB. The reasons for conversion to the standard technique were: anatomical (22 transplants), severe portal hypertension requiring VB (8 transplants), tumor (1 transplant), and other reasons (2 transplants). Six retransplantations were performed (four piggyback, two standard). RESULTS: There was no significant difference in age, United Network for Organ Sharing status, Child's classification, and diagnosis between the patients in whom piggyback was possible or not. The actuarial patient and graft survival at 1 year were similar between the piggyback group and the group of patients converted to standard technique (87/85% vs. 86/86%, respectively). No death was related to either technique. With piggyback, the average operative time was 8.6+/-1.9 hr, median amount of blood transfused intraoperatively was 2 U (33% did not require transfusion), and median intensive care unit and hospital stays were 3 and 11 days, respectively. With the piggyback technique, the mean preoperative and maximum postoperative serum creatinine levels were 1.4+/-1.0 and 1.8+/-1.5 mg/dl. CONCLUSION: The piggyback technique without caval occlusion is possible in the majority of patients. It is safe and has reduced the use of VB to 15% of our adult OLTs. The piggyback technique avoids retrocaval dissection, facilitates retransplantation, and is associated with a short anhepatic phase, low blood product usage, and short intensive care unit stay.

Adolescent↗

Allograft rejection after liver transplantation for autoimmune liver diseases.

Autoimmune liver diseases (AILD) may progress to liver failure, requiring liver transplantation as definitive therapy, and these immune-mediated disorders may predispose the patient to more frequent graft rejection. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of preexisting AILD on the incidence of allograft rejection after liver transplantation. Sixty-three patients who underwent liver transplantation between March 1988 and December 1994 for AILDs that included autoimmune hepatitis (AIH; n = 33) and primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC; n = 30) were retrospectively compared with 47 patients who underwent liver transplantation for alcoholic cirrhosis during the same time period. There was a lower incidence of acute allograft rejection in patients with AILD who received tacrolimus-based compared with cyclosporine-based immunosuppression (50% v 85.5%; P = .02). However, patients with AILDs overall had a higher incidence of acute rejection than patients with alcoholic cirrhosis (81% v 46.8%; P < .001), regardless of the type of immunosuppression. In addition, steroid-resistant rejection occurred more frequently in patients with AILDs than in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis (38.1% v 12.8%; P = .003). There was also a trend toward a higher incidence of chronic rejection in patients with AILDs compared with patients with alcoholic cirrhosis (11.1% v 2.1%), but this difference did not reach statistical significance. Patient and graft survivals at 1 and 3 years were similar between patients with AILDs and alcoholic liver disease. Compared with alcoholic cirrhosis, preexisting AILDs are associated with a higher incidence of acute allograft rejection and a trend toward more frequent chronic rejection.

Adult↗

New approaches to supporting the failing liver.

With the continued, growing disparity between the numbers of organ donations and patients waiting for liver transplantation, various efforts have been made to optimize the allocation of organs, as well as to devise means to support the failing liver. Over the years, the development of bioartificial liver-assist devices has aimed at replacing the three main functions of hepatocytes, which are synthetic, metabolic, and excretory. The application of porcine hepatocytes in humans to carry out biotransformation, as well as other metabolic functions and refinement of the membrane separator, have yielded some promising results in supporting patients with acute liver failure. Further advances will need to be made before these bioartificial devices can be considered for routine application in clinical settings.

Animals↗

Current status of living-related liver transplantation.

Living-related liver transplantation has come of age. This manuscript addresses the most important facets of the living-related liver transplant procedure including selection of the donor, the recipient operation, immunosuppression and rejection as well as the most common surgical complications. It also describes the results in terms of patient and graft survival, retransplantation and quality of life. Although living-related liver transplantation has not solved the problem of organ shortage, it has provided many children with an opportunity to live and enjoy life.

ABO Blood-Group System↗

Liver transplantation at Stanford University Medical Center.

Because of the unique demographics of our patient population, we have had the opportunity to dedicate further studies of the management of hepatitis B and hepatitis C. We have experienced a very low HBV recurrence rate with the use of HBIG in patients transplanted for hepatitis B. Investigations, including the use of new antiviral agents, and the development of approaches to minimize or abrogate disease recurrence such as lower levels of immunosuppression are ongoing. Using a standardized approach to the proper evaluation and selection of patients for liver transplantation with alcoholic liver disease or other liver diseases with coexistent alcohol abuse, we report favorable long-term results in these patients. We have reviewed our results and our approach to the management of EBV and posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder. There is a firm commitment in our laboratories and outpatient clinics to the investigation of disease prevention, reliable detection and screening methods, and treatment modalities for EBV-related disease. We have addressed specific technical considerations to pediatric liver transplant and have discussed unique aspects of postoperative management in these patients. One-third of the transplants performed at Stanford are in children, 42% of whom are less than one year old. Results with our pediatric transplant recipients compare favorably with those of our adult recipients with patient and graft survival rates approaching 90% at one year and exceeding 80% at 46 months for both groups. As a response to the limited organ supply, we have extended our criteria for suitable donors. Most notably, we have utilized older donors and grafts with significant microsteatosis and have observed good results with these grafts as long as ischemia time is minimized. We have also successfully used reduced size grafts for our pediatric patients with good results and are continuing to expand the use of living-related partial grafts and split allografts.

Adolescent↗

Cholic acid synthesis is reduced in pediatric liver recipients during graft dysfunction due to ischemic injury and allograft rejection.

BACKGROUND: Bile acids are synthesized and secreted by the liver. During liver failure and hepatic dysfunction, a marked reduction of bile acid synthesis has been shown. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the biliary bile acid pattern was affected by preservation injury and rejection and whether it was a reliable marker for graft function in pediatric liver recipients after liver transplantation. METHODS: We prospectively measured the biliary bile acid pattern in 126 serial bile samples obtained from 15 consecutive pediatric liver recipients by reversed phase high pressure liquid chromatography and correlated our results with clinical findings: preservation injury, no rejection, rejection, or infection. RESULTS: There was a significant change of the bile acid pattern during the first 3 days after transplant. Total biliary bile acids, cholic acid (CA), and CA/chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) ratio increased in 12 of 15 patients with mild preservation injury. These changes of the bile acid pattern were markedly delayed in patients with severe preservation injury. During 16 rejection episodes, total biliary bile acid, CA, and CA/CDCA ratio decreased significantly, but returned to normal after successful treatment of rejection. Bacterial infection, observed in nine children, and cyclosporine toxicity, observed in three children, seemed to have no affect on the biliary bile acids. CONCLUSIONS: Liver cell damage as a result of preservation injury or rejection leads to a reduction of biliary CA, resulting in a decrease of total biliary bile acids and the CA/CDCA ratio in pediatric liver recipients. This might be caused by a diminished secretion of bile acids and by a decreased synthesis of bile acids.

Adolescent↗

Factors affecting survival after orthotopic liver transplantation in infants.

The technical and medical management of small infants requiring orthotopic liver transplantation remains a challenge. The present study examined 117 orthotopic liver transplantations performed in 101 infants from <1 to 23 months of age between March 1988 and February 1995 to determine factors that influence patient and graft outcome. Factors analyzed included etiology of liver disease, recipient and donor age and weight, United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) status, retransplantation, ABO-compatibility, full-size (FS) versus reduced-size grafts, vascular thrombosis (VT), including hepatic artery and portal vein (PVT), and the presence of lymphoproliferative disease (LPD). UNOS status 1, fulminant hepatic failure, and the development of Epstein-Barr virus-associated LPD were each associated with 10-20% lower patient and graft survival rates. Of 101 infants, 11 (11%) developed LPD with an associated 36% mortality. VT occurred in 10 (9 hepatic artery and 1 portal vein) of 117 orthotopic liver transplantations (9%), all less than 1 year of age, and was associated with significantly poorer 1-year (50% vs. 85% no VT, P<0.01) and 5-year patient survival rates (50% vs. 83% no VT, P<0.01). One-year graft survival rates for FS grafts in recipients <12 months versus 12-23 months were 67% vs. 94% (P<0.01); the patient survival rate was also significantly lower in FS graft recipients <12 months (76% vs. 100%, P<0.05). Recipients <5 months of age had the worst survival rates: 1-year and 5-year patient survival rates were 65% and 46% for recipients 0-4 months (n=17) versus 82% and 82% for recipients 5-11 months (n=56), and 93% and 93% for recipients age 12-23 months (n=28; P<0.05). In summary, factors associated with reduced survival rates include recipient age <5 months, recipient age <12 months who received FS grafts, development of VT and donor weight <6 kg. There was a trend for UNOS status 1, fulminant hepatic failure, and presence of LPD to be associated with reduced survival rates.

Aging↗

Liver transplantation in Asian patients with chronic hepatitis B.

It has been suggested that Asian patients have reduced survival after liver transplantation because of greater recurrence of hepatitis B virus (HBV). We analyzed the outcome of Asian and non-Asian patients receiving transplants for chronic hepatitis B between May 1988 and March 1994. Baseline Child-Pugh score and United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) status, HBV recurrence, and survival were compared between the two groups. All but one patient received variable doses of hepatitis B immune globulin. Mean follow-up of surviving patients was 28 months (range, 3-71 months). Fifteen Asians and 20 non-Asians underwent transplantation. Six of 15 Asians (40%) and 4 of 20 non-Asians (20%) died during the study period. Although Asians had a lower 1-year survival than non-Asians (59% for Asians and 94% for non-Asians), the 5-year actuarial survival was not different (59% and 57% for Asians and non-Asians, respectively). The causes of death in 5 of 6 Asians were factors other than recurrent hepatitis B, and 4 of 5 deaths occurred within 60 days after transplantation. Eighty percent of Asian patients were Child-Pugh class C at referral, compared with 50% of non-Asians, and Asians were more likely to be status 1 at transplantation (40% vs. 10%; P < .05). By contrast, all four deaths in non-Asians occurred late and were secondary to recurrent HBV infection. Of patients surviving more than 60 days after transplantation, 7 of 11 Asians (64%) and 10 of 20 non-Asians (50%) developed recurrent HBV infection (NS). Late mortality attributable to HBV recurrence was lower but not significantly different in Asians (1 of 7 [14%]) than in non-Asians (4 of 10 [40%]). In summary, HBV recurrence and late HBV-related mortality in Asians and non-Asians is similar after liver transplantation for chronic hepatitis B. Late referral and more advanced chronic liver disease at the time of transplantation probably account for the lower 1-year survival of Asians after liver transplantation.

Chronic Disease↗

Emergency transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) in an infant: a case report.

Since the first successful report regarding the feasibility of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) as an alternative to surgical decompression of portal hypertension, this method has been used extensively as a temporizing measure in controlling refractory variceal bleeding before liver transplantation in adults with cirrhosis. There are few reports of TIPS in pediatric patients because variceal bleeding in most of these patients can often be managed conservatively without invasive intervention. Recently, successful use of TIPS to treat complications of portal hypertension has been described in two children ages 10 and 13. To our knowledge, there are no reports of TIPS used in infants under the age of 1 year. The authors report a case in which TIPS was used to successfully control variceal bleeding in a 10-month-old infant before consideration for hepatic transplantation.

Blood Transfusion↗

Neurodevelopmental outcome of young children with extrahepatic biliary atresia 1 year after liver transplantation.

STUDY DESIGN: Forty children < 2 years of age receiving extrahepatic liver transplantation were tested with the Bayley Scales of Infant Development before transplantation and again at 3 and 12 months after transplantation. Neurodevelopmental status 1 year after transplantation was organized by a descriptive statistic of normal, suspect, or delayed. Disease and transplantation variables were investigated for association with delayed neurodevelopmental outcome. RESULTS: Before transplantation mental development was in the low-average range (92 +/- 13.2) with psychomotor development 1 SD below the norm (82.5 +/- 13). Three months after transplantation both mental (80.1 +/- 12.6) and psychomotor (69 +/- 16.1) scores dropped 1 SD, but 1 year after transplantation mental and psychomotor scores recovered to the pretransplantation level of functioning. One year after transplantation 35% of the study group was diagnosed as developmentally delayed. Delayed development was associated with decreased weight (p < 0.04), low albumin (p < 0.02), length of hospital stay (p < 0.04), and age at transplantation (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Young children undergoing liver transplantation are at risk for developmental delay. Aggressive nutritional support before transplantation and timing of transplantation before malnutrition develops may reduce developmental delays.

Age Factors↗

Current status and outcome of pediatric liver transplantation.

In this article the diagnostic indications for hepatic transplantation are addressed in detail. The outcome of liver transplantation is also examined, including the impact of the following factors on survival: age and weight at transplantation, type of liver disease, and size of liver allograft, including living related transplantation. Morbidity and quality of life after transplantation are other aspects reviewed in this chapter.

Age Factors↗

Potential effect of cyclosporin A in formation of cholesterol gallstones in pediatric liver transplant recipients.

Recent advancements in liver transplantation have resulted in extended survival both for grafts and recipients. Such improvement, together with the shortage of donor organs has prompted expansion of the donor pool to include less than ideal donors, especially in life-threatening situations. The use of older liver donors has been associated with lower long-term survival. However, potential morbidity such as gallstone formation has not been explored. We analyzed bile composition in a child who developed cholesterol gallstones in the proximal bile duct two years after undergoing emergency liver transplantation with a liver from a 78-year-old donor. Oral administration of ursodeoxycholic acid (ursodiol) shifted the cholesterol composition of the bile from a supersaturated, potentially crystallized state to a liquid (micellar) state. Unlike cyclosporin A, FK506 showed an increase in the proportion of chenodeoxycholic acid and a decrease in the proportion of cholic acid, and thus may exhibit minimal or no hepatotoxic effect. Thus, in donor livers with factors known to be associated with cholesterol gallstone formation (such as age, sex, or obesity), one may consider analyzing the bile composition at the time of procurement. Depending on cholesterol and bile acid composition the use of FK506 with or without addition of ursodeoxycholic acid may be warranted.

Adolescent↗

Liver transplantation from non-heart beating donors in rats: influence of viscosity and temperature of initial flushing solutions on graft function.

BACKGROUND: We evaluated the effect of warm (37 degrees C) versus cold (4 degrees C) solutions as the initial flush for liver preservation from non-heart beating donors in rats. METHODS: An initial flush was performed just before donor hepatectomy with cold or warm University of Wisconsin solution (UW), UW without hydroxyethyl starch, sodium lactobionate sucrose solution, or lactated Ringer's solution as the control group. A separate group also used as control received no initial flushing. Liver transplantation was performed, and the graft function was determined by survival and assessment of enzyme release. The viscosity of each solution and the vascular resistance of the graft were measured. RESULTS: The 7-day survival rate was 83% and 100% in the warm and cold sodium lactobionate sucrose solution groups and 60% and 50% in the warm and cold lactated Ringer's solution groups, respectively. In the no-initial-flush group, rats did not survive. The 7-day survival rate was 67% and 0% in the warm and cold UW groups, respectively. Eliminating the hydroxyethyl starch from the cold UW improved the survival to 67%. Serum alanine aminotransferase levels 1 day after transplantation in the no-initial-flush and the cold UW groups were significantly higher than those of the remaining groups. At 4 degrees C the viscosity was higher in the UW (86.2 cp) compared to hydroxyethyl starch-free UW solution (30.9 cp), lactated Ringer's solution (24.5 cp), and sodium lactobionate sucrose solution (32.7 cp). The viscosity of UW at 37 degrees C was 34.7 cp. Vascular resistance correlated well with the viscosity. Livers flushed with solutions with a low viscosity showed lower vascular resistance than those flushed with cold UW and led to better survival. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that the viscosity of the initial flushing solution may play an important role in determining the outcome of organ procurement from non-heart beating donors.

Adenosine↗

Rapid development of hepatocellular siderosis after liver transplantation for neonatal hemochromatosis.

A male infant with neonatal iron storage disease, also known as neonatal hemochromatosis (NH), underwent orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) at the age of 55 days. The native liver contained an incidental hepatocellular carcinoma. Scant iron accumulation was found in a biopsy specimen of the implanted liver on the seventh postoperative day (POD); successive biopsies showed increasing siderosis. On POD 62, the patient died of a cardiac arrhythmia. Autopsy showed siderosis at many sites, including the implanted liver. We discuss the possibility that hemochromatosis recurred in the liver allograft and review possible factors contributing to the siderosis.

Graft Rejection↗

Continuous venovenous hemofiltration with dialysis in combination with total hepatectomy and portocaval shunting. Bridge to liver transplantation.

Children who experience acute liver failure following liver transplantation will have multiple organ failure and a high rate of mortality unless emergency retransplantation can be performed. Transplant hepatectomy with portocaval shunting has been described as a bridge to transplantation in the most severe cases, as well as in patients with fulminant hepatic failure at high risk for mortality who have not undergone liver transplantation. Patients with multiple organ failure who have undergone hepatectomy require renal replacement therapy. Continuous hemofiltration may be used in patients with fulminant hepatic failure to facilitate fluid removal and circulatory and metabolic balance. We used continuous venovenous hemofiltration with dialysis following hepatectomy with portocaval shunting in a patient who remained anhepatic for 66 hr in order to achieve circulatory and metabolic homeostasis as well as stable neurologic function prior to successful retransplantation.

Child, Preschool↗