Living Donor Liver Transplantation and Hepatitis

Abstract

Preliminary results indicate that living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) recipients infected with HCV develop earlier and more severe recurrence than their cadaveric counterparts. The mechanisms underlying this observation are unknown, but could include hepatic regeneration, differences in LDLT recipient demographics, immune homology between donor and recipient, or other factors not previously considered. The optimum clinical approach is to consider LDLT in HCV-infected recipients only as a life-saving procedure and to attempt to erradicate HCV before LT to prevent recurrent infection.