by Inês Pessanha  , Catarina Cunha  , Cláudia Piedade  , Emanuel Furtado  and Maria Francelina Lopes

Received: 09 August 2020;  Published: 05 January 2021;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.2101131

Diaphragmatic Hernia (DH) after Liver Transplantation (LT) is a rare complication with unclear pathophysiology. Among 261 LT, we recognized six DH during the post transplant period (2.30%). All patients with DH had received a left lateral segment (LLS) reduced graft. The mean graft weight was 340g with a mean graft-to-recipient body weight ratio (GBWR) of 4.20%. LLS grafts, a GBWR > 4%, previous abdominal surgery and direct trauma during surgery can be enumerated as potential risk factors for DH post-LT. These chil [...]

by Michael Mazzei  , Suresh Keshavamurthy  , Olga Timofeeva  and Yoshiya Toyoda

Received: 11 September 2020;  Published: 04 January 2021;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.2101130

Preoperative sensitization of the cardiac transplant recipient, defined as the presence of anti-Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) antibodies before transplant, represents a significant management challenge for physicians. Sensitization prolongs the pre-transplant wait time and is associated with postoperative transplant complications and death. It is critical that sensitized heart transplant candidates be identified and optimized before surgery. In this review, we describe the risk for sensitization, discuss the means [...]

by Shehab Mohamed  , Davide Tosi  , Sara Pieropan  , Andrea Cara  , Giovanni Caffarena  , Giorgio Alberto Croci  and Lorenzo Rosso

Received: 01 July 2020;  Published: 21 December 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.2004129

Pulmonary transplantation (LuTx) is established as a treatment option for patients with end-stage lung diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cystic fibrosis, interstitial lung disease, and pulmonary arterial hypertension. Acute rejection and infection are implicated as potential risk factors in developing complications such as bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS) and chronic rejection, leading to high morbidity and mortality rates after the LuTx. Thus, surveillance procedures after transplanta [...]

by Jun Gu  , Wei Wang  , Guilin Tang  , Gokce A. Toruner  , Ming Zhao  , Steven Sfamenos  , Zhenya Tang  , Joseph D. Khoury  and L. Jeffrey Medeiros

Received: 13 October 2020;  Published: 07 December 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.2004128

Donor cell-derived leukaemia (DCL) is an uncommon complication of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). DCL might represent up to 5% of the post-HSCT disease relapses, but case numbers reported in the literature might underestimate the frequency. The leukemogenesis of DCL is not well understood due to the limited numbers of cases reported and lack of detailed molecular genetic information from recipients and donors. Although many theories have been proposed for leukemogenesis of DCL, the underl [...]

by Naoaki Sakata  , Gumpei Yoshimatsu  and Shohta Kodama

Received: 02 October 2020;  Published: 27 November 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.2004127

Islet transplantation is a cellular replacement therapy for severe diabetes mellitus. Although the clinical outcome of islet transplant has been improving, the transplant efficacy of this treatment is not superior to that of pancreatic organ transplantation, a similar transplant therapy. Various factors have been characterized as ‘islet transplantation specific’, which includes lack of revascularization and ischemia, innate inflammation, or autoimmunity, affect the therapeutic outcome of this treatment. Among them, [...]

by Kamal Kant Sahu

Received: 01 November 2020;  Published: 19 November 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.2004126

by Preeti Chhabra  and Kenneth L. Brayman

Received: 20 September 2020;  Published: 16 November 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.2004125

Clinical islet allotransplantation represents a minimally invasive, efficacious alternative to pancreas transplantation for restoring glycemic control and insulin independence in select patients with type 1 diabetes that is complicated by intractable impaired hypoglycemia awareness and/or severe hypoglycemic events refractory to stabilization by other means. Over the last decade, islet transplantation outcomes have steadily improved in part due to refinements in the selection of optimal donors, islet isolation tech [...]

by Malcolm Voyce

Received: 22 July 2020;  Published: 16 November 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.2004124

This article aims to describe the relationship between donors and their recipients in the context of organ transplants. This analysis is made in the light of Marcel Mauss’s work, offering an expansion on an analysis of his discussion on the “spirit of the gift” and his idea that gifts require reciprocation. It is argued that some recipients of donated organs receive a personal element from the donor in that there is a transfer or sharing of the donors’ personality and spiritual qualities. The article examines the n [...]

by Marina Moguilevitch  and Tracey Straker

Received: 05 July 2020;  Published: 12 November 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.2004123

Clinical presentation and progression of Wilson’s disease can be diverse in different groups of patients. While young children most likely to present with acute or chronic liver failure, older children and adults may exhibit extrahepatic manifestation like neuropsychiatric, cardiac, renal, pancreatic and several others. Diagnosis of Wilson’s disease is based on the combination of specific clinical findings, laboratory and genetic testing. There are different modalities of treatment available for this condition. Liv [...]

by Jessica Ferguson  , Marisa Holubar  , Waldo Concepcion  and Dora Y. Ho

Received: 24 July 2020;  Published: 09 November 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.2004122

Liver transplant recipients (LTRs) are at risk for vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) infections which can lead to significant morbidity or mortality. Antibiotic exposure, including vancomycin, is associated with greater risk of VRE infection. This study aimed to assess the appropriateness of vancomycin use and rates of VRE infection in this population. We performed a retrospective cohort study of 327 patients who underwent liver transplantation at our center from January 1, 2012 to June 30, 2017. Sixty (18.3% [...]