by Kyungmin Ko  , Juan F. Guerra  and David F. Garvin

Received: 29 August 2019;  Published: 28 October 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.1904089

Background: Graft site candidiasis is a serious complication after solid organ transplantation, often presenting as invasive arteritis leading to graft loss or even death. Case Report: We report a case of anastomotic site candidiasis leading to arterial rupture and death at postoperative day 10 with no clinical warning signs. Preservation fluid cultures were negative and postoperative Doppler ultrasonography did not show vascular compromise. Postmortem examination revealed microscopic arterial wall abscesses harbou [...]

by Olivia C Smibert  , Joseph S Doyle  , Adam WJ Jenney  , David Pilcher  , Miranda A Paraskeva  , Glen P Westall  and Greg I Snell

Received: 16 September 2020;  Published: 13 January 2021;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.2101134

Since 2018 The American Society of Transplant has recommended that Hepatitis C Virus seropositive positive, non-viremic donors (HCVAb+/NAT-) be considered non-infectious and safe for transplantation. This report describes clinical outcomes and HCV serological and virological outcomes following lung transplantation (LTx) utilizing such donors. This retrospective cohort study describes seven HCVAb+/NAT- donors used for bilateral LTx. Donor information was sourced from the national organ donation service and recipient [...]

by Michael Czapka  , Carlos A.Q. Santos  and Laurie A. Proia

Received: 08 October 2018;  Published: 31 January 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.1901045

Mucormycosis is a rare fungal infection associated with high morbidity and mortality that typically afflicts immunocompromised hosts. We present a case of isolated hepatic mucormycosis with Rhizopus spp. that developed in the early post-transplant period. Initial presentation was concerning for allograft rejection, but definitive diagnosis was made with histopathology and fungal culture. The patient had a favourable outcome with surgical resection, a course of liposomal amphotericin B combined with micafungin, and [...]

by Patrick Hagen  , William Adams  , Shruti Singh  , Shuai Qin  , Loredana Campo  , Stephanie Tsai  , Nasheed Hossain  , Scott E Smith  and Patrick J Stiff

Received: 04 November 2020;  Published: 07 February 2021;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.2101136

Allogeneic stem cell transplantation remains the only curative option for many hematological malignancies. Umbilical cord blood (UCB) is an alternate donor source with potentially increased morbidity in elderly patients. We evaluated outcomes in alternate donor sources, prior to the initiation of haploidentical transplantation at our institution, of matched unrelated donor (MUD) and UCB in elderly patients (mean age 64, range 60-75). One hundred and eighty-four patients were included (MRD: 57; MUD: 69; UCB: 58). Th [...]

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 Khawla F. Ali  , Vicente T. San Martin  , Tyler Stevens  , R. Matthew Walsh  , Rita Bottino  , Massimo Trucco  and Betul Hatipoglu

Received: 29 March 2018;  Published: 02 July 2018;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.1803014

Total pancreatectomy (TP) is increasingly being utilized for definitive treatment in patients with debilitating chronic pancreatitis (CP). In an effort to prevent surgical diabetes, the procedure can be performed in conjunction with transplantation of islets of Langerhans recovered from the patients’ own resected pancreas (autologous islet transplantation, AIT). Given that patients undergoing TP and AIT are traditionally assumed not to be at risk for the development of beta-cell autoimmunity, it is possible that th [...]

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 Masahiro Sato  , Emi Inada  , Shingo Nakamura  and Issei Saitoh

Received: 28 March 2018;  Published: 02 August 2018;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.1803016

Background: Transplantation of isolated islets is one of the most powerful approaches to cure insulin-dependent (type I) diabetes mellitus (IDDM). Currently, the most widely used transplantation strategy is percutaneous perfusion into the liver via the portal vein. However, this approach has several drawbacks and is often limited by the large number of islets required and hypoxic damage to the grafts. Methods: In this article, we posit intrapancreatic parenchymal cell transplantation (IPPCT) as a promisin [...]

by Katerina G. Oikonomou  and Sarah Taimur

Received: 14 February 2019;  Published: 17 June 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.1902066

In non-endemic regions of the world, human T-cell lymphotropic virus type-1 (HTLV-1) is an uncommon pathogen in the transplant host, but can be associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Careful assessment for risk factors, targeted screening and heightened awareness of the clinical presentation of HTLV-1 associated disease is necessary for timely recognition and management in the transplant host. The use of antiretroviral agents in the management of symptomatic disease due to HTLV-1 remains controversial [...]

by Sheri Tran  and Mark M Fuster

Received: 16 July 2017;  Published: 12 September 2017;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.1703004

The risk for developing a variety of malignancies is significantly elevated in the setting of lung transplantation. Malignancy remains among the three major causes of death in post-transplant recipients, and the relatively high risk of cancer development as well as metastatic aggression pose special threats to this population due to the need for continued immunosuppression. A variety of risks such as tobacco use and inflammatory lung diseases that led to the lung pathology prompting lung transplantation, in additio [...]

by Zaid Albayati  , Sally Heyworth  , Jane Moberly  , Derek Middleton  , Brian Flanagan  , Abdul Hammad  and Stephen E Christmas

Received: 10 October 2018;  Published: 14 December 2018;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.1804032

Background:HLA-G is an immunosuppressive molecule with a potential role in allograft acceptance. Methods:Expression of HLA-G on leucocyte subpopulations was studied in a group of 21 renal transplant patients immediately prior to and 2 months post-transplantation. Results:Significant increases in proportions of total HLA-G+CD4+ T cells were seen (0.5+/-0.1% to 7.9+/-3.2%; p<0.01) and also for CD45RA+, CD45RO+ and CD69+ subsets. Increases in proportions of HLA-G+ cells were also seen in CD8+ T cells and their [...]

by Ramin Raoufinia  , Saleh Hashemi  , Kimia Arabi  , Karim Naghipoor  , Farhad Fakoor  and Ehsan Saburi

Received: 20 October 2024;  Published: 02 April 2025;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.2502245

In orthopedics and oncology, benign and malignant bone lesions pose significant clinical challenges. Malignant tumors, like osteosarcomas and multiple myeloma, pose substantial health dangers and can spread common and mostly non-life-threatening benign lesions, including non-sizing fibromas and unicameral bone cysts. Treatment plans for bone lesions may involve radiation, chemotherapy, and surgical excision, depending on their type. Combining stem cell research, bioactive materials, and advanced scaffold design, cu [...]

by Aniruddha Bhattacharyya  , Lee R. Friedman  , Beje S. Thomas  and Coleman I. Smith

Received: 29 August 2021;  Published: 18 October 2021;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.2104154

End Stage Renal Disease is becoming more prevalent in the United States of America, with demand for kidney transplant exceeding the available organ supply. A novel method to increase the donor pool has been to consider transplanting organs from deceased patients who have had Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) or Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infections. Transplants with HCV infected kidneys are becoming more prevalent, due to increased organ supply due to increased mortality from injection opioid use. Similarly, deceased [...]

by Shalika B. Katugaha  , Oksana Shlobin  , Chris King  , Steve Nathan  , Shambu Aryal  , Kareem Ahmad  and Whitney Brown

Received: 04 September 2020;  Published: 13 October 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.2004120

Strongyloides stercoralis infection derived from the donor in solid organ transplant (SOT) places recipients at risk for hyperinfection syndrome and death. We describe the case of a lung transplant recipient who developed strongyloidiasis presenting with GI symptoms and progressing to diffuse alveolar hemorrhage, bacteremia and multi-organ failure. The patient's clinical course illustrates the life cycle of Strongyloides. For treatment, the patient received ivermectin and albendazole. We advocate that early diagnos [...]

by Pål Dag Line

Received: 07 April 2017;  Published: 11 April 2017;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.1701001

by Yujie Wen  , Anita Y. Chhabra  , Joseph R. Leventhal  and Suzanne T. Ildstad

Received: 29 October 2018;  Published: 20 November 2018;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.1804027

This review summarizes the latest results from the interventional clinical trials for inducing clinical tolerance in the recipients of human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-matched or mismatched living donor kidney transplants via allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell (HSC)-based therapies. The protocols utilized by the three medical centers in the United States differ in degree of HLA-matching, relatedness or unrelatedness, donor cell composition of the hematopoietic stem cells transplant (HSCT), timing for infusion and cond [...]

by Petr A. Fedotov  , Maria A. Simonenko  , Yulia V. Sazonova  , Mariya A. Bortsova  , Artem N. Kostomarov  and Mariya Yu. Sitnikova

Received: 01 February 2019;  Published: 05 August 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.1903077

Background: To estimate the survival of patients in the heart transplantation waiting list (HTx WL) at Almazov National Medical Research Centre (V.A. Almazov NMRC), Saint-Petersburg, Russia, from 2010 to 2017 and to define risk factors for death among these patients. Methods: It was a single-center retrospective study involving 151 patients with advanced chronic heart failure (CHF) in the HTx WL. Results: Mortality in the HTx WL for the period 2010-2017 was found to decrease. Based on the results of constructing th [...]

by Courtney Tate  , Jason P Butler  , Cameron Curley  , Siok-Keen Tey  , Glen A Kennedy  and Ashleigh P Scott

Received: 23 June 2020;  Published: 23 October 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.2004121

Acquired Severe Aplastic Anaemia (SAA) is a rare bone marrow failure syndrome, for which allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) is a proven curative therapy. Despite excellent outcomes for matched sibling SAA recipients in terms of engraftment and survival, HSCT remains highly challenging in older matched-unrelated-donor (MUD) recipients, due to increased non-relapse mortality (NRM) from causes such as graft versus host disease (GVHD), organ failure and infection. We sought to evaluate our local HSCT [...]

by Qing Ye  , Yijen L. Wu  , Lesley M. Moley  , Parker H. Mills  , Fang-Cheng Yeh  , Haosen Zhang  , Danielle F. Eytan  , Li Liu  , T. Kevin Hitchens  and Chien Ho

Received: 07 January 2019;  Published: 29 August 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.1903083

Background: Cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) remains a major obstacle to long-term heart allograft survival. A number of studies show that immune mechanisms are involved in CAV. Using non-invasive cellular MRI (CMRI) to explore indicators of CAV lesions and characterize its development could provide new insights into the target immune cells that are responsible for the progression of CAV and reveal early markers of the disease before irreversible changes occur. Methods and Results: Rat heart transplant allograf [...]

by Nicholas J. Geraghty  , Amal Elhage  , Peter Cuthbertson  , Debbie Watson  and Ronald Sluyter

Received: 06 June 2022;  Published: 06 September 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.2203166

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is a curative therapy for hematological malignancies, but its efficacy is limited by graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). This life-threatening disorder develops when donor (graft) immune cells cause inflammatory damage to recipient (host) tissues. The immune cell receptor channel P2X7 and its ligand adenosine 5’-triphosphate (ATP) have been implicated in GVHD pathogenesis. Therefore, this signaling axis represents a potential therapeutic target. This study aime [...]

by Ashley Rosenberg  , Gilles Dongmo  , Pallavi Yadav  , Nathaniel Lee  and Kunal Yadav

Received: 13 August 2018;  Published: 21 September 2018;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.1803020

Even though renal ectopia is common, there have been very few reports of these kidneys being used for transplantation. The concerns with using such kidneys are subnormal function, ureteral anomalies and complications and anomalous arterial supply which makes arterial reconstruction challenging. Majority of reports are for use in living donor transplantation where good preoperative imaging is available. There is very scant literature reporting use of ectopic pelvic kidneys from deceased donors. We report a case of a [...]

by Maria Irene Bellini  , Joseph Ayathamattam  and Paul Elliot Herbert

Received: 19 October 2018;  Published: 19 November 2018;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.1804026

Obesity is on the rise and the number of end stage renal disease patients who are obese parallel this trend. There is no universally accepted guideline for wait-listing end stage renal disease obese patients in order to reduce surgical complications and improve survival of the kidney graft. Criteria for acceptance are variable among transplant centres, as do post-transplant policies. Careful risk assessment to maximise the benefits of the limited organ donor resource must be undertaken prior to waitlist an obese ki [...]

by Elham Amjad  and Babak Sokouti

Received: 21 February 2025;  Published: 09 June 2025;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.2502251

Graft rejection, early allograft dysfunction (EAD), and poor diagnostic accuracy are some of the challenges that still need to be addressed, even though liver transplantation (LT) has the potential to help patients with end-stage liver disease (ESLD) significantly. Traditional procedures, such as liver biopsies and liver function tests (LFTs), often fail to identify abnormalities early and with accuracy. Genomic RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) has recently emerged as a powerful approach for identifying molecular markers o [...]

by Naoaki Sakata  , Gumpei Yoshimatsu  and Shohta Kodama

Received: 15 January 2019;  Published: 03 April 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.1902059

Total pancreatectomy (TP) is performed for not only malignant pancreatic diseases but also benign disease such as chronic pancreatitis or pancreatic injury. However, because this surgery involves removal of the whole pancreas, both exocrine and endocrine pancreatic functions are abolished, significantly impairing the nutritional statuses of patients as well as having other detrimental outcomes. Thus, especially in benign cases additional treatment to recover endocrine function is recommended, as permanent endocrine [...]

by Bin Ni  , Nidhi Sharma  , Ashley Rosko  , Don M. Benson  and Yvonne A. Efebera

Received: 12 April 2021;  Published: 09 July 2021;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.2103148

Prior to the advent of anti-retroviral therapy (ART), autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) was relatively contraindicated for multiple myeloma (MM) patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) due to issues associated with stem cell harvest and the risk of opportunistic infections. With the widespread use of ART for control of HIV, ASCT is now the preferred treatment for relapsed lymphoma, the leading hematopoietic malignancy associated with HIV/AIDS. Hence, MM patients with HIV controlled by ART may benefit [...]