Organ Transplantation Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Organ Transplantation, including details on risks, prognosis, procedure, surgery.

Liver transplantation with "rescue organ offers" within the eurotransplant area: a 2-year report from the University Hospital Essen.

Sotiropoulos GC, Paul A, Gerling T, Molmenti EP, Nadalin S, Napieralski BP, Treckmann J, Lang H, Saner F, Frilling A, Broelsch CE, Malagó M

Department of General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, University Hospital Essen, Germany.

Liver transplantation (LTx) is the only treatment for patients with end-stage liver failure. This report focuses on 45 deceased donor liver allografts allocated through Eurotransplant as "rescue offers," which were accepted and subsequently transplanted at our center over a two-year period. These organs had been officially offered to and rejected by other transplant centers a total of 162 times prior to our acceptance. Primary nonfunction was observed in six patients. Two of them died and four were retransplanted. Overall patient survival was 84.4%. LTx with such "rescue organs" constitutes an additional transplant option and a safe mechanism to "rescue" organs within Eurotransplant.

Published 14 August 2006 in Transplantation, 82(3): 304-9.
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