An Overview of Liver Transplant Pathology: Data from a Tertiary Referral Centre in Western India

Ann Hepatol. 2018 May-June;17(3):426-436. doi: 10.5604/01.3001.0011.7387. Epub 2018 Apr 9.

Abstract

Introduction and aim: 1. Study of liver explants - Etiologic types of end-stage chronic liver disease (ESCLD) and acute liver failure (ALF) in adults and children. 2. Assessment of donor steatosis and incidental granulomas. 3. Post-transplant liver biopsies.

Material and methods: Specimens of 180 explant hepatectomies, 173 donor wedge and 30 core liver biopsies, and 58 post transplant liver biopsies received in our department from April 2013 to March 2017.

Results: 1. Most common causes of ESCLD in adults were: alcohol related (30.32%), hepatitis virus related (18.71%) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis related (18.06%); and in children ≤ 12 years were: biliary atresia (27.27%), autoimmune disease (18.18%) and Wilson's disease (18.18%). Most common causes of ALF in adults and children were anti-tubercular therapy induced and idiopathic respectively. 2. Prevalence rate of moderate steatosis (between 30-60%) was 4.28%. Incidental granulomas were seen in 5 cases. 3. Most common diagnoses of post-transplant biopsies in adults included acute cellular rejection (ACR) (36.17%), recurrence of viral disease (8.51%) and moderate non-specific portal triaditis (8.51%). Among children ≤ 12 years, most common diagnoses included unremarkable liver parenchyma, ACR and ischemia/reperfusion injury.

Conclusion: 1. Alcohol- and hepatitis- virus related ESCLD, and biliary atresia are leading indications for liver transplantation in adults and children respectively. 2. Prevalence of 4.28% of moderate steatosis, is much lower than that documented in western literature. Only 5 cases of incidental granulomas is unexpectedly low in a country endemic for tuberculosis. 3. Most common diagnoses of post-transplant liver biopsies in adults has been acute rejection, which is similar to the findings from much larger published series.

Keywords: Explant livers. Donor steatosis. Post-transplant liver biopsies..

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Age Factors
  • Aged
  • Biliary Atresia / epidemiology
  • Biliary Atresia / surgery
  • Biopsy
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Donor Selection
  • End Stage Liver Disease / diagnosis
  • End Stage Liver Disease / epidemiology
  • End Stage Liver Disease / surgery*
  • Female
  • Graft Rejection / diagnosis
  • Graft Rejection / epidemiology
  • Hepatitis, Viral, Human / epidemiology
  • Hepatitis, Viral, Human / surgery
  • Humans
  • India / epidemiology
  • Infant
  • Liver Diseases, Alcoholic / epidemiology
  • Liver Diseases, Alcoholic / surgery
  • Liver Failure, Acute / diagnosis
  • Liver Failure, Acute / epidemiology
  • Liver Failure, Acute / surgery*
  • Liver Transplantation* / adverse effects
  • Living Donors
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / epidemiology
  • Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / surgery
  • Prevalence
  • Recurrence
  • Risk Factors
  • Tertiary Care Centers*
  • Time Factors
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Young Adult