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Sample records for transplant support system

  1. Perceptions of stress, burnout, and support systems in pediatric bone marrow transplantation nursing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gallagher, Regan; Gormley, Denise K

    2009-12-01

    Bone marrow transplantation (BMT) is used to treat various conditions, ranging from immune disorders to many types of cancer. The critical complexity of patients and the environment in which BMT nurses work can lead to stress, burnout, and, ultimately, poor retention. This study aimed to investigate nurses' perceptions of work-related stress and burnout as well as current support systems for nurses. The study included 30 BMT staff nurses from a large pediatric medical center in the midwestern United States. Critical illness or acuity of patients was reported as the most stressful factor; long work hours was the least stressful factor. Most nurses perceived moderate to high levels of emotional exhaustion, and 33% reported moderate levels of depersonalization. Fifty percent perceived high levels of personal accomplishment, despite the critical illness or acuity of their patients, demanding patient families, rotating shifts, short staffing, and caring for dying patients. Most nurses felt that support systems were in place and that staff was accessible, but most respondents were undecided about the helpfulness of the support systems. Results suggest that support systems may significantly affect work satisfaction and feelings of accomplishment for BMT nurses.

  2. The transplant team's support of kidney transplant recipients to take their prescribed medications: a collective responsibility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Williams, Allison; Low, Jac Kee; Manias, Elizabeth; Crawford, Kimberley

    2016-08-01

    To obtain an understanding of how health professionals support the kidney transplant patient to take their medications as prescribed long term. Kidney transplantation requires stringent adherence to complex medication regimens to prevent graft rejection and to maintain general well-being. Medication nonadherence is common in kidney transplantation, emerging in the first few months post-transplantation, leading to poor patient outcomes. Exploratory qualitative design. Five focus groups were conducted with a total of seven renal nurse transplant coordinators, two renal transplant nurse unit managers, seven nephrologists, seven pharmacists, four social workers, and one consumer representative representing all five hospitals offering adult kidney transplantation in Victoria, Australia in 2014. The views of two general practitioners who were unable to attend the focus groups were incorporated into the data set. All data underwent thematic analysis. Analysis revealed that adherence was a collective responsibility involving the whole of the transplant team and the patient via education blitz in hospital, identifying and managing nonadherence, promotion of self-advocacy, and the partnership between the patient and health professional. Patients were directed how to take their complex medications to be self-empowered, yet the partnership between the patient and health professional limited the patient's voice. Although medication adherence was a collective responsibility, communication was often one-way chiefly as a result of staffing and time constraints, hindering effective partnerships necessary for medication adherence. Expert skills in communication and adherence counselling are necessary to identify barriers affecting medication adherence. Patients need to be systematically screened, prepared and supported long-term within an accommodating healthcare system for the reality of caring for their transplanted kidney. Kidney transplant recipients require systematic

  3. Artificial and bioartificial support systems for liver failure

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Liu, J P; Gluud, L L; Als-Nielsen, B

    2004-01-01

    Artificial and bioartificial liver support systems may 'bridge' patients with acute or acute-on-chronic liver failure to liver transplantation or recovery.......Artificial and bioartificial liver support systems may 'bridge' patients with acute or acute-on-chronic liver failure to liver transplantation or recovery....

  4. The roles of social support and psychological distress in lung transplant candidacy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Phillips, Kristin M; Burker, Eileen J; White, Hayley C

    2011-09-01

    Social support appears to be an important component in lung transplantation. However, the relationship between social support, psychological distress, and listing status has not been evaluated in lung transplant candidates. To evaluate the relationships between depression, anxiety, and social support in patients with end-stage lung disease being evaluated for transplantation and determine (1) relationships between social support, depression, anxiety, and coping via seeking emotional and instrumental support; (2) whether social support explains a significant proportion of the variance in depression and anxiety; and (3) whether these factors were associated with whether a patient was listed for transplant. For this observational study, patients completed self-report questionnaires after their pretransplant evaluations. Listing status was subsequently obtained from medical records. Participants were patients with end-stage lung disease evaluated for transplantation at a major hospital. Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey, COPE Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory, and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Social support was associated with depression, anxiety, and seeking support (P values social support explained a significant proportion of the variance in depression (9%), state anxiety (8%), and trait anxiety (7%; all P values anxiety, trait anxiety, or availability of social support. Results highlight the important role that coping via seeking support plays in transplant candidacy.

  5. Use of Prothrombin Complex Concentrate in Patients during Heart Transplantation after Implantation of a Left Ventricular Mechanical Support System

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V. V. Lomivorotov

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Heart transplantation in patients after implantation of mechanical cardiac support devices entails an extremely high risk for perioperative bleeding. Recombinant activated coagulation factor VII is presently used to reduce the volume of bleeding in this patient group. There are parallel data on its administration-induced thromboembolic events in the literature. This paper describes a case of using a prothrombin complex concentrate in a patient during explantation of a left ventricular bypass system and subsequent orthotopic heart transplantation in the presence of significant hypocoagulation. At the end of a surgery, 1200 IU of the agent was used at a remaining bleeding rate of more than 1000 ml/hour. Within the first 24 hours after surgery, the rate of discharge drainage was less than 100 ml/hour. A control plain chest X-ray study revealed massive left-sided hydrothorax on day 2 postsurgery. The left pleural cavity was revised under thoracoscopic guidance and 1000 ml of blood clots were evacuated. Although the administration of prothrombin complex concentrate did not guard against re-intervention, its use seems a promising strategy in life-threatening bleedings in patients after explantation of mechanical cardiac support devices. Further multicenter investigations are required to determine the efficacy and safety of prothrom-bin complex concentration in cardiac surgery. Key words: Recombinant activated coagulation factor VII, prothrombin complex concentration, mechanical cardiac support device, orthotopic heart transplantation.

  6. Immune System and Kidney Transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shrestha, Badri Man

    2017-01-01

    The immune system recognises a transplanted kidney as foreign body and mounts immune response through cellular and humoral mechanisms leading to acute or chronic rejection, which ultimately results in graft loss. Over the last five decades, there have been significant advances in the understanding of the immune responses to transplanted organs in both experimental and clinical transplant settings. Modulation of the immune response by using immunosuppressive agents has led to successful outcomes after kidney transplantation. The paper provides an overview of the general organisation and function of human immune system, immune response to kidney transplantation, and the current practice of immunosuppressive therapy in kidney transplantation in the United Kingdom.

  7. Advanced pulmonary arterial hypertension: mechanical support and lung transplantation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sonja Bartolome

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The development of targeted therapies has transformed the outlook for patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH; however, some patients fail to achieve an adequate clinical response despite receiving maximal treatment. For these patients, lung transplantation remains an important therapeutic option, and recommendations for transplantation are included in the current European Society of Cardiology/European Respiratory Society guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary hypertension. Although lung transplantation is not without risk, overall long-term survival rates are good and substantial improvements in quality of life have been reported for lung transplant recipients. In this review, we describe the important considerations prior to, during and after transplantation, including the role of mechanical support, in patients with advanced PAH.

  8. The anterior lens capsule used as support material in RPE cell-transplantation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nicolini, J; Kiilgaard, Jens Folke; Wiencke, A K

    2000-01-01

    To investigate the use of an ocular basement membrane as support material for transplanted porcine RPE cells.......To investigate the use of an ocular basement membrane as support material for transplanted porcine RPE cells....

  9. Use of Short-term Circulatory Support as a Bridge in Pediatric Heart Transplantation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luiz Fernando Canêo

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Heart transplantation is considered the gold standard therapy for the advanced heart failure, but donor shortage, especially in pediatric patients, is the main limitation for this procedure, so most sick patients die while waiting for the procedure. Objective: To evaluate the use of short-term circulatory support as a bridge to transplantation in end-stage cardiomyopathy. Methods: Retrospective clinical study. Between January 2011 and December 2013, 40 patients with cardiomyopathy were admitted in our Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, with a mean age of 4.5 years. Twenty patients evolved during hospitalization with clinical deterioration and were classified as Intermacs 1 and 2. One patient died within 24 hours and 19 could be stabilized and were listed. They were divided into 2 groups: A, clinical support alone and B, implantation of short-term circulatory support as bridge to transplantation additionally to clinical therapy. Results: We used short-term mechanical circulatory support as a bridge to transplantation in 9. In group A (n=10, eight died waiting and 2 patients (20% were transplanted, but none was discharged. In group B (n=9, 6 patients (66.7% were transplanted and three were discharged.The mean support time was 21,8 days (6 to 984h. The mean transplant waiting list time was 33,8 days. Renal failure and sepsis were the main complication and causeof death in group A while neurologic complications were more prevalent en group B. Conclusion: Mechanical circulatory support increases survival on the pediatric heart transplantation waiting list in patients classified as Intermacs 1 and 2.

  10. Using Mobile Phone Technology to Support Young Liver Transplant Recipients Moving to Adult Services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coad, Jane; Toft, Alex; Claridge, Lee; Ferguson, James; Hind, Jonathon; Jones, Rebecca; McClean, Patricia; McKiernan, Patrick; Samyn, Marianne; Taylor, Rachel

    2017-06-01

    The process and preparation of moving from child to adult services (transition) is a challenging period of time for young people and represents significant changes in care and support systems. The proliferation of mobile phone applications for health purposes suggests that it is an area for further investigation. The review explores the potential to use mobile phone technology to help support young liver transplant recipients moving to adult services. It represents the first review conducted in this specialism and considers a new model of support for young liver patients. A systematic rapid review of the published peer-reviewed literature. Two searches were conducted: Search 1: the use of technology to support transition to adult services (6 studies) and Search 2: how best to support liver transplant recipients during transition (6 studies). Research shows that to achieve positive transition young people need information about their condition and transition. The process needs to be guided by transition readiness, rather than the young persons' age. Although parents and support networks should be in place and are valued, transition should build upon self-management and independence. Results suggest that there appears to be scope to use mobile phone technology to support transition. This is the first time a review has explored the types of issues or concerns facing liver transplant patients and how these can be addressed through mobile phone technology.

  11. Comparison of total artificial heart and biventricular assist device support as bridge-to-transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, Allen; Trivedi, Jaimin R; Van Berkel, Victor H; Massey, H Todd; Slaughter, Mark S

    2016-10-01

    The use of left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) has increased significantly in the last decade. However, right heart dysfunction remains a problem despite the improved outcomes with continuous-flow LVADs. Surgical options for bridge to transplantation (BTT) in patients with biventricular failure are total artificial heart (TAH) or biventricular support (BiVAD). This study examines the differences in pre- and post-transplantation outcomes and survival in patients with TAH or BiVAD support as BTT. The United Network of Organ Sharing database was retrospectively queried from January 2005 to December 2014 to identify adult patients undergoing heart transplantation (n = 17,022). Patients supported with either TAH (n = 212) or BiVAD (n = 366) at the time of transplantation were evaluated. Pre- and post-transplantation Kaplan-Meier survival curves were examined. Cox regression model was used to study the hazard ratios of the association between TAH versus BiVAD support and post-transplant survival. The median age of the study groups was 49.8 ± 12.9 (TAH) and 47.2 ± 13.9 (BiVAD) years (range 18-74 years). There were more men, 87% versus 74%, in the TAH group (p < 0.0001) with greater body mass index, 27.3 ± 5.2 versus 25.6 ± 4.7 (p < 0.0001), compared to those with BiVADs. Creatinine was higher, 1.7 + 1.2 versus 1.3 + 0.8 mg/dL (p < 0.0001), in the TAH group before transplant. The 30-day, one-, and three-year post-transplantation survival was 88%, 78%, and 67%, respectively, for patients with TAH support versus 93%, 83%, and 73% (p = 0.06) for patients with BiVAD support. Cox regression model shows pre-transplant creatinine (HR = 1.21, p = 0.008) is associated with a lower post-transplant survival. TAH is not associated with a worse post-transplant survival (p = 0.1). There was no difference in wait-list survival in patients supported with TAH or BiVAD (p = 0.8). Although there has been a recent

  12. Preparation and Support of Patients through the Transplant Process: Understanding the Recipients' Perspectives

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Oliver Mauthner

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Preparation for heart transplant commonly includes booklets, instructional videos, personalized teaching sessions, and mentorship. This paper explores heart transplant recipients’ thoughts on their preparation and support through the transplant process. Twenty-five interviews were audio-/videotaped capturing voice and body language and transcribed verbatim. Coding addressed language, bodily gesture, volume, and tone in keeping with our visual methodology. Recipients reported that only someone who had a transplant truly understands the experience. As participants face illness and life-altering experiences, maintaining a positive attitude and hope is essential to coping well. Healthcare professionals provide ongoing care and reassurance about recipients’ medical status. Mentors, family members, and close friends play vital roles in supporting recipients. Participants reported that only heart transplant recipients understood the experience, the hope, and ultimately the suffering associated with living with another persons’ heart. Attention needs to be focused not solely on the use of teaching modalities, but also on the development of innovative support networks. This will promote patient and caregiver engagement in self-management. Enhancing clinicians’ knowledge of the existential aspects of transplantation will provide them with a nuanced understanding of the patients’ experience, which will ultimately enhance their ability to better prepare and support patients and their caregivers.

  13. Assessment of readiness for clinical decision support to aid laboratory monitoring of immunosuppressive care at U.S. liver transplant centers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jacobs, J; Weir, C; Evans, R S; Staes, C

    2014-01-01

    Following liver transplantation, patients require lifelong immunosuppressive care and monitoring. Computerized clinical decision support (CDS) has been shown to improve post-transplant immunosuppressive care processes and outcomes. The readiness of transplant information systems to implement computerized CDS to support post-transplant care is unknown. a) Describe the current clinical information system functionality and manual and automated processes for laboratory monitoring of immunosuppressive care, b) describe the use of guidelines that may be used to produce computable logic and the use of computerized alerts to support guideline adherence, and c) explore barriers to implementation of CDS in U.S. liver transplant centers. We developed a web-based survey using cognitive interviewing techniques. We surveyed 119 U.S. transplant programs that performed at least five liver transplantations per year during 2010-2012. Responses were summarized using descriptive analyses; barriers were identified using qualitative methods. Respondents from 80 programs (67% response rate) completed the survey. While 98% of programs reported having an electronic health record (EHR), all programs used paper-based manual processes to receive or track immunosuppressive laboratory results. Most programs (85%) reported that 30% or more of their patients used external laboratories for routine testing. Few programs (19%) received most external laboratory results as discrete data via electronic interfaces while most (80%) manually entered laboratory results into the EHR; less than half (42%) could integrate internal and external laboratory results. Nearly all programs had guidelines regarding pre-specified target ranges (92%) or testing schedules (97%) for managing immunosuppressive care. Few programs used computerized alerting to notify transplant coordinators of out-of-range (27%) or overdue laboratory results (20%). Use of EHRs is common, yet all liver transplant programs were largely

  14. Heart Transplant and Mechanical Circulatory Support in Patients With Advanced Heart Failure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sánchez-Enrique, Cristina; Jorde, Ulrich P; González-Costello, José

    2017-05-01

    Patients with advanced heart failure have a poor prognosis and heart transplant is still the best treatment option. However, the scarcity of donors, long waiting times, and an increasing number of unstable patients have favored the development of mechanical circulatory support. This review summarizes the indications for heart transplant, candidate evaluation, current immunosuppression strategies, the evaluation and treatment of rejection, infectious prophylaxis, and short and long-term outcomes. Regarding mechanical circulatory support, we distinguish between short- and long-term support and the distinct strategies that can be used: bridge to decision, recovery, candidacy, transplant, and destination therapy. We then discuss indications, risk assessment, management of complications, especially with long-term support, and outcomes. Finally, we discuss future challenges and how the widespread use of long-term support for patients with advanced heart failure will only be viable if their complications and costs are reduced. Copyright © 2017 Sociedad Española de Cardiología. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  15. The impact of posttraumatic stress symptoms on social support and social conflict during hematopoietic stem cell transplant.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gerhart, James I; Asvat, Yasmin; Lillis, Teresa A; Fung, Henry; Grosse, Johanna; Hobfoll, Stevan E

    2018-01-01

    Social support and its relationship to psychological distress are of interest in hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) as patients are dependent on caregivers pre-, during, and posttransplant.  Although social support is critical for managing stress and trauma, posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) may erode social support and evoke conflict and abandonment within the support system. This study aimed to evaluate whether PTSS were associated with lower support and social conflict in a sample of patients undergoing HSCT. Prospective relationships between PTSS, perceived social support, and social conflict were assessed in 88 participants across the first three months of HSCT (T0 Baseline; T1 +30; T2 +60; T3 +90). When individuals experienced increase above their own average levels of PTSS, they reported concurrent increase in social conflict (p social support in the following month (p = .026). Results suggest PTSS during stem cell transplantation may evoke social conflict, but over time, the support system may recalibrate to be more supportive. Patients undergoing HSCT may benefit from family and social-level interventions that specifically target the incidence of interpersonal conflict as it unfolds during the initial stages of HSCT.

  16. Risk stratification in patients with advanced heart failure requiring biventricular assist device support as a bridge to cardiac transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, Richard K; Deng, Mario C; Tseng, Chi-hong; Shemin, Richard J; Kubak, Bernard M; MacLellan, W Robb

    2012-08-01

    Prior studies have identified risk factors for survival in patients with end-stage heart failure (HF) requiring left ventricular assist device (LVAD) support. However, patients with biventricular HF may represent a unique cohort. We retrospectively evaluated a consecutive cohort of 113 adult, end-stage HF patients at University of California Los Angeles Medical Center who required BIVAD support between 2000 and 2009. Survival to transplant was 66.4%, with 1-year actuarial survival of 62.8%. All patients were Interagency Registry for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support (INTERMACS) Level 1 or 2 and received Thoratec (Pleasanton, CA) paracorporeal BIVAD as a bridge to transplant. Univariate analyses showed dialysis use, ventilator use, extracorporal membrane oxygenation use, low cardiac output, preserved LV ejection fraction (restrictive physiology), normal-to-high sodium, low platelet count, low total cholesterol, low high-density and high-density lipoprotein, low albumin, and elevated aspartate aminotransferase were associated with increased risk of death. We generated a scoring system for survival to transplant. Our final model, with age, sex, dialysis, cholesterol, ventilator, and albumin, gave a C-statistic of 0.870. A simplified system preserved a C-statistic of 0.844. Patients were divided into high-risk or highest-risk groups (median respective survival, 367 and 17 days), with strong discrimination between groups for death. We have generated a scoring system that offers high prognostic ability for patients requiring BIVAD support and hope that it may assist in clinical decision making. Further studies are needed to prospectively validate our scoring system. Copyright © 2012 International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Central nervous system complications after liver transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Jeong-Min; Jung, Keun-Hwa; Lee, Soon-Tae; Chu, Kon; Roh, Jae-Kyu

    2015-08-01

    We investigated the diversity of central nervous system complications after liver transplantation in terms of clinical manifestations and temporal course. Liver transplantation is a lifesaving option for end stage liver disease patients but post-transplantation neurologic complications can hamper recovery. Between 1 January 2001 and 31 December 2010, patients who had undergone liver transplantation at a single tertiary university hospital were included. We reviewed their medical records and brain imaging data and classified central nervous system complications into four categories including vascular, metabolic, infectious and neoplastic. The onset of central nervous system complications was grouped into five post-transplantation intervals including acute (within 1 month), early subacute (1-3 months), late subacute (3-12 months), chronic (1-3 years), and long-term (after 3 years). During follow-up, 65 of 791 patients (8.2%) experienced central nervous system complications, with 30 occurring within 1 month after transplantation. Vascular etiology was the most common (27 patients; 41.5%), followed by metabolic (23; 35.4%), infectious (nine patients; 13.8%), and neoplastic (six patients). Metabolic encephalopathy with altered consciousness was the most common etiology during the acute period, followed by vascular disorders. An initial focal neurologic deficit was detected in vascular and neoplastic complications, whereas metabolic and infectious etiologies presented with non-focal symptoms. Our study shows that the etiology of central nervous system complications after liver transplantation changes over time, and initial symptoms can help to predict etiology. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Depression, social support, and clinical outcomes following lung transplantation: a single-center cohort study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Patrick J; Snyder, Laurie D; Palmer, Scott M; Hoffman, Benson M; Stonerock, Gregory L; Ingle, Krista K; Saulino, Caroline K; Blumenthal, James A

    2018-05-01

    Depressive symptoms are common among lung transplant candidates and have been associated with poorer clinical outcomes in some studies. Previous studies have been plagued by methodologic problems, including small sample sizes, few clinical events, and uncontrolled confounders, particularly perioperative complications. In addition, few studies have examined social support as a potential protective factor. We therefore examined the association between pretransplant depressive symptoms, social support, and mortality in a large sample of lung transplant recipients. As a secondary aim, we also examined the associations between psychosocial factors, perioperative outcomes [indexed by hospital length of stay (LOS)], and mortality. We hypothesized that depression would be associated with longer LOS and that the association between depression, social support, and mortality would be moderated by LOS. Participants included lung transplant recipients, transplanted at Duke University Medical Center from January 2009 to December 2014. Depressive symptoms were evaluated using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) and social support using the Perceived Social Support Scale (PSSS). Medical risk factors included forced vital capacity (FVC), partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PCO 2 ), donor age, acute rejection, and transplant type. Functional status was assessed using six-minute walk distance (6MWD). We also controlled for demographic factors, including age, gender, and native disease. Transplant hospitalization LOS was examined as a marker of perioperative clinical outcomes. Participants included 273 lung recipients (174 restrictive, 67 obstructive, 26 cystic fibrosis, and six "other"). Pretransplant depressive symptoms were common, with 56 participants (21%) exhibiting clinically elevated levels (BDI-II ≥ 14). Greater depressive symptoms were associated with longer LOS [adjusted b = 0.20 (2 days per 7-point higher BDI-II score), P social support (P social support were

  19. Survival benefit of cardiopulmonary bypass support in bilateral lung transplantation for emphysema patients

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hepkema, BG; Loef, BG; van der Bij, W; Verschuuren, EAM; Lems, SPM; Ebels, T

    2002-01-01

    Background. This study is designed to examine a possible association of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) support and outcome of lung transplantation in a well-balanced group of emphysema patients. Methods. We performed a retrospective analysis of 62 consecutive primary bilateral lung transplantations

  20. A Metabolomic Approach (1H HRMAS NMR Spectroscopy) Supported by Histology to Study Early Post-transplantation Responses in Islet-transplanted Livers

    OpenAIRE

    Vivot, Kevin; Benahmed, Malika A.; Seyfritz, Elodie; Bietiger, William; Elbayed, Karim; Ruhland, Elisa; Langlois, Allan; Maillard, Elisa; Pinget, Michel; Jeandidier, Nathalie; Gies, Jean-Pierre; Namer, Izzie-Jacques; Sigrist, S?verine; Reix, Nathalie

    2016-01-01

    Intrahepatic transplantation of islets requires a lot of islets because more than 50% of the graft is lost during the 24 hours following transplantation. We analyzed, in a rat model, early post-transplantation inflammation using systemic inflammatory markers, or directly in islet-transplanted livers by immunohistochemistry. 1H HRMAS NMR was employed to investigate metabolic responses associated with the transplantation. Inflammatory markers (Interleukin-6, ?2-macroglobulin) are not suitable t...

  1. Social support for patients undergoing liver transplantation in a Public University Hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garcia, Clerison Stelvio; Lima, Agnaldo Soares; La-Rotta, Ehideé Isabel Gómez; Boin, Ilka de Fátima Santana Ferreira

    2018-02-17

    Several diseases may lead to the need for liver transplantation due to progressive organ damage until the onset of cirrhosis, resulting in changes in interpersonal relationships. Social Support for transplant candidates is an important variable, providing them with psychological and social well-being. This study aims to assess social support in chronic hepatic patients, waiting for liver transplantation. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 119 patients, for convenience sampling, from the liver transplant waiting list at a Brazilian University Hospital Outpatients. The information was collected through semistructured questionnaires, in four stages: 1) socioeconomic and demographic information 2) clinical aspects 3) feelings 4) Social Support Network Inventory (SSNI), to Brazilian Portuguese. The statistical analysis was conducted using ANOVA and multivariate linear regression analysis to evaluate the relationship between the scales of social support and the collected co-variables. Average age was 50.2 ± 11.6, and 87 (73.1%) were men. Patients with alcohol and virus liver disease etiology had the same frequency of 28%. The MELD, without extrapoints, was 16.7 ± 4.9. Global social support family score was 3.72 ± 0.39, and Cronbach's alpha = 0.79. The multivariate analysis presented the following associations, age = [- 0.010 (95% CI = - 0.010 - -0.010); P = 0.001], etiology of hepatic disease = [- 0.212 (95% CI = - 0.37 - -0.05); P = 0.009], happiness = [- 0.214(95% CI = - 0.33 - -0.09) P = 0.001) and aggressiveness = [0.172 (95% CI = 0.040-0.030); P = 0.010). The social support was greater when the patients were younger (18 to 30 years). Patients with alcoholic cirrhosis, regardless of whether or not they were associated with virus, had less social support. As for feelings, the absence of happiness and the presence of aggressiveness showed a negative effect on social support.

  2. Central nervous system infections in heart transplant recipients

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van de Beek, Diederik; Patel, Robin; Daly, Richard C.; McGregor, Christopher G. A.; Wijdicks, Eelco F. M.

    2007-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To study central nervous system infections after heart transplantations. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Cardiac Transplant Program at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota. Patients Three hundred fifteen consecutive patients who underwent heart transplantation from January 1988

  3. Decision support for organ offers in liver transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Volk, Michael L; Goodrich, Nathan; Lai, Jennifer C; Sonnenday, Christopher; Shedden, Kerby

    2015-06-01

    Organ offers in liver transplantation are high-risk medical decisions with a low certainty of whether a better liver offer will come along before death. We hypothesized that decision support could improve the decision to accept or decline. With data from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients, survival models were constructed for 42,857 waiting-list patients and 28,653 posttransplant patients from 2002 to 2008. Daily covariate-adjusted survival probabilities from these 2 models were combined into a 5-year area under the curve to create an individualized prediction of whether an organ offer should be accepted for a given patient. Among 650,832 organ offers from 2008 to 2013, patient survival was compared by whether the clinical decision was concordant or discordant with model predictions. The acceptance benefit (AB)--the predicted gain or loss of life by accepting a given organ versus waiting for the next organ--ranged from 3 to -22 years (harm) and varied geographically; for example, the average benefit of accepting a donation after cardiac death organ ranged from 0.47 to -0.71 years by donation service area. Among organ offers, even when AB was >1 year, the offer was only accepted 10% of the time. Patient survival from the time of the organ offer was better if the model recommendations and the clinical decision were concordant: for offers with AB > 0, the 3-year survival was 80% if the offer was accepted and 66% if it was declined (P decision support may improve patient survival in liver transplantation. © 2015 American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

  4. Transplanting Retinal Cells using Bucky Paper for Support

    Science.gov (United States)

    Loftus, David J.; Cinke, Martin; Meyyappan, Meyya; Fishman, Harvey; Leng, Ted; Huie, Philip; Bilbao, Kalayaan

    2004-01-01

    A novel treatment for retinal degenerative disorders involving transplantation of cells into the eye is currently under development at NASA Ames Research Center and Stanford University School of Medicine. The technique uses bucky paper as a support material for retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells, iris pigment epithelial (IPE) cells, and/or stem cells. This technology is envisioned as a treatment for age-related macular degeneration, which is the leading cause of blindness in persons over age 65 in Western nations. Additionally, patients with other retinal degenerative disorders, such as retinitis pigmentosa, may be treated by this strategy. Bucky paper is a mesh of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), as shown in Figure 1, that can be made from any of the commercial sources of CNTs. Bucky paper is biocompatible and capable of supporting the growth of biological cells. Because bucky paper is highly porous, nutrients, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and waste can readily diffuse through it. The thickness, density, and porosity of bucky paper can be tailored in manufacturing. For transplantation of cells into the retina, bucky paper serves simultaneously as a substrate for cell growth and as a barrier for new blood vessel formation, which can be a problem in the exudative type of macular degeneration. Bucky paper is easily handled during surgical implantation into the eye. Through appropriate choice of manufacturing processes, bucky paper can be made relatively rigid yet able to conform to the retina when the bucky paper is implanted. Bucky paper offers a distinct advantage over other materials that have been investigated for retinal cell transplantation - lens capsule and Descemet's membrane - which are difficult to handle during surgery because they are flimsy and do not stay flat.

  5. Demonstration of SLUMIS: a clinical database and management information system for a multi organ transplant program.

    OpenAIRE

    Kurtz, M.; Bennett, T.; Garvin, P.; Manuel, F.; Williams, M.; Langreder, S.

    1991-01-01

    Because of the rapid evolution of the heart, heart/lung, liver, kidney and kidney/pancreas transplant programs at our institution, and because of a lack of an existing comprehensive database, we were required to develop a computerized management information system capable of supporting both clinical and research requirements of a multifaceted transplant program. SLUMIS (ST. LOUIS UNIVERSITY MULTI-ORGAN INFORMATION SYSTEM) was developed for the following reasons: 1) to comply with the reportin...

  6. Design of transplanting mechanism for system of rice intensification (SRI) transplanter in Kedah, Malaysia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Imran, M. S.; Manan, M. S. Abdul; Khalil, A. N. M.; MdNaim, M. K.; Ahmad, R. N.

    2017-08-01

    There is a demand to develop transplanter specifically for system of rice intensification (SRI) cultivation in Malaysia. This SRI transplanter is different from conventional transplanter as it is required special requirements for transplanting. The work focused on transplanting mechanism design which can be later attached to SRI transplanter. The mechanical design was established using linkage mechanism, having a wheel that act as timing wheel that will control the distance between transplanted seedlings. The linkage mechanism also control the opening of the flapper that allow the seedling together with its nursery soil to be dropped, and control the stopper to prevent next seedling from sliding down the tray. The use of simple mechanism will have low cost for fabrication. The design was analysed using motion analysis software. Results show the design is perfectly good and can be fabricated without any problem. The animation successfully shows the perfect movement of the mechanism and transplanting process.

  7. Analysis of hemodialysis patients’ thoughts about kidney transplantation and the national organ transplant system in terms of organ transplantation services management

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yasin Uzuntarla

    2017-03-01

    Results: It was determined that the hemodialysis patients responding to the survey were in the 20-95 age group with an average age of 58,64±15,64 years. 87,9% of the patients reported that they had been briefed about kidney transplants, 32,2% of those had been briefed said that the information had been delivered by the dialysis physician, 77,7% stated that they wanted a kidney transplant from a cadaver, 49,5% did not want a kidney transplant from a live donor and 35,5% indicated that the national organ transplant system operated adequately. Furthermore, it was noted that 50,9% of the responders were registered on the waiting lists of kidney transplant centers. Conclusions: It was concluded that it is necessary to provide sufficient information to hemodialysis patients about kidney transplants and the national organ transplant system to steer them to transplant centers. It is anticipated that the results of this study will assist officers of the Ministry of Health, politicians involved in health issues, decision makers and health professionals. [Arch Clin Exp Surg 2017; 6(1.000: 33-37

  8. Treatment of Inherited Eye Defects by Systemic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rocca, Celine J; Kreymerman, Alexander; Ur, Sarah N; Frizzi, Katie E; Naphade, Swati; Lau, Athena; Tran, Tammy; Calcutt, Nigel A; Goldberg, Jeffrey L; Cherqui, Stephanie

    2015-11-01

    Cystinosis is caused by a deficiency in the lysosomal cystine transporter, cystinosin (CTNS gene), resulting in cystine crystal accumulation in tissues. In eyes, crystals accumulate in the cornea causing photophobia and eventually blindness. Hematopoietic stem progenitor cells (HSPCs) rescue the kidney in a mouse model of cystinosis. We investigated the potential for HSPC transplantation to treat corneal defects in cystinosis. We isolated HSPCs from transgenic DsRed mice and systemically transplanted irradiated Ctns-/- mice. A year posttransplantation, we investigated the fate and function of HSPCs by in vivo confocal and fluorescence microscopy (IVCM), quantitative RT-PCR (RT-qPCR), mass spectrometry, histology, and by measuring the IOP. To determine the mechanism by which HSPCs may rescue disease cells, we transplanted Ctns-/- mice with Ctns-/- DsRed HSPCs virally transduced to express functional CTNS-eGFP fusion protein. We found that a single systemic transplantation of wild-type HSPCs prevented ocular pathology in the Ctns-/- mice. Engraftment-derived HSPCs were detected within the cornea, and also in the sclera, ciliary body, retina, choroid, and lens. Transplantation of HSPC led to substantial decreases in corneal cystine crystals, restoration of normal corneal thickness, and lowered IOP in mice with high levels of donor-derived cell engraftment. Finally, we found that HSPC-derived progeny differentiated into macrophages, which displayed tunneling nanotubes capable of transferring cystinosin-bearing lysosomes to diseased cells. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration that HSPCs can rescue hereditary corneal defects, and supports a new potential therapeutic strategy for treating ocular pathologies.

  9. Kidney Transplantation in Iran

    OpenAIRE

    Behzad Einollahi

    2010-01-01

    Kidney transplantation in patients with end stage renal diseaseis preferred to dialysis because transplantation provides a betterquality of life and improved survival. However, the gapbetween the supply and demand for a renal allograft is wideningand the waiting time is increasing. Iranian protocol, a controlledtransplant program supported by the government forliving unrelated donors, was initiated for solving the problemof organ shortage. Although this system might experiencechallenges, clea...

  10. Beneficial Effect of the Nutritional Support in Children Who Underwent Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koç, Nevra; Gündüz, Mehmet; Tavil, Betül; Azik, M Fatih; Coşkun, Zeynep; Yardımcı, Hülya; Uçkan, Duygu; Tunç, Bahattin

    2017-08-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate nutritional status in children who underwent hematopoietic stem cell transplant compared with a healthy control group. A secondary aim was to utilize mid-upper arm circumference as a measure of nutritional status in these groups of children. Our study group included 40 children (18 girls, 22 boys) with mean age of 9.2 ± 4.6 years (range, 2-17 y) who underwent hematopoietic stem cell transplant. Our control group consisted of 20 healthy children (9 girls, 11 boys). The children were evaluated at admission to the hospital and followed regularly 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after discharge from the hospital. In the study group, 27 of 40 patients (67.5%) received nutritional support during hematopoietic stem cell transplant, with 15 patients (56%) receiving enteral nutrition, 6 (22%) receiving total parenteral nutrition, and 6 (22%) receiving enteral and total parenteral nutrition. Chronic malnutrition rate in the study group was 47.5% on admission to the hospital, with the control group having a rate of 20%. One year after transplant, the rate decreased to 20% in the study group and 5% in the control group. The mid-upper arm circumference was lower in children in the study group versus the control group at the beginning of the study (P groups at follow-up examinations (P > .05). During follow-up, all anthropometric measurements increased significantly in both groups. Monitoring nutritional status and initiating appropriate nutritional support improved the success of hematopoietic stem cell transplant and provided a more comfortable process during the transplant period. Furthermore, mid-upper arm circumference is a more sensitive, useful, and safer parameter that can be used to measure nutritional status of children who undergo hematopoietic stem cell transplant.

  11. Benefits of ambulatory axillary intra-aortic balloon pump for circulatory support as bridge to heart transplant.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Umakanthan, Ramanan; Hoff, Steven J; Solenkova, Natalia; Wigger, Mark A; Keebler, Mary E; Lenneman, Andrew; Leacche, Marzia; Disalvo, Thomas G; Ooi, Henry; Naftilan, Allen J; Byrne, John G; Ahmad, Rashid M

    2012-05-01

    Axillary intra-aortic balloon pump therapy has been described as a bridge to transplant. Advantages over femoral intra-aortic balloon pump therapy include reduced incidence of infection and enhanced patient mobility. We identified the patients who would benefit most from this therapy while awaiting heart transplantation. We conducted a single-center, retrospective observational study to evaluate outcomes from axillary intra-aortic balloon pump therapy. These included hemodynamic parameters, duration of support, and success in bridging to transplant. We selected patients on the basis of history of sternotomy, elevated panel-reactive antibody, and small body habitus. Patients were made to ambulate aggressively beginning on postoperative day 1. Between September 2007 and September 2010, 18 patients underwent axillary intra-aortic balloon pump therapy. All patients had the devices placed through the left axillary artery with a Hemashield side graft (Boston Scientific, Natick, Mass). Before axillary placement, patients underwent femoral placement to demonstrate hemodynamic benefit. Duration of support ranged from 5 to 63 days (median = 19 days). There was marked improvement in ambulatory potential and hemodynamic parameters, with minimal blood transfusion requirements. There were no device-related infections. Some 72% of the patients (13/18) were successfully bridged to transplantation. Axillary intra-aortic balloon pump therapy provides excellent support for selected patients as a bridge to transplant. The majority of the patients were successfully bridged to transplant and discharged. Although this therapy has been described in previous studies, this is the largest series to incorporate a regimen of aggressive ambulation with daily measurements of distances walked. Copyright © 2012. Published by Mosby, Inc.

  12. [Health management system in outpatient follow-up of kidney transplantation patients].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Hong; Xie, Jinliang; Yao, Hui; Liu, Ling; Tan, Jianwen; Geng, Chunmi

    2014-07-01

    To develop a health management system for outpatient follow-up of kidney transplant patients. Access 2010 database software was used to establish the health management system for kidney transplantation patients in Windows XP operating system. Database management and post-operation follow-up of the kidney transplantation patients were realized through 6 function modules including data input, data query, data printing, questionnaire survey, data export, and follow-up management. The system worked stably and reliably, and the data input was easy and fast. The query, the counting and printing were convenient. Health management system for patients after kidney transplantation not only reduces the work pressure of the follow-up staff, but also improves the efficiency of outpatient follow-up.

  13. Use of the quality management system "JACIE" and outcome after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gratwohl, Alois; Brand, Ronald; McGrath, Eoin; van Biezen, Anja; Sureda, Anna; Ljungman, Per; Baldomero, Helen; Chabannon, Christian; Apperley, Jane

    2014-05-01

    Competent authorities, healthcare payers and hospitals devote increasing resources to quality management systems but scientific analyses searching for an impact of these systems on clinical outcome remain scarce. Earlier data indicated a stepwise improvement in outcome after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation with each phase of the accreditation process for the quality management system "JACIE". We therefore tested the hypothesis that working towards and achieving "JACIE" accreditation would accelerate improvement in outcome over calendar time. Overall mortality of the entire cohort of 107,904 patients who had a transplant (41,623 allogeneic, 39%; 66,281 autologous, 61%) between 1999 and 2006 decreased over the 14-year observation period by a factor of 0.63 per 10 years (hazard ratio: 0.63; 0.58-0.69). Considering "JACIE"-accredited centers as those with programs having achieved accreditation by November 2012, at the latest, this improvement was significantly faster in "JACIE"-accredited centers than in non-accredited centers (approximately 5.3% per year for 49,459 patients versus approximately 3.5% per year for 58,445 patients, respectively; hazard ratio: 0.83; 0.71-0.97). As a result, relapse-free survival (hazard ratio 0.85; 0.75-0.95) and overall survival (hazard ratio 0.86; 0.76-0.98) were significantly higher at 72 months for those patients transplanted in the 162 "JACIE"-accredited centers. No significant effects were observed after autologous transplants (hazard ratio 1.06; 0.99-1.13). Hence, working towards implementation of a quality management system triggers a dynamic process associated with a steeper reduction in mortality over the years and a significantly improved survival after allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Our data support the use of a quality management system for complex medical procedures.

  14. Immunoisolation Patch System for Cellular Transplantation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Taylor G. (Inventor)

    2014-01-01

    An immunoisolation patch system, and particularly a patch system comprising multiple immunoisolation microcapsules, each encapsulating biological material such as cells for transplantation, which can be used in the prophylactic and therapeutic treatment of disease in large animals and humans without the need for immunosuppression.

  15. A Metabolomic Approach (1H HRMAS NMR Spectroscopy) Supported by Histology to Study Early Post-transplantation Responses in Islet-transplanted Livers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vivot, Kevin; Benahmed, Malika A; Seyfritz, Elodie; Bietiger, William; Elbayed, Karim; Ruhland, Elisa; Langlois, Allan; Maillard, Elisa; Pinget, Michel; Jeandidier, Nathalie; Gies, Jean-Pierre; Namer, Izzie-Jacques; Sigrist, Séverine; Reix, Nathalie

    2016-01-01

    Intrahepatic transplantation of islets requires a lot of islets because more than 50% of the graft is lost during the 24 hours following transplantation. We analyzed, in a rat model, early post-transplantation inflammation using systemic inflammatory markers, or directly in islet-transplanted livers by immunohistochemistry. 1 H HRMAS NMR was employed to investigate metabolic responses associated with the transplantation. Inflammatory markers (Interleukin-6, α2-macroglobulin) are not suitable to follow islet reactions as they are not islet specific. To study islet specific inflammatory events, immunohistochemistry was performed on sections of islet transplanted livers for thrombin (indicator of the instant blood-mediated inflammatory reaction (IBMIR)) and granulocytes and macrophages. We observed a specific correlation between IBMIR and granulocyte and macrophage infiltration after 12 h. In parallel, we identified a metabolic response associated with transplantation: after 12 h, glucose, alanine, aspartate, glutamate and glutathione were significantly increased. An increase of glucose is a marker of tissue degradation, and could be explained by immune cell infiltration. Alanine, aspartate and glutamate are inter-connected in a common metabolic pathway known to be activated during hypoxia. An increase of glutathione revealed the presence of antioxidant protection. In this study, IBMIR visualization combined with 1 H HRMAS NMR facilitated the characterization of cellular and molecular pathways recruited following islet transplantation.

  16. A Metabolomic Approach (1H HRMAS NMR Spectroscopy) Supported by Histology to Study Early Post-transplantation Responses in Islet-transplanted Livers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vivot, Kevin; Benahmed, Malika A.; Seyfritz, Elodie; Bietiger, William; Elbayed, Karim; Ruhland, Elisa; Langlois, Allan; Maillard, Elisa; Pinget, Michel; Jeandidier, Nathalie; Gies, Jean-Pierre; Namer, Izzie-Jacques; Sigrist, Séverine; Reix, Nathalie

    2016-01-01

    Intrahepatic transplantation of islets requires a lot of islets because more than 50% of the graft is lost during the 24 hours following transplantation. We analyzed, in a rat model, early post-transplantation inflammation using systemic inflammatory markers, or directly in islet-transplanted livers by immunohistochemistry. 1H HRMAS NMR was employed to investigate metabolic responses associated with the transplantation. Inflammatory markers (Interleukin-6, α2-macroglobulin) are not suitable to follow islet reactions as they are not islet specific. To study islet specific inflammatory events, immunohistochemistry was performed on sections of islet transplanted livers for thrombin (indicator of the instant blood-mediated inflammatory reaction (IBMIR)) and granulocytes and macrophages. We observed a specific correlation between IBMIR and granulocyte and macrophage infiltration after 12 h. In parallel, we identified a metabolic response associated with transplantation: after 12 h, glucose, alanine, aspartate, glutamate and glutathione were significantly increased. An increase of glucose is a marker of tissue degradation, and could be explained by immune cell infiltration. Alanine, aspartate and glutamate are inter-connected in a common metabolic pathway known to be activated during hypoxia. An increase of glutathione revealed the presence of antioxidant protection. In this study, IBMIR visualization combined with 1H HRMAS NMR facilitated the characterization of cellular and molecular pathways recruited following islet transplantation. PMID:27766032

  17. Reduced size liver transplantation from a donor supported by a Berlin Heart.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Misra, M V; Smithers, C J; Krawczuk, L E; Jenkins, R L; Linden, B C; Weldon, C B; Kim, H B

    2009-11-01

    Patients on cardiac assist devices are often considered to be high-risk solid organ donors. We report the first case of a reduced size liver transplant performed using the left lateral segment of a pediatric donor whose cardiac function was supported by a Berlin Heart. The recipient was a 22-day-old boy with neonatal hemochromatosis who developed fulminant liver failure shortly after birth. The transplant was complicated by mild delayed graft function, which required delayed biliary reconstruction and abdominal wall closure, as well as a bile leak. However, the graft function improved quickly over the first week and the patient was discharged home with normal liver function 8 weeks after transplant. The presence of a cardiac assist device should not be considered an absolute contraindication for abdominal organ donation. Normal organ procurement procedures may require alteration due to the unusual technical obstacles that are encountered when the donor has a cardiac assist device.

  18. The Unsteady Mainstay of the Family: Now Adult Children’s Retrospective View on Social Support in Relation to Their Parent’s Heart Transplantation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Susanna Ågren

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The needs for support among children with a seriously ill parent, who is waiting for heart transplantation, are unknown today. The aim was to describe now adult children’s experiences of social support in relation to a parent’s heart transplant during childhood. Nine females and four males were interviewed. The median age for the children was 18 at the transplantation and their parents had been ill before for 18 months (median and on waiting list for 161 days (mean. Three categories emerged: health care professionals’ approaches, family and friends’ approaches, and society approaches. Our results show that there was lack of support for children of heart transplantation patients. Support in the shape of information was in most cases provided by the sick or healthy parent. It is of great clinical importance to develop psychosocial support programs for children with a seriously ill parent waiting for heart transplantation (before, during, and after surgery.

  19. MAGIC Study: Aims, Design and Methods using SystemCHANGE™ to Improve Immunosuppressive Medication Adherence in Adult Kidney Transplant Recipients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Russell, Cynthia L; Moore, Shirley; Hathaway, Donna; Cheng, An-Lin; Chen, Guoqing; Goggin, Kathy

    2016-07-16

    Among adult kidney transplant recipients, non-adherence to immunosuppressive medications is the leading predictor of poor outcomes, including rejection, kidney loss, and death. An alarming one-third of kidney transplant patients experience medication non-adherence even though the problem is preventable. Existing adherence interventions have proven marginally effective for those with acute and chronic illnesses and ineffective for adult kidney transplant recipients. Our purpose is to describe the design and methods of the MAGIC (Medication Adherence Given Individual SystemCHANGE™) trial We report the design of a randomized controlled trial with an attention-control group to test an innovative 6-month SystemCHANGE™ intervention designed to enhance immunosuppressive medication adherence in adult non-adherent kidney transplant recipients from two transplant centers. Grounded in the Socio-Ecological Model, SystemCHANGE™ seeks to systematically improve medication adherence behaviors by identifying and shaping routines, involving supportive others in routines, and using medication taking feedback through small patient-led experiments to change and maintain behavior. After a 3-month screening phase of 190 eligible adult kidney transplant recipients, those who are adherent as measured by electronic monitoring, will be randomized into a 6-month SystemCHANGE™ intervention or attention-control phase, followed by a 6-month maintenance phase without intervention or attention. Differences in adherence between the two groups will be assessed at baseline, 6 months (intervention phase) and 12 months (maintenance phase). Adherence mediators (social support, systems-thinking) and moderators (ethnicity, perceived health) are examined. Patient outcomes (creatinine/blood urea nitrogen, infection, acute/chronic rejection, graft loss, death) and cost effectiveness are to be examined. Based on the large effect size of 1.4 found in our pilot study, intervention shows great promise

  20. Attitudes toward reciprocity systems for organ donation and allocation for transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burkell, Jacquelyn A; Chandler, Jennifer A; Shemie, Sam D

    2013-10-01

    Many of those who support organ donation do not register to become organ donors. The use of reciprocity systems, under which some degree of priority is offered to registered donors who require an organ transplant, is one suggestion for increasing registration rates. This article uses a combination of survey and focus group methodologies to explore the reaction of Canadians to a reciprocity proposal. Our results suggest that the response is mixed. Participants are more convinced of the efficacy than they are of the fairness of a reciprocity system. Those more positive about donation (decided donors and those leaning toward donation) rate the system more positively. Although there is general endorsement of the notion that those who wish to receive should be prepared to give (the Golden Rule), this does not translate into universal support for a reciprocity system. In discussions of efficacy, decided donors focus on the positive impact of reciprocity, whereas undecided donors also reflect on the limits of reciprocity for promoting registration. The results demonstrate divided support for reciprocity systems in the Canadian context, with perceptions of efficacy at the cost of fairness. Further studies are warranted prior to considering a reciprocity system in Canada.

  1. The psychosocial implications of pre-emptive transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cole, B R

    1991-01-01

    Pre-emptive (primary) renal transplantation is occurring with greater frequency as pediatric transplant centers attempt to initiate renal replacement therapy at a time best designed to optimize growth and development in children. Psychosocial benefits of performing pre-emptive transplant are highlighted by an intervention before the child has symptoms of uremia and, thus, develops a self-image as a "sick patient with end-stage renal disease", avoidance of dependence on machine technology, avoidance of a change in parenting that may occur with fears about dialysis, and maintenance of an orientation toward future goals. In addition, the child will likely have less loss of school time and less disturbance in previously established social patterns. Difficulties that may be enhanced in pre-emptive transplantation arise from potentially decreased involvement of the child and family in the medical (transplant) care system prior to transplantation. The two major issues of concern are: (1) optimal education regarding patient (family) responsibility toward quality care of the graft recipient; (2) the accurate assessment of coping skills coupled with the development of optimum psychosocial support from the health care workers and community support services. The provision of a good educational and supportive program is time consuming and financially draining. We must develop creative approaches to these areas in order to enhance each child's opportunity for family and community interaction, as well as physical well-being.

  2. Technology and outcomes assessment in lung transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yusen, Roger D

    2009-01-15

    Lung transplantation offers the hope of prolonged survival and significant improvement in quality of life to patients that have advanced lung diseases. However, the medical literature lacks strong positive evidence and shows conflicting information regarding survival and quality of life outcomes related to lung transplantation. Decisions about the use of lung transplantation require an assessment of trade-offs: do the potential health and quality of life benefits outweigh the potential risks and harms? No amount of theoretical reasoning can resolve this question; empiric data are needed. Rational analyses of these trade-offs require valid measurements of the benefits and harms to the patients in all relevant domains that affect survival and quality of life. Lung transplant systems and registries mainly focus outcomes assessment on patient survival on the waiting list and after transplantation. Improved analytic approaches allow comparisons of the survival effects of lung transplantation versus continued waiting. Lung transplant entities do not routinely collect quality of life data. However, the medical community and the public want to know how lung transplantation affects quality of life. Given the huge stakes for the patients, the providers, and the healthcare systems, key stakeholders need to further support quality of life assessment in patients with advanced lung disease that enter into the lung transplant systems. Studies of lung transplantation and its related technologies should assess patients with tools that integrate both survival and quality of life information. Higher quality information obtained will lead to improved knowledge and more informed decision making.

  3. Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis patient supported with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for 403 days while waiting for a lung transplant: A case report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nao Umei, M.D.

    Full Text Available According to the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization, the average duration of veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (V-V ECMO in adults with acute respiratory failure is 10.5–13.5 days. Some patients on V-V ECMO may not recover in such a short period of time, and recently, there have been more reports of prolonged V-V ECMO. However, we do not know how long it is feasible to wait for native lung recovery or lung transplant (LTx with the use of ECMO. We describe a patient with acute exacerbation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis supported by ECMO for 403 days while waiting for a LTx. In this case, we kept the patient awake, and he was communicating frequently with his family. We changed the membrane oxygenator 23 times and the cannula 10 times without complication. However, we terminated the treatment on day 403 of ECMO because there was no access site for cannula insertion due to blockage by a venous thrombotic occlusion, making it impossible to continue this bridge to lung transplantation. It has become possible to maintain patients on ECMO for extended periods of time, but it is difficult to manage ECMO for more than one year without the development of a more durable lung support system. Keywords: Lung transplantation, Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

  4. An injectable spheroid system with genetic modification for cell transplantation therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Uchida, Satoshi; Itaka, Keiji; Nomoto, Takahiro; Endo, Taisuke; Matsumoto, Yu; Ishii, Takehiko; Kataoka, Kazunori

    2014-03-01

    The new methodology to increase a therapeutic potential of cell transplantation was developed here by the use of three-dimensional spheroids of transplanting cells subsequent to the genetic modification with non-viral DNA vectors, polyplex nanomicelles. Particularly, spheroids in regulated size of 100-μm of primary hepatocytes transfected with luciferase gene were formed on the micropatterned culture plates coated with thermosensitive polymer, and were recovered in the form of injectable liquid suspension simply by cooling the plates. After subcutaneously transplanting these hepatocyte spheroids, efficient transgene expression was observed in host tissue for more than a month, whereas transplantation of a single-cell suspension from a monolayer culture resulted in an only transient expression. The spheroid system contributed to the preservation of innate functions of transplanted hepatocytes in the host tissue, such as albumin expression, thereby possessing high potential for expressing transgene. Intravital observation of transplanted cells showed that those from spheroid cultures had a tendency to localize in the vicinity of blood vessels, making a favorable microenvironment for preserving cell functionality. Furthermore, spheroids transfected with erythropoietin-expressing DNA showed a significantly higher hematopoietic effect than that of cell suspensions from monolayer cultures, demonstrating high potential of this genetically-modified spheroid transplantation system for therapeutic applications. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Extracorporeal life support as a bridge to lung transplantation-experience of a high-volume transplant center.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoetzenecker, Konrad; Donahoe, Laura; Yeung, Jonathan C; Azad, Sassan; Fan, Eddy; Ferguson, Niall D; Del Sorbo, Lorenzo; de Perrot, Marc; Pierre, Andrew; Yasufuku, Kazuhiro; Singer, Lianne; Waddell, Thomas K; Keshavjee, Shaf; Cypel, Marcelo

    2018-03-01

    Extracorporeal life support (ECLS) is increasingly used to bridge deteriorating patients awaiting lung transplantation (LTx), however, few systematic descriptions of this practice exist. We therefore aimed to review our institutional experience over the past 10 years. In this case series, we included all adults who received ECLS with the intent to bridge to LTx. Data were retrieved from patient charts and our institutional ECLS and transplant databases. Between January 2006 and September 2016, 1111 LTx were performed in our institution. ECLS was used in 71 adults with the intention to bridge to LTx; of these, 11 (16%) were bridged to retransplantation. The median duration of ECLS before LTx was 10 days (range, 0-95). We used a single dual-lumen venous cannula in 23 patients (32%). Nine of 13 patients (69%) with pulmonary hypertension were bridged by central pulmonary artery to left atrium Novalung. Twenty-five patients (35%) were extubated while on ECLS and 26 patients (37%) were mobilized. Sixty-three patients (89%) survived to LTx. Survival by intention to treat was 66% (1 year), 58% (3 years) and 48% (5 years). Survival was significantly shorter in patients undergoing ECLS bridge to retransplantation compared with first LTx (median survival, 15 months (95% CI, 0-31) versus 60 months (95% CI, 37-83); P = .041). In our center experience, ECLS bridge to first lung transplant leads to good short-term and long-term outcomes in carefully selected patients. In contrast, our data suggest that ECLS as a bridge to retransplantation should be used with caution. Copyright © 2017 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.

  6. Post-transplant outcomes in pediatric ventricular assist device patients: A PediMACS-Pediatric Heart Transplant Study linkage analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sutcliffe, David L; Pruitt, Elizabeth; Cantor, Ryan S; Godown, Justin; Lane, John; Turrentine, Mark W; Law, Sabrina P; Lantz, Jodie L; Kirklin, James K; Bernstein, Daniel; Blume, Elizabeth D

    2017-12-13

    Pediatric ventricular assist device (VAD) support as bridge to transplant has improved waitlist survival, but the effects of pre-implant status and VAD-related events on post-transplant outcomes have not been assessed. This study is a linkage analysis between the PediMACS and Pediatric Heart Transplant Study databases to determine the effects of VAD course on post-transplant outcomes. Database linkage between October 1, 2012 and December 31, 2015 identified 147 transplanted VAD patients, the primary study group. The comparison cohort was composed of 630 PHTS patients without pre-transplant VAD support. The primary outcome was post-transplant survival, with secondary outcomes of post-transplant length of stay, freedom from infection and freedom from rejection. At implant, the VAD cohort was INTERMACS Profile 1 in 33 (23%), Profile 2 in 89 (63%) and Profile 3 in 14 (10%) patients. The VAD cohort was older, larger, and less likely to have congenital heart disease (p < 0.0001). However, they had greater requirements for inotrope and ventilator support and increased liver and renal dysfunction (p < 0.0001), both of which normalized at transplant after device support. Importantly, there were no differences in 1-year post-transplant survival (96% vs 93%, p = 0.3), freedom from infection (81% vs 79%, p = 0.9) or freedom from rejection (71% vs 74%, p = 0.87) between cohorts. Pediatric VAD patients have post-transplant outcomes equal to that of medically supported patients, despite greater pre-implant illness severity. Post-transplant survival, hospital length of stay, infection and rejection were not affected by patient acuity at VAD implantation or VAD-related complications. Therefore, VAD as bridge to transplant mitigates severity of illness in children. Copyright © 2017 International Society for the Heart and Lung Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Pre-liver transplant psychosocial evaluation predicts post-transplantation outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benson, Ariel A; Rowe, Mina; Eid, Ahmad; Bluth, Keren; Merhav, Hadar; Khalaileh, Abed; Safadi, Rifaat

    2018-08-01

    Psychosocial factors greatly impact the course of patients throughout the liver transplantation process. A retrospective chart review was performed of patients who underwent liver transplantation at Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center between 2002 and 2012. A composite psychosocial score was computed based on the patient's pre-transplant evaluation. Patients were divided into two groups based on compliance, support and insight: Optimal psychosocial score and Non-optimal psychosocial score. Post-liver transplantation survival and complication rates were evaluated. Out of 100 patients who underwent liver transplantation at the Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center between 2002 and 2012, 93% had a complete pre-liver transplant psychosocial evaluation in the medical record performed by professional psychologists and social workers. Post-liver transplantation survival was significantly higher in the Optimal group (85%) as compared to the Non-optimal group (56%, p = .002). Post-liver transplantation rate of renal failure was significantly lower in the Optimal group. No significant differences were observed between the groups in other post-transplant complications. A patient's psychosocial status may impact outcomes following transplantation as inferior psychosocial grades were associated with lower overall survival and increased rates of complications. Pre-liver transplant psychosocial evaluations are an important tool to help predict survival following transplantation.

  8. Intra-Abdominal Cooling System Limits Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury During Robot-Assisted Renal Transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meier, R P H; Piller, V; Hagen, M E; Joliat, C; Buchs, J-B; Nastasi, A; Ruttimann, R; Buchs, N C; Moll, S; Vallée, J-P; Lazeyras, F; Morel, P; Bühler, L

    2018-01-01

    Robot-assisted kidney transplantation is feasible; however, concerns have been raised about possible increases in warm ischemia times. We describe a novel intra-abdominal cooling system to continuously cool the kidney during the procedure. Porcine kidneys were procured by standard open technique. Groups were as follows: Robotic renal transplantation with (n = 11) and without (n = 6) continuous intra-abdominal cooling and conventional open technique with intermittent 4°C saline cooling (n = 6). Renal cortex temperature, magnetic resonance imaging, and histology were analyzed. Robotic renal transplantation required a longer anastomosis time, either with or without the cooling system, compared to the open approach (70.4 ± 17.7 min and 74.0 ± 21.5 min vs. 48.7 ± 11.2 min, p-values system compared to the open approach group (6.5 ± 3.1°C vs. 22.5 ± 6.5°C; p = 0.001) or compared to the robotic group without the cooling system (28.7 ± 3.3°C; p system that suppresses the noncontrolled rewarming of donor kidneys during the transplant procedure and prevents ischemia-reperfusion injuries. © 2017 The Authors. American Journal of Transplantation published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Society of Transplant Surgeons.

  9. Umbilical cord blood banking in the worldwide hematopoietic stem cell transplantation system: perspectives for Ukraine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kalynychenko, T O

    2017-09-01

    Significant progress in the promotion of procedural technologies associated with the transplantation of hematopoietic stem cells caused a rapid increase in activity. The exchange of hematopoietic stem cells for unrelated donor transplantations is now much easier due to the relevant international professional structures and organizations established to support cooperation and standard setting, as well as rules for the functioning of both national donor registries and cord blood banks. These processes are increasing every year and are contributing to the outpacing rates of development in this area. Products within their country should be regulated by the competent government authorities. This study analyzes the work of international and national levels of support for transplantation activity in the field of unrelated hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, the standardization order of technologies, as well as data that justify the need to create a network of donated umbilical cord blood banks in Ukraine as a factor in the development of allogeneic transplantation. This will promote the accessibility of international standards for the treatment of serious diseases for Ukrainian citizens.

  10. Nephrogenic systemic fibrosis symptoms alleviated by renal transplantation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hansen, Jesper Melchior

    2011-01-01

    are limited. Anecdotal reports have shown partial or complete resolution of NSF following successful renal transplantation early in the course of NSF. In this report, we describe alleviation of NSF symptoms in two women following successful renal transplantation more than 3 years after onset of NSF.......Nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF) is a rare, serious, and life-threatening disease of patients with severe renal impairment. Gadolinium-containing contrast agents have been shown to be the crucial trigger. There is no proven medical cure for the disease, and symptomatic treatment options...

  11. Factors associated with anti-human leukocyte antigen antibodies in patients supported with continuous-flow devices and effect on probability of transplant and post-transplant outcomes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Alba, Ana C; Tinckam, Kathryn; Foroutan, Farid

    2015-01-01

    BACKGROUND: One major disadvantage of ventricular assist device (VAD) therapy is the development of human-leukocyte antigen (HLA) antibodies. We aimed to identify factors associated with HLA antibodies during continuous flow (CF)-VAD support and assess the effect on transplant probability...

  12. Alveolar and serum concentrations of imipenem in two lung transplant recipients supported with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Welsch, C; Augustin, P; Allyn, J; Massias, L; Montravers, P; Allou, N

    2015-02-01

    Venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is increasingly used in patients with respiratory failure who fail conventional treatment. Postoperative pneumonia is the most common infection after lung transplantation (40%). Imipenem is frequently used for empirical treatment of nosocomial pneumonia in the intensive care unit. Nevertheless, few data are available on the impact of ECMO on pharmacokinetics, and no data on imipenem dosing during ECMO. Currently, no guidelines exist for antibiotic dosing during ECMO support. We report the cases of 2 patients supported with venovenous ECMO for refractory acute respiratory distress syndrome following single lung transplantation for pulmonary fibrosis, treated empirically with 1 g of imipenem intravenously every 6 h. Enterobacter cloacae was isolated from the respiratory sample of Patient 1 and Klebsiella pneumoniae was isolated from the respiratory sample of Patient 2. Minimum inhibitory concentrations of the 2 isolated strains were 0.125 and 0.25 mg/L, respectively. Both patients were still alive on day 28. This is the first report, to our knowledge, of imipenem concentrations in lung transplantation patients supported with ECMO. This study confirms high variability in imipenem trough concentrations in patients on ECMO and with preserved renal function. An elevated dosing regimen (4 g/24 h) is more likely to optimize drug exposure, and therapeutic drug monitoring is recommended, where available. Population pharmacokinetic studies are indicated to develop evidence-based dosing guidelines for ECMO patients. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  13. O papel da glutamina na terapia nutricional do transplante de medula óssea The role of glutamine in nutritional support of bone marrow transplantation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Silvia M. Albertini

    2001-04-01

    Full Text Available A glutamina (L-GLN é um aminoácido que localiza-se preferencialmente no músculo esquelético e é condicionalmente essencial nas situações onde ocorre hipercatabolismo, como no transplante de medula óssea. Nestas situações a suplementação com a L-GLN na terapia nutricional é segura e recomendada. O emprego do aminoácido com objetivo de reduzir os efeitos secundários no TMO como mucosite e manifestações digestivas parece existir. Existem dados que sugerem um efeito profilático da L-GLN em relação à doença veno-oclusiva hepática nos pacientes transplantados. O emprego do aminoácido em combinação com anti-oxidantes, o uso do mesmo via enteral e/ou parenteral, são respostas que devem ser obtidas através de estudos em grupos homogêneos e selecionados de pacientes submetidos ao transplante de medula óssea.Glutamine is an amino acid which is usually found in the skeletal muscles and it is conditionally essential where there is hyper cathabolism as in bone marrow transplantation. In these situations nutritional support therapy using L-GLN supplements is both safe and recommended. There seems to be a use for amino acid with the goal of reducing the secondary effects, such as mucositis and digestive tract manifestations, of these transplants. There are data which suggest a prophylactic effect of the L-GLN in relation to hepatic veno-occlusive disease in transplant patients. The utilisation of amino acid in combination with antioxidants either by enteral or parenteral means, are questions which should be answered through further study of selected and heterogeneous groups of bone marrow transplant patients.

  14. Verification of Heart Disease: Implications for a New Heart Transplantation Allocation System.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raeisi-Giglou, Pejman; Rodriguez, E Rene; Blackstone, Eugene H; Tan, Carmela D; Hsich, Eileen M

    2017-12-01

    This study sought to determine the accuracy of the pre-transplantation clinical diagnosis of heart disease in the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) database. Because survival on the heart transplantation waitlist depends on underlying heart disease, a new allocation system will include the type of heart disease. Accuracy of the pre-transplantation clinical diagnosis and the effect of misclassification are unknown. We included all adults who received transplants at our center between January 2009 to December 2015. We compared the pre-transplantation clinical diagnosis at listing with pathology of the explanted heart and determined the potential effect of misclassification with the proposed allocation system. A total of 334 patients had the following clinical cardiac diagnoses at listing: 148 had dilated cardiomyopathy, 19 had restrictive cardiomyopathy, 103 had ischemic cardiomyopathy, 24 had hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, 11 had valvular disease, 16 had congenital heart disease (CHD), and 13 patients had a diagnosis of "other." Pathology of the explanted hearts revealed 82% concordance and 18% discordance (10% coding errors and 8% incorrect diagnosis). The most common incorrect diagnoses were sarcoidosis (66%), arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia (60%), and other causes of predominately right-sided heart failure (33%). Among the misclassified diagnoses, 40% were listed as UNOS status 2, 8% remained at status 2 at transplantation, and only sarcoidosis and CHD were potentially at a disadvantage with the new allocation. There is high concordance between clinical and pathologic diagnosis, except for sarcoidosis and genetic diseases. Few misclassifications result in disadvantages to patients based on the new allocation system, but rare diseases like sarcoidosis remain problematic. To improve the UNOS database and enhance outcome research, pathology of the explanted hearts should be required post-transplantation. Copyright © 2017 American College of

  15. Prolonged Barium-Impaction Ileus in Two Lung Transplant Recipients With Systemic Sclerosis: Case Report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tokman, S; Hays, S R; Leard, L E; Bush, E L; Kukreja, J; Kleinhenz, M E; Golden, J A; Singer, J P

    2015-12-01

    Lung transplantation can be a life-saving measure for people with end-stage lung disease from systemic sclerosis. However, outcomes of lung transplantation may be compromised by gastrointestinal manifestations of systemic sclerosis, which can involve any part of the gastrointestinal tract. Esophageal and gastric disease can be managed by enteral feeding with the use of a gastrojejunal feeding tube. In this report, we describe the clinical courses of 2 lung transplant recipients with systemic sclerosis who experienced severe and prolonged barium-impaction ileus after insertion of a percutaneous gastrojejunal feeding tube. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Predicting adherence to health care recommendations using health promotion behaviours in kidney transplant recipients within 1-5 years post-transplant.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Su-Yueh; Fetzer, Susan J; Lee, Po-Chang; Chen, Ching-Huey

    2011-12-01

    This study examined health promotion behaviours of kidney transplant recipients, 1-5 years after transplant and identified the risk factors predicting non-adherence to post-transplant recommendations. Non-adherence to health care recommendations and health promotion behaviours is one of the top three reasons for graft loss following kidney transplantation. A cross-sectional study. Kidney transplant recipients (n=101) in southern Taiwan completed a self reported survey, the Kidney Transplant Health Promotion Behavior and Healthcare Provider Support survey. Kidney transplant patients had better adherence with medication and least adherence with regular exercise health promotion behaviours. Age, post kidney transplant time, health care provider support and financial satisfaction accounted for 37·2% of the explained variance in monitoring and management for rejection and infection. Marital status, post kidney transplant time and gender accounted for 16·2% of the explained variance in infection prevention. Age was the sole predictor of exercise (odds ratio=1·08, p=0·025). Health promotion behaviours declined with time and perceived healthcare provider support decreased at the third (p=0·04) post kidney transplant year. In this study, young, single, males were identified as requiring specific strategies to improve post kidney transplant health promotion behaviours. The need for health promotion must be continually reinforce by healthcare providers throughout the lifespan of a kidney transplant recipient. Understanding the changes of health behaviours of post kidney transplant recipients and their risk factors, healthcare providers can be more aware of the needs of patients in maintaining health promotion behaviours. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  17. How Should Social Media Be Used in Transplantation? A Survey of The American Society of Transplant Surgeons.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Henderson, Macey L; Adler, Joel T; Van Pilsum Rasmussen, Sarah E; Thomas, Alvin G; Herron, Patrick D; Waldram, Madeleine M; Ruck, Jessica M; Purnell, Tanjala S; DiBrito, Sandra R; Holscher, Courtenay M; Haugen, Christine E; Alimi, Yewande; Konel, Jonathan M; Eno, Ann K; Garonzik Wang, Jacqueline M; Gordon, Elisa J; Lentine, Krista L; Schaffer, Randolph L; Cameron, Andrew M; Segev, Dorry L

    2018-04-21

    Social media platforms are increasingly used in surgery and have shown promise as effective tools to promote deceased donation and expand living donor transplantation. There is growing need to understand how social media-driven communication is perceived by providers in the field of transplantation. We surveyed 299 members of the American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS) about their use of, attitudes toward, and perceptions of social media and analyzed relationships between responses and participant characteristics. Respondents used social media to communicate with: family and friends (76%), surgeons (59%), transplant professionals (57%), transplant recipients (21%), living donors (16%), and waitlisted candidates (15%). Most respondents (83%) reported using social media for at least one purpose. While most (61%) supported sharing information with transplant recipients via social media, 42% believed it should not be used to facilitate living donor-recipient matching. Younger age (p=0.02) and fewer years of experience in the field of transplantation (p=0.03) were associated with stronger belief that social media can be influential in living organ donation. Respondents at transplant centers with higher reported use of social media had more favorable views about sharing information with transplant recipients (psocial media. Transplant center involvement and support for social media may influence clinician perceptions and practices. Increasing use of social media among transplant professionals may provide an opportunity to deliver high quality information to patients.

  18. Introduction of a Quality Management System and Outcome After Hematopoietic Stem-Cell Transplantation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Gratwohl, Alois; Brand, Ronald; Niederwieser, Dietger; Baldomero, Helen; Chabannon, Christian; Cornelissen, Jan; de Witte, Theo; Ljungman, Per; McDonald, Fiona; McGrath, Eoin; Passweg, Jakob; Peters, Christina; Rocha, Vanderson; Slaper-Cortenbach, Ineke; Sureda, Anna; Tichelli, Andre; Apperley, Jane

    2011-01-01

    Purpose A comprehensive quality management system called JACIE (Joint Accreditation Committee International Society for Cellular Therapy and the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation), was introduced to improve quality of care in hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT). We

  19. Validity and reliability of a novel immunosuppressive adverse effects scoring system in renal transplant recipients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meaney, Calvin J; Arabi, Ziad; Venuto, Rocco C; Consiglio, Joseph D; Wilding, Gregory E; Tornatore, Kathleen M

    2014-06-12

    After renal transplantation, many patients experience adverse effects from maintenance immunosuppressive drugs. When these adverse effects occur, patient adherence with immunosuppression may be reduced and impact allograft survival. If these adverse effects could be prospectively monitored in an objective manner and possibly prevented, adherence to immunosuppressive regimens could be optimized and allograft survival improved. Prospective, standardized clinical approaches to assess immunosuppressive adverse effects by health care providers are limited. Therefore, we developed and evaluated the application, reliability and validity of a novel adverse effects scoring system in renal transplant recipients receiving calcineurin inhibitor (cyclosporine or tacrolimus) and mycophenolic acid based immunosuppressive therapy. The scoring system included 18 non-renal adverse effects organized into gastrointestinal, central nervous system and aesthetic domains developed by a multidisciplinary physician group. Nephrologists employed this standardized adverse effect evaluation in stable renal transplant patients using physical exam, review of systems, recent laboratory results, and medication adherence assessment during a clinic visit. Stable renal transplant recipients in two clinical studies were evaluated and received immunosuppressive regimens comprised of either cyclosporine or tacrolimus with mycophenolic acid. Face, content, and construct validity were assessed to document these adverse effect evaluations. Inter-rater reliability was determined using the Kappa statistic and intra-class correlation. A total of 58 renal transplant recipients were assessed using the adverse effects scoring system confirming face validity. Nephrologists (subject matter experts) rated the 18 adverse effects as: 3.1 ± 0.75 out of 4 (maximum) regarding clinical importance to verify content validity. The adverse effects scoring system distinguished 1.75-fold increased gastrointestinal adverse

  20. Three-year post-transplant medicare payments in kidney transplant recipients: Associations with pre-transplant comorbidities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gerardo Machnicki

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Little is known about the influence of pre-transplant comorbidities on post-transplant expenditures. We estimated the associations between pre-transplant comorbidities and post-transplant Medicare costs, using several comorbidity classification systems. We included recipients of first-kidney deceased donor transplants from 1995 through 2002 for whom Medicare was the primary payer for at least one year pre-transplant (N = 25,175. We examined pre-transplant comorbidities as classified by International Classification of Diseases (ICD-9-CM codes from Medicare claims with the Clinical Cla-ssifications Software (CCS and Charlson and Elixhauser algorithms. Post-transplant costs were calcu-lated from payments on Medicare claims. We developed models considering Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN variables plus: 1 CCS categories, 2 Charlson, 3 Elixhauser, 4 num-ber of Charlson and 5 number of Elixhauser comorbidities, independently. We applied a novel regression methodology to account for censoring. Costs were estimated at individual and population levels. The comorbidities with the largest impact on mean Medicare payments included cardiovascular disease, ma-lignancies, cerebrovascular disease, mental conditions and functional limitations. Skin ulcers and infec-tions, rheumatic and other connective tissue disease and liver disease also contributed to payments and have not been considered or described previously. A positive graded relationship was found between costs and the number of pre-transplant comorbidities. In conclusion, we showed that expansion beyond the usually considered pre-transplant comorbidities with inclusion of CCS and Charlson or Elixhauser comorbidities increased the knowledge about comorbidities related to augmented Medicare payments. Our expanded methodology can be used by others to assess more accurately the financial implications of renal transplantation to Medicare and individual transplant centers.

  1. Comparison of Transplant Waitlist Outcomes for Pediatric Candidates Supported by Ventricular Assist Devices Versus Medical Therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Law, Sabrina P; Oron, Assaf P; Kemna, Mariska S; Albers, Erin L; McMullan, D Michael; Chen, Jonathan M; Law, Yuk M

    2018-05-01

    Ventricular assist devices have gained popularity in the management of refractory heart failure in children listed for heart transplantation. Our primary aim was to compare the composite endpoint of all-cause pretransplant mortality and loss of transplant eligibility in children who were treated with a ventricular assist device versus a medically managed cohort. This was a retrospective cohort analysis. Data were obtained from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients. The at-risk population (n = 1,380) was less than 18 years old, either on a ventricular assist device (605 cases) or an equivalent-severity, intensively medically treated group (referred to as MED, 775 cases). None. The impact of ventricular assist devices was estimated via Cox proportional hazards regression (hazard ratio), dichotomizing 1-year outcomes to "poor" (22%: 193 deaths, 114 too sick) versus all others (940 successful transplants, 41 too healthy, 90 censored), while adjusting for conventional risk factors. Among children 0-12 months old, ventricular assist device was associated with a higher risk of poor outcomes (hazard ratio, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.5-3.0; p comparative study of ventricular assist devices versus medical therapy in children. Age is a significant modulator of waitlist outcomes for children with end-stage heart failure supported by ventricular assist device, with the impact of ventricular assist devices being more beneficial in adolescents.

  2. The partial mediation effect of satisfaction with social support and coping effectiveness on health-related quality of life and perceived stress long-term after heart transplantation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    White-Williams C

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Connie White-Williams,1 Kathleen L Grady,2 Pariya Fazeli,1 Susan Myers,1 Linda Moneyham,3 Karen Meneses,3 Bruce Rybarczyk4 1University of Alabama Medical Center, Birmingham, AL, USA; 2Division of Cardiac Surgery, Department of Surgery, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA; 3School of Nursing, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA; 4Department of Psychology, Clinical Psychology Program, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA Abstract: The purpose of this research was to examine whether satisfaction with social support and coping effectiveness mediate the relationship between stress and health-related quality of life (HRQOL 5 years after heart transplantation. Data were collected from 212 heart transplant patients (80% male, 92% white, mean age 59.9 years at four United States sites using the Heart Transplant Stressor Scale, Social Support Index, Jalowiec Coping Scale, and Quality of Life Index. Using Baron and Kenny's approach, a series of regression equations for mediation revealed that both satisfaction with social support and coping partially mediated the relationship between perceived stress and HRQOL. Understanding the relationships of social support, stress, and coping on patients' HRQOL is important for the development of interventions to provide optimal patient care. Keywords: heart transplantation, social support, coping, stress, mediation

  3. Organ Transplants in Kazakhstan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baigenzhin, Abay; Doskaliyev, Zhaksylyk; Tuganbekova, Saltanat; Zharikov, Serik; Altynova, Sholpan; Gaipov, Abduzhappar

    2015-11-01

    The Republic of Kazakhstan is one of the fastest developing countries in the world and has a health care system that is unique in Central Asia. Its organ transplant services are also developing rapidly. We aimed to analyze and briefly report on the current status of organ transplant in the Republic of Kazakhstan. We analyzed organ transplant activities in that country for the period 2012 to 2014. All data were collected from the official database of the National Transplant Coordinating Center of the Republic of Kazakhstan. At the end of 2014, the number of transplant centers had increased to 10, three of which could perform multiorgan transplants; during the same period, the number of deceased-donor organ-donating hospitals increased up to 37. By 2013, the transplant activity rate for all centers had reached 9.22 per million population. During the previous 3 years (2012-2014), there was a 3-fold increase in the number of living donors and an 18-fold increase in the number of kidney transplants. Between 2012 and 2014, the number of living-donor liver transplants increased from 17 to 25, and the number of deceased-donor transplants increased from 3 to 7. During the last 3 years (2012-2014), the number of heart transplants increased to 7 cases. During the last 3 years (2012-2014), Kazakhstan achieved a significant improvement in the organization of its transplant services, and a noticeable upward trend in the system continues.

  4. Beyond the Officially Sacred, Donor and Believer: Religion and Organ Transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Messina, E

    2015-09-01

    Religious concerns might represent an important issue when donation for transplantation is discussed. Even if no religious tradition formally forbids organ donation and transplantation, members of the same religious group may have differing and often conflicting opinions in their own interpretation of how their religion encourages and/or supports organ donation and transplantation, as discussed in this article. It also should be considered that even if a religion refuses to define concrete rules about organ donation and transplantation, there are a great number of factors that may influence the decision-making process. Examples may include negative perceptions of the cutting and removal of organs or ignorance about the transplantation system, both of which would influence the decision-making process concerning transplantation. Knowledge of these facts may provide useful information, perhaps increasing transplant numbers. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Role of Natural Killer Cells in the Innate Immune System After Intraportal Islet Transplantation in Mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saeki, Y; Ishiyama, K; Ishida, N; Tanaka, Y; Ohdan, H

    Both liver natural killer (NK) and NK T cells of the innate immune system play a crucial role in islet graft loss after intraportal islet transplantation, although a relationship between NK and NK T cells in islet loss has not been proven. In this study, we investigated the role of NK cells in the innate immune system in islet graft loss after intraportal islet transplantation. To investigate the involvement of liver NK cells in islet destruction, we assessed the differences in graft survival after intraportal islet transplantation between CD1d -/- diabetic mice and NK cell-depleted CD1d -/- diabetic mice. The transplantation of 400 islets into the liver was sufficient to reverse hyperglycemia in wild-type diabetic mice (100%, 4/4). However, normoglycemia could not be achieved when 200 islets were transplanted (0%, 0/4). In contrast, intraportal transplantation of 200 islets in NK cell-depleted CD1d -/- diabetic mice ameliorated hyperglycemia in 71% of cases (5/7), whereas transplantation of the same number of islets in CD1d -/- diabetic mice did not (0%, 0/4). Histologic findings also confirmed that intact islets were observed in NK cell-depleted CD1d -/- diabetic mice, but were difficult to observe in CD1d -/- diabetic mice. The involvement of liver NK cells in the innate immune system related to islet graft loss after intraportal islet transplantation is revealed by improved graft survival and function in NK cell-depleted CD1d -/- diabetic mice. Our data reveal that regulation of NK cell activity is particularly important when insufficient islet numbers are used for transplantation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. The Alcohol Relapse Risk Assessment: a scoring system to predict the risk of relapse to any alcohol use after liver transplant.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodrigue, James R; Hanto, Douglas W; Curry, Michael P

    2013-12-01

    Alcohol relapse after liver transplant heightens concern about recurrent disease, nonadherence to the immunosuppression regimen, and death. To develop a scoring system to stratify risk of alcohol relapse after liver transplant. Retrospective medical record review. All adult liver transplants performed from May 2002 to February 2011 at a single center in the United States. The incidence of return to any alcohol consumption after liver transplant. Thirty-four percent (40/118) of patients with a history of alcohol abuse/dependency relapsed to use of any alcohol after liver transplant. Nine of 25 hypothesized risk factors were predictive of alcohol relapse after liver transplant: absence of hepatocellular carcinoma, tobacco dependence, continued alcohol use after liver disease diagnosis, low motivation for alcohol treatment, poor stress management skills, no rehabilitation relationship, limited social support, lack of nonmedical behavioral consequences, and continued engagement in social activities with alcohol present. Each independent predictor was assigned an Alcohol Relapse Risk Assessment (ARRA) risk value of 1 point, and patients were classified into 1 of 4 groups by ARRA score: ARRA I = 0, ARRA II = 1 to 3, ARRA III = 4 to 6, and ARRA IV = 7 to 9. Patients in the 2 higher ARRA classifications had significantly higher rates of alcohol relapse and were more likely to return to pretransplant levels of drinking. Alcohol relapse rates are moderately high after liver transplant. The ARRA is a valid and practical tool for identifying pretransplant patients with alcohol abuse or dependency at elevated risk of any alcohol use after liver transplant.

  7. Stem cell transplantation as a dynamical system: are clinical outcomes deterministic?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Toor, Amir A; Kobulnicky, Jared D; Salman, Salman; Roberts, Catherine H; Jameson-Lee, Max; Meier, Jeremy; Scalora, Allison; Sheth, Nihar; Koparde, Vishal; Serrano, Myrna; Buck, Gregory A; Clark, William B; McCarty, John M; Chung, Harold M; Manjili, Masoud H; Sabo, Roy T; Neale, Michael C

    2014-01-01

    Outcomes in stem cell transplantation (SCT) are modeled using probability theory. However, the clinical course following SCT appears to demonstrate many characteristics of dynamical systems, especially when outcomes are considered in the context of immune reconstitution. Dynamical systems tend to evolve over time according to mathematically determined rules. Characteristically, the future states of the system are predicated on the states preceding them, and there is sensitivity to initial conditions. In SCT, the interaction between donor T cells and the recipient may be considered as such a system in which, graft source, conditioning, and early immunosuppression profoundly influence immune reconstitution over time. This eventually determines clinical outcomes, either the emergence of tolerance or the development of graft versus host disease. In this paper, parallels between SCT and dynamical systems are explored and a conceptual framework for developing mathematical models to understand disparate transplant outcomes is proposed.

  8. [Personalized medicine in transplantation therapy].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nakatani, Kaname

    2013-05-01

    Personalized medicine based on pharmacogenomics is being developed at the clinical stage. Various evidence is accumulating in transplantation therapy. Tacrolimus, a calcineurin inhibitor, is usually used for immunosuppressive therapy after transplantation. Tacrolimus is mainly metabolized by cytochrome P450 isozymes, CYP3A4 and CYP3A5, expressed in the intestine as well as in the liver. Recent studies of pharmacogenomics have reported that several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of CYP3A5 are correlated with gene expression and enzyme activity. Phenotypes of CYP3A5 are typed as expressors (*1/*1 and *1/*3) or non-expressors (*3/*3) . In living-donor liver transplantation, CYP3A5 phenotypes could predict the blood concentration of tacrolimus. In particular, preoperative assessment of CYP3A5 genotypes in both recipients (intestine) and donors (graft liver) is required for predicting tacrolimus pharmacokinetics. In kidney transplantation, blood tacrolimus concentrations were significantly different between expressors and non-expressors. Genotyping and phenotyping of recipients were useful to predict blood tacrolimus levels in early phase of post-transplantation. Furthermore, phenotypes of CYP3A5 could predict the initial dose of tacrolimus. Combination therapy was performed after bone marrow transplantation to prevent complications. Genotyping and phenotyping of metabolic enzymes for combination dugs would be useful for predicting drug actions. In conclusion, phenotyping based on pharmacogenomics supports personalized medicine in transplantation therapy. In future, multiplex testing should be developed to support personalized medicine in various fields.

  9. Liver Transplant

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... the primary problems with hepatitis C patients was universal recurrence of the virus after transplantation. However, with ... Fundraising Partnership & Support Share Your Story Spread the Word Give While You Shop Contact Us Donate Now ...

  10. The ASCENT (Allocation System Changes for Equity in Kidney Transplantation) Study: a Randomized Effectiveness-Implementation Study to Improve Kidney Transplant Waitlisting and Reduce Racial Disparity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patzer, Rachel E; Smith, Kayla; Basu, Mohua; Gander, Jennifer; Mohan, Sumit; Escoffery, Cam; Plantinga, Laura; Melanson, Taylor; Kalloo, Sean; Green, Gary; Berlin, Alex; Renville, Gary; Browne, Teri; Turgeon, Nicole; Caponi, Susan; Zhang, Rebecca; Pastan, Stephen

    2017-05-01

    The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) implemented a new Kidney Allocation System (KAS) in December 2014 that is expected to substantially reduce racial disparities in kidney transplantation among waitlisted patients. However, not all dialysis facility clinical providers and end stage renal disease (ESRD) patients are aware of how the policy change could improve access to transplant. We describe the ASCENT (Allocation System Changes for Equity in KidNey Transplantation) study, a randomized controlled effectiveness-implementation study designed to test the effectiveness of a multicomponent intervention to improve access to the early steps of kidney transplantation among dialysis facilities across the United States. The multicomponent intervention consists of an educational webinar for dialysis medical directors, an educational video for patients and an educational video for dialysis staff, and a dialysis-facility specific transplant performance feedback report. Materials will be developed by a multidisciplinary dissemination advisory board and will undergo formative testing in dialysis facilities across the United States. This study is estimated to enroll ~600 U.S. dialysis facilities with low waitlisting in all 18 ESRD Networks. The co-primary outcomes include change in waitlisting, and waitlist disparity at 1 year; secondary outcomes include changes in facility medical director knowledge about KAS, staff training regarding KAS, patient education regarding transplant, and a medical director's intent to refer patients for transplant evaluation. The results from the ASCENT study will demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of a multicomponent intervention designed to increase access to the deceased-donor kidney waitlist and reduce racial disparities in waitlisting.

  11. Pharmacological strategies for protection of extrahepatic islet transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Omori, K; Komatsu, H; Rawson, J; Mullen, Y

    2015-06-01

    The safety and effectiveness of islet transplantation has been proven through world-wide trials. However, acute and chronic islet loss has hindered the ultimate objective of becoming a widely used treatment option for type 1 diabetes. A large islet loss is attributed, in part, to the liver being a less-than-optimal site for transplantation. Over half of the transplanted islets are destroyed shortly after transplantation due to direct exposure to blood and non-specific inflammation. Successfully engrafted islets are continuously exposed to the liver micro-environment, a unique immune system, low oxygen tension, toxins and high glucose, which is toxic to islets, leading to premature islet dysfunction/death. Investigations have continued to search for alternate sites to transplant islets that provide a better environment for prolonged function and survival. This article gathers courses and conditions that lead to islet loss, from organ procurement through islet transplantation, with special emphasis on hypoxia, oxidative stress, and antigen non-specific inflammation, and reviews strategies using pharmacological agents that have shown effectiveness in protecting islets, including a new treatment approach utilizing siRNA. Pharmacological agents that support islet survival and promote β-cell proliferation are also included. Treatment of donor pancreata and/or islets with these agents should increase the effectiveness of islets transplanted into extrahepatic sites. Furthermore, the development of methods designed to release these agents over an extended period, will further increase their efficacy. This requires the combined efforts of both islet transplant biologists and bioengineers.

  12. A frame-supported ultrathin electrospun polymer membrane for transplantation of retinal pigment epithelial cells

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Popelka, Štěpán; Studenovská, Hana; Abelová, Lucie; Ardan, Taras; Studený, P.; Straňák, Z.; Klíma, Jiří; Dvořánková, B.; Kotek, Jiří; Hodan, Jiří; Rypáček, František

    2015-01-01

    Roč. 10, č. 4 (2015), 045022_1-045022_15 ISSN 1748-6041 R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP108/12/1629; GA MŠk(CZ) EE2.3.30.0029; GA MŠk(CZ) ED1.1.00/02.0109; GA MŠk ED2.1.00/03.0124 Institutional support: RVO:61389013 ; RVO:67985904 Keywords : RPE transplantation * RPE carrier * porcine RPE Subject RIV: CD - Macromolecular Chemistry; CD - Macromolecular Chemistry (UZFG-Y) Impact factor: 3.361, year: 2015

  13. Anthropology, organ transplantation and the immune system: resituating commodity and gift exchange.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kierans, Ciara

    2011-11-01

    This article reflects on contributions from medical anthropology to our understanding of the bio-social and bio-political implications of renal transplantation. Taking up the idea of transplantation as a 'complex', a vast assemblage of people, places, practices and procedures which intersect medical, social and cultural domains, I point to a reliance in the anthropological literature on overly pre-determined conceptual frameworks, organised around a distinct polarisation between organ giving and receiving, where one side (supply) takes analytical, and indeed moral, precedence over the other (receipt). These frameworks tend to fail us when it comes to thinking about the wider social, cultural and political implications of transplant technologies. In an attempt to offer a less polarised view, I draw attention to the material and symbolic role of the immune system in transplantation and the ways in which it simultaneously shapes opportunities for procurement and the lived realities of recipiency. This helps us see the many complex ways in which suffering and inequality are constituted all along the variegated chains of supply and demand that are internal to, and made possible by, transplantation practices themselves. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Perspectives of Older Kidney Transplant Recipients on Kidney Transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pinter, Jule; Hanson, Camilla S; Chapman, Jeremy R; Wong, Germaine; Craig, Jonathan C; Schell, Jane O; Tong, Allison

    2017-03-07

    Older kidney transplant recipients are susceptible to cognitive impairment, frailty, comorbidities, immunosuppression-related complications, and chronic graft failure, however, there has been limited focus on their concerns and expectations related to transplantation. This study aims to describe the perspectives of older kidney transplant recipients about their experience of kidney transplantation, self-management, and treatment goals to inform strategies and interventions that address their specific needs. Face-to-face semistructured interviews were conducted with 30 kidney transplant recipients aged 65-80 years from five renal units in Australia. Transcripts were analyzed thematically. Six themes were identified: restoring vitality of youth (with subthemes of revived mindset for resilience, embracing enjoyment in life, drive for self-actualization); persisting through prolonged recovery (yielding to aging, accepting functional limitations, pushing the limit, enduring treatment responsibilities); imposing sicknesses (combatting devastating comorbidities, painful restrictions, emerging disillusionment, anxieties about accumulating side effects, consuming treatment burden); prioritizing graft survival (privileged with a miracle, negotiating risks for longevity, enacting a moral duty, preserving the last opportunity); confronting health deterioration (vulnerability and helplessness, narrowing focus to immediate concerns, uncertainty of survival); and value of existence (purpose through autonomy, refusing the burden of futile treatment, staying alive by all means). Older kidney transplant recipients felt able to enjoy life and strived to live at their newly re-established potential and capability, which motivated them to protect their graft. However, some felt constrained by slow recuperation and overwhelmed by unexpected comorbidities, medication-related side effects, and health decline. Our findings suggest the need to prepare and support older recipients for self

  15. US Health Care Reform and Transplantation, Part II: impact on the public sector and novel health care delivery systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Axelrod, D A; Millman, D; Abecassis, M M

    2010-10-01

    The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act passed in 2010 will result in dramatic expansion of publically funded health insurance coverage for low-income individuals. It is estimated that of the 32 million newly insured, 16 million will obtain coverage through expansion of the Medicaid Program, and the remaining 16 million will purchase coverage through their employer or newly legislated insurance exchanges. While the Act contains numerous provisions to improve access to private insurance as discussed in Part I of this analysis, public sector coverage will significantly be affected. The cost of health care reform will be borne disproportionately by Medicare, which faces nearly $500 billion in cuts to be identified by a new independent board. Transplant centers should be concerned about the impact of the reform on the financial aspects of transplantation. In addition, this legislation also utilizes the Medicare Program to drive reform of the health care delivery system, by encouraging the development of integrated Accountable Care Organizations, experimentation with new 'models' of healthcare delivery, and expanded support for Comparative Effectiveness Research. Transplant providers, including transplant centers and physicians/surgeons need to lead this movement, drawing on our experience providing comprehensive multidisciplinary care under global budgets with publically reported outcomes.

  16. Thoracic organ transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pierson, Richard N; Barr, Mark L; McCullough, Keith P; Egan, Thomas; Garrity, Edward; Jessup, Mariell; Murray, Susan

    2004-01-01

    This article presents an overview of factors associated with thoracic transplantation outcomes over the past decade and provides valuable information regarding the heart, lung, and heart-lung waiting lists and thoracic organ transplant recipients. Waiting list and post-transplant information is used to assess the importance of patient demographics, risk factors, and primary cardiopulmonary disease on outcomes. The time that the typical listed patient has been waiting for a heart, lung, or heart-lung transplant has markedly increased over the past decade, while the number of transplants performed has declined slightly and survival after transplant has plateaued. Waiting list mortality, however, appears to be declining for each organ and for most diseases and high-severity subgroups, perhaps in response to recent changes in organ allocation algorithms. Based on perceived inequity in organ access and in response to a mandate from Health Resources and Services Administration, the lung transplant community is developing a lung allocation system designed to minimize deaths on the waiting list while maximizing the benefit of transplant by incorporating post-transplant survival and quality of life into the algorithm. Areas where improved data collection could inform evolving organ allocation and candidate selection policies are emphasized.

  17. Hepatocytes in the development of liver support systems

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    I.H.M. Borel Rinkes (Inne)

    1993-01-01

    textabstractThis thesis focuses on the development of alternative strategies in the treatment of patients with acute fulminant hepatic failure and inborn errors of metabolism, using hepatocytes as the basis of liver support. When compared with transplantation of the liver as an organ, the

  18. Intellectual and Academic Outcomes After Pediatric Liver Transplantation: Relationship with Transplant-Related Factors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Afshar, Soheil; Porter, Melanie; Barton, Belinda; Stormon, Michael

    2018-05-09

    As survival rates for pediatric liver transplantation continue to increase, research attention is turning towards long-term functional consequences, with particular interest in whether medical and transplant-related factors are implicated in neurocognitive outcomes. The relative importance of different factors is unclear, due to a lack of methodological uniformity, inclusion of differing primary diagnoses, variable transplant policies, and organ availability in different jurisdictions. This cross-sectional, single-site study sought to address various methodological limitations in the literature and the paucity of studies conducted outside of North America and Western Europe by examining the intellectual and academic outcomes of Australian pediatric liver transplant recipients (N = 40). Participants displayed significantly poorer intellectual and mathematical abilities compared to the normative population. Greater time on the transplant waitlist was a significant predictor of poorer verbal intelligence, working memory, mathematical abilities and reading, but only when considering the subgroup of children with biliary atresia. These findings support reducing the time children wait for a transplant as a priority. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

  19. Psychosocial and financial aspects of lung transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smolin, T L; Aguiar, L J

    1996-09-01

    This article summarizes the many psychosocial phases a patient will encounter during his or her transplantation experience and the ways the social worker can assist during this time. These include supportive services such as facilitating support groups and orientation programs, counseling, and crisis intervention. Also of importance is the financing of lung transplantation and its many associated costs, such as immunosuppressive medications and temporary housing. With the rise in managed care, the role of the transplant financial coordinator is of increasing importance from both a fiscal perspective and customer service standpoint for both the patient and the institution.

  20. Public awareness in promotion of tissue transplantation in Malaysia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abd Rani Samsudin; Hasim Mohammad

    1999-01-01

    Malaysia is a developing country in South East Asia with a population of 21 million. The population is multiracial, multicultural and multireligion and it is one of the few countries in the world which possess a multicomplexity way of life among its ethnic groups. The health care system in Malaysia is divided into two main system, i.e. government based or public service and private based health care practice. The idea about organ donation and transplant science has a rise in Malaysia some 30 years ago, and the first historical event of a kidney transplant from a cadaveric donor took place in 1976. 22 years down the line, the first heart transplant was performed in Malaysia. Over the last 22 years between 1976 and 1998 many programmes promoting the idea of organ and tissue transplantation has been came out throughout the country led by government based bodies and non governmental Organisation. In terms of government funding, supporting a transplant programme is not a cheap exercise and this aspect of health care financial burden must be given due consideration by government and non governmental bodies for success of the programme. Besides financial burden, there are the common dilemma of culture and religious barrier for the success of the programme, but this problem has been tackled extremely well by the government. The setting up of two tissue banks in Malaysia in 1991 has further enhanced the idea of organ and tissue transplantation in this country, and the establishment of the national transplant resource centre based at Hospital Kuala Lumpur provides a national coordination service system for both organ and tissue procurement services for the whole country. Organ and tissue donation programme-ne and finally the success of a national transplant programme will certainly depend on the health status and health priorities of the country, the standard of general education, the quality of life style while cultural and religious factors in Malaysia will play a minor

  1. The global diffusion of organ transplantation: trends, drivers and policy implications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    White, Sarah L; Hirth, Richard; Mahíllo, Beatriz; Domínguez-Gil, Beatriz; Delmonico, Francis L; Noel, Luc; Chapman, Jeremy; Matesanz, Rafael; Carmona, Mar; Alvarez, Marina; Núñez, Jose R; Leichtman, Alan

    2014-11-01

    Rising incomes, the spread of personal insurance, lifestyle factors adding to the burden of illness, ageing populations, globalization and skills transfer within the medical community have increased worldwide demand for organ transplantation. The Global Observatory on Donation and Transplantation, which was built in response to World Health Assembly resolution WHA57.18, has conducted ongoing documentation of global transplantation activities since 2007. In this paper, we use the Global Observatory's data to describe the current distribution of - and trends in - transplantation activities and to evaluate the role of health systems factors and macroeconomics in the diffusion of transplantation technology. We then consider the implications of our results for health policies relating to organ donation and transplantation. Of the World Health Organization's Member States, most now engage in organ transplantation and more than a third performed deceased donor transplantation in 2011. In general, the Member States that engage in organ transplantation have greater access to physician services and greater total health spending per capita than the Member States where organ transplantation is not performed. The provision of deceased donor transplantation was closely associated with high levels of gross national income per capita. There are several ways in which governments can support the ethical development of organ donation and transplantation programmes. Specifically, they can ensure that appropriate legislation, regulation and oversight are in place, and monitor donation and transplantation activities, practices and outcomes. Moreover, they can allocate resources towards the training of specialist physicians, surgeons and transplant coordinators, and implement a professional donor-procurement network.

  2. The global diffusion of organ transplantation: trends, drivers and policy implications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hirth, Richard; Mahíllo, Beatriz; Domínguez-Gil, Beatriz; Delmonico, Francis L; Noel, Luc; Chapman, Jeremy; Matesanz, Rafael; Carmona, Mar; Alvarez, Marina; Núñez, Jose R; Leichtman, Alan

    2014-01-01

    Abstract Rising incomes, the spread of personal insurance, lifestyle factors adding to the burden of illness, ageing populations, globalization and skills transfer within the medical community have increased worldwide demand for organ transplantation. The Global Observatory on Donation and Transplantation, which was built in response to World Health Assembly resolution WHA57.18, has conducted ongoing documentation of global transplantation activities since 2007. In this paper, we use the Global Observatory’s data to describe the current distribution of – and trends in – transplantation activities and to evaluate the role of health systems factors and macroeconomics in the diffusion of transplantation technology. We then consider the implications of our results for health policies relating to organ donation and transplantation. Of the World Health Organization’s Member States, most now engage in organ transplantation and more than a third performed deceased donor transplantation in 2011. In general, the Member States that engage in organ transplantation have greater access to physician services and greater total health spending per capita than the Member States where organ transplantation is not performed. The provision of deceased donor transplantation was closely associated with high levels of gross national income per capita. There are several ways in which governments can support the ethical development of organ donation and transplantation programmes. Specifically, they can ensure that appropriate legislation, regulation and oversight are in place, and monitor donation and transplantation activities, practices and outcomes. Moreover, they can allocate resources towards the training of specialist physicians, surgeons and transplant coordinators, and implement a professional donor-procurement network. PMID:25378744

  3. Optimal Timing of Heart Transplant After HeartMate II Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steffen, Robert J; Blackstone, Eugene H; Smedira, Nicholas G; Soltesz, Edward G; Hoercher, Katherine J; Thuita, Lucy; Starling, Randall C; Mountis, Maria; Moazami, Nader

    2017-11-01

    Optimal timing of heart transplantation in patients supported with second-generation left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) is unknown. Despite this, patients with LVADs continue to receive priority on the heart transplant waiting list. Our objective was to determine the optimal timing of transplantation for patients bridged with continuous-flow LVADs. A total of 301 HeartMate II LVADs (Thoratec Corp, Pleasanton, CA) were implanted in 285 patients from October 2004 to June 2013, and 86 patients underwent transplantation through the end of follow-up. Optimal transplantation timing was the product of surviving on LVAD support and surviving transplant. Three-year survival after both HeartMate II implantation and heart transplantation was unchanged when transplantation occurred within 9 months of implantation. Survival decreased as the duration of support exceeded this. Preoperative risk factors for death on HeartMate II support were prior valve operation, prior coronary artery bypass grafting, low albumin, low glomerular filtration rate, higher mean arterial pressure, hypertension, and earlier date of implant. Survival for patients without these risk factors was lowest when transplant was performed within 3 months but was relatively constant with increased duration of support. Longer duration of support was associated with poorer survival for patients with many of these risk factors. Device reimplantation, intracranial hemorrhage, and postimplant dialysis during HeartMate II support were associated with decreased survival. Survival of patients supported by the HeartMate II is affected by preoperative comorbidities and postoperative complications. Transplantation before complications is imperative in optimizing survival. Copyright © 2017 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Graft-Versus-Host Disease after Liver Transplantation Complicated by Systemic Aspergillosis with Pancarditis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joseph Romagnuolo

    2000-01-01

    Full Text Available Acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD is a common complication after bone marrow transplantation, with characteristic rash and diarrhea being the most common features. After liver transplantation, however, this phenomenon is very rare. Most transplant patients are on a variety of medications, including immunosuppressants; therefore, the differential diagnosis of skin rash or diarrhea is broad. A 37-year-old man who underwent liver transplantation for primary biliary cirrhosis, and developed a rash and watery diarrhea, is presented. Skin and colonic biopsies confirmed acute GVHD. A pulse of intravenous steroids was given. The skin rash improved, but he developed pancytopenia. His course was complicated by central line infection, jugular and subclavian vein thrombosis, pseudomembranous colitis, recurrent bacteremia, cholestasis on total parenteral nutrition and cytomegalovirus infection. After the onset of pleuritic chest pain and clinical sepsis, spiral computed tomography scan of his chest and abdomen revealed septic infarcts in multiple organs. Despite empirical treatment with amphotericin B, he died of multiorgan dysfunction syndrome within 72 h. Autopsy revealed systemic aspergillosis with pancarditis, endocardial vegetations, and septic pulmonary, splenic, hepatic and renal infarcts. The pathogenesis and experience with this rare, but often fatal, complication of liver transplantation are reviewed. In contrast to GVHD after bone marrow transplantation, pancytopenia is common and liver dysfunction is rare. One should have a high level of suspicion in the liver transplant recipient presenting with rash and/or diarrhea.

  5. HLA matching and the United Network for Organ Sharing Allocation System: impact of HLA matching on African-American recipients of cadaveric kidney transplants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rebellato, Lorita M; Arnold, Angelo N; Bozik, Karen M; Haisch, Carl E

    2002-12-15

    A recent proposal supports the elimination of allocation points for human leukocyte antigen (HLA) mismatches (MM) in cadaveric kidney transplantation. The intent is to increase access for some racial groups that might be disadvantaged by the representation of race-specific HLA in a largely white donor pool. We report our experience from two transplant centers that serve a large African American (AA) patient population. All cadaveric transplants into AA recipients from 1994 to 2000 (n=162) were included in a retrospective review. Superior graft survival was observed in AA recipients of 0 MM transplants. When induction therapy was used, the graft survival at 3 years for the human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-BDR MM grades given allocation points (0,1,2 MM) was 82% versus only 49% for BDR MM grades not given points (3,4 MM: =0.0022). Our collective experience demonstrates that AA patients having HLA-BDR MM grades given allocation points had better graft survival. Removing points for HLA from the national allocation system may result in significantly poorer outcome in AA kidney recipients.

  6. New Organ Allocation System for Combined Liver-Kidney Transplants and the Availability of Kidneys for Transplant to Patients with Stage 4-5 CKD.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Asch, William S; Bia, Margaret J

    2017-05-08

    A new proposal has been created for establishing medical criteria for organ allocation in recipients receiving simultaneous liver-kidney transplants. In this article, we describe the new policy, elaborate on the points of greatest controversy, and offer a perspective on the policy going forward. Although we applaud the fact that simultaneous liver-kidney transplant activity will now be monitored and appreciate the creation of medical criteria for allocation in simultaneous liver-kidney transplants, we argue that some of the criteria proposed, especially those for allocating a kidney to a liver recipient with AKI, are too liberal. We call on the nephrology community to follow the consequences of this new policy and push for a re-examination of the longstanding policy of allocating kidneys to multiorgan transplant recipients before all other candidates. The charge to protect our system of equitable organ allocation is very challenging, but it is a challenge that we must embrace. Copyright © 2017 by the American Society of Nephrology.

  7. The Swiss Transplant Cohort Study's framework for assessing lifelong psychosocial factors in solid-organ transplants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Geest, Sabina; Burkhalter, Hanna; Berben, Lut; Bogert, Laura Jane; Denhaerynck, Kris; Glass, Tracy R; Goetzmann, Lutz; Kirsch, Monika; Kiss, Alexander; Koller, Michael T; Piot-Ziegler, Chantal; Schmidt-Trucksäss, Arno

    2013-09-01

    Understanding outcomes after transplant requires a biopsychosocial model that includes biomedical and psychosocial factors. The latter, to date, are assessed only in a limited way as part of transplant registries or cohort studies. The Swiss Transplant Cohort Study (STCS) is a nationwide open cohort study (starting May 2008) to systematically and prospectively assess psychosocial factors. This article describes the framework underpinning STCS's psychosocial assessment. The STCS framework was adapted from the multidimensional conceptual perspective of Dew et al to describe transplant psychosocial domains and specific outcomes by adding a time perspective, a system perspective, and interaction among domains. We propose a multidimensional, multilevel biopsychosocial framework representing mutually influencing domains from before to after transplant, and exemplify each domain by factors included in STCS and their measurement. The transplant patient, centrally positioned, is described by clinical and sociodemographic characteristics (eg, socioeconomic status, educational, professional, and relationship status). The following psychosocial domains further describe the patient: (1) physical/functional (eg, perceived health status, sleep quality, daytime sleepiness), (2) psychological (eg, depression, stress), (3) behavioral (eg, medication adherence, smoking, drug use, physical activity, sun protection), (4) social (eg, work capacity/return to work), and (5) global quality of life. Factors associated with health care system level (eg, trust in transplant team) are also included in the model. The STCS's psychosocial framework provides a basis for studying the interplay of biomedical, sociodemographic, psychosocial, behavioral, and health care system factors in view of transplant outcomes and therefore has the potential to guide biopsychosocial transplant research.

  8. Bioengineering a 3D integumentary organ system from iPS cells using an in vivo transplantation model

    OpenAIRE

    Takagi, Ryoji; Ishimaru, Junko; Sugawara, Ayaka; Toyoshima, Koh-ei; Ishida, Kentaro; Ogawa, Miho; Sakakibara, Kei; Asakawa, Kyosuke; Kashiwakura, Akitoshi; Oshima, Masamitsu; Minamide, Ryohei; Sato, Akio; Yoshitake, Toshihiro; Takeda, Akira; Egusa, Hiroshi

    2016-01-01

    The integumentary organ system is a complex system that plays important roles in waterproofing, cushioning, protecting deeper tissues, excreting waste, and thermoregulation. We developed a novel in vivo transplantation model designated as a clustering-dependent embryoid body transplantation method and generated a bioengineered three-dimensional (3D) integumentary organ system, including appendage organs such as hair follicles and sebaceous glands, from induced pluripotent stem cells. This bio...

  9. Imaging in haematopoietic stem cell transplantation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Evans, A.; Steward, C.G.; Lyburn, I.D.; Grier, D.J.

    2003-01-01

    Haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (SCT) is used to treat a wide range of malignant and non-malignant haematological conditions, solid malignancies, and metabolic and autoimmune diseases. Although imaging has a limited role before SCT, it is important after transplantation when it may support the clinical diagnosis of a variety of complications. It may also be used to monitor the effect of therapy and to detect recurrence of the underlying disease if the transplant is unsuccessful. We present a pictorial review of the imaging of patients who have undergone SCT, based upon 15 years experience in a large unit performing both adult and paediatric transplants

  10. Imaging in haematopoietic stem cell transplantation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Evans, A.; Steward, C.G.; Lyburn, I.D.; Grier, D.J

    2003-03-01

    Haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (SCT) is used to treat a wide range of malignant and non-malignant haematological conditions, solid malignancies, and metabolic and autoimmune diseases. Although imaging has a limited role before SCT, it is important after transplantation when it may support the clinical diagnosis of a variety of complications. It may also be used to monitor the effect of therapy and to detect recurrence of the underlying disease if the transplant is unsuccessful. We present a pictorial review of the imaging of patients who have undergone SCT, based upon 15 years experience in a large unit performing both adult and paediatric transplants.

  11. HLA in bone marrow transplantation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tsuji, Kimiyoshi

    1989-01-01

    It has been well understood that human major histocompatibility antigen system, HLA is the most important role in the allo transplantation. Therefore, the structure of HLA genes was presented by the recent information (1987). Moreover, their functions in vitro and in vivo also were described. Finally, bone marrow transplantation and HLA network system in Japan against HLA mismatched case was proposed. It is eagerly expected that functional and clinical bone marrow transplantation in Japan could be succeeded. (author)

  12. The need for endodontic treatment and systemic characteristics of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Braga-Diniz, Julia Mourão; Santa-Rosa, Caroline Christine; Martins, Renata de Castro; Silva, Maria Elisa Souza E; Vieira, Leda Quercia; Ribeiro Sobrinho, Antônio Paulino

    2017-07-03

    The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between the epidemiological and clinical profiles of patients before and after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and the need for endodontic treatment. The subjects included 188 individuals enrolled in the dental care program for transplanted patients of the School of Dentistry, Federal University of Minas Gerais (Faculdade de Odontologia da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, FO-UFMG) from March 2011 through March 2016. The patients were subjected to an HSCT conditioning dental regimen based on a thorough clinical and radiographic evaluation. Intraoral periapical and bite-wing X-rays were obtained, and after evaluation, specific dental treatment was planned and performed. The following demographic and clinical data were collected from the patients' medical records: age, gender, transplantation stage, primary disease, transplant type, medication used, complete blood count at the time of visit, and need for endodontic treatment. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov and the chi-square tests were used. Leukemia (31.3%) and multiple myeloma (17.9%) were the most prevalent primary diseases. Most patients were subjected to allogeneic-related transplantation (83.6%). Most patients exhibited platelet counts and hemoglobin concentrations below the reference values in the pre-transplantation stage, while the neutrophil and platelet counts and the hemoglobin levels were within the reference ranges in the post-transplantation stage. The proportions of individuals requiring endodontic treatment were similar between the pre- and post-transplantation groups: 24.3% and 24.7%, respectively. The systemic conditions of the patients referred for dental treatment were compromised.

  13. An international perspective: job satisfaction among transplant nurses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Russell, Cynthia L; Van Gelder, Frank

    2008-03-01

    The high demand for transplant nurses across the world leads us to examine job design and job satisfaction because job satisfaction is linked to better outcomes for patients. To describe international transplant nurses' perspectives of job design and job satisfaction by using Herzberg's theory of motivation. Descriptive, correlational design. An electronic version of the Job Design and Job Satisfaction survey was mailed to all members of the International Transplant Nurses Society. A total of 331 members of the International Transplant Nurses Society responded to the survey. The mean age of respondents was 44.12 years, they had worked a mean of 19.12 years in nursing and 10.22 years in transplantation, and 50.6% of respondents were transplant nurse coordinators. Respondents were very satisfied overall with their jobs; they perceived that transplant nursing requires a high level of nonrepetitive, complex skills, autonomy in personal initiative and judgment, cooperation and collaboration with others, and that the job allows for completion of the work. Respondents were satisfied with pay, fringe benefits, and supervision. The feeling that the job could positively and significantly affect others was very strong. Results of this study provide empirical evidence supporting the perceived benefits and challenges of working in transplantation and support Herzberg's theory that motivators leading to job satisfaction include achievement, recognition, the work itself, responsibility, and advancement. Transplant nursing includes many of these motivators and desirable characteristics, including autonomy and working with a multidisciplinary team on a clear, patient-centered goal.

  14. Protein-Based Urine Test Predicts Kidney Transplant Outcomes

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... News Releases News Release Thursday, August 22, 2013 Protein-based urine test predicts kidney transplant outcomes NIH- ... supporting development of noninvasive tests. Levels of a protein in the urine of kidney transplant recipients can ...

  15. Manipulating transplant morphology to advance post-transplant growth and yield in strawberry

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Reekie, J.Y.

    2005-01-01

    Two methods were developed to enhance transplant success and minimize water use of strawberry transplants harvested in Canadian nurseries for use in the annual strawberry production system in the Southern United States: mechanical leaf removal by mowing, and chemical control of growth and

  16. Nutritional Therapy in Liver Transplantation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ahmed Hammad

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Protein-energy malnourishment is commonly encountered in patients with end-stage liver disease who undergo liver transplantation. Malnutrition may further increase morbidity, mortality and costs in the post-transplantation setting. The importance of carefully assessing the nutritional status during the work-up of patients who are candidates for liver replacement is widely recognized. The metabolic abnormalities induced by liver failure render the conventional assessment of nutritional status to be challenging. Preoperative loss of skeletal muscle mass, namely, sarcopenia, has a significant detrimental impact on post-transplant outcomes. It is essential to provide sufficient nutritional support during all phases of liver transplantation. Oral nutrition is preferred, but tube enteral nutrition may be required to provide the needed energy intake. Herein, the latest currently employed perioperative nutritional interventions in liver transplant recipients are thoroughly illustrated including synbiotics, micronutrients, branched-chain amino acid supplementation, immunonutrition formulas, fluid and electrolyte balance, the offering of nocturnal meals, dietary counselling, exercise and rehabilitation.

  17. Organ transplantation and replacement

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cerilli, G.J.

    1988-01-01

    This book contains 49 chapters. Some of the titles are: Molecular, Genetic, and Clinical Aspects of the HLA System; The Normal Immune Response; Significance of the ABO Antigen System; The Role of Dialysis in the Management of End-Stage Renal Disease; Access for Dialysis; Patient Selection for Renal Transplantation; The Living Donor in Kidney Transplantation; and Kidney Preservation by Cold Storage.

  18. Face time: educating face transplant candidates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lamparello, Brooke M; Bueno, Ericka M; Diaz-Siso, Jesus Rodrigo; Sisk, Geoffroy C; Pomahac, Bohdan

    2013-01-01

    Face transplantation is the innovative application of microsurgery and immunology to restore appearance and function to those with severe facial disfigurements. Our group aims to establish a multidisciplinary education program that can facilitate informed consent and build a strong knowledge base in patients to enhance adherence to medication regimes, recovery, and quality of life. We analyzed handbooks from our institution's solid organ transplant programs to identify topics applicable to face transplant patients. The team identified unique features of face transplantation that warrant comprehensive patient education. We created a 181-page handbook to provide subjects interested in pursuing transplantation with a written source of information on the process and team members and to address concerns they may have. While the handbook covers a wide range of topics, it is easy to understand and visually appealing. Face transplantation has many unique aspects that must be relayed to the patients pursuing this novel therapy. Since candidates lack third-party support groups and programs, the transplant team must provide an extensive educational component to enhance this complex process. As face transplantation continues to develop, programs must create sound education programs that address patients' needs and concerns to facilitate optimal care.

  19. [Psychological specificities of living donor kidney transplantation].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Papeloux-Heitzmann, Élodie

    2016-12-01

    For people with end-stage kidney disease, a transplant is the promise of a future without dialysis. Living donor kidney transplantation comprises many specificities and is distinct from cadaveric donor transplantation. Some psychological aspects explain these specificities. They may be subconscious and difficult to access, but it is essential to decipher them in order to adapt the support provided to these people. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  20. Bioengineering a 3D integumentary organ system from iPS cells using an in vivo transplantation model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takagi, Ryoji; Ishimaru, Junko; Sugawara, Ayaka; Toyoshima, Koh-Ei; Ishida, Kentaro; Ogawa, Miho; Sakakibara, Kei; Asakawa, Kyosuke; Kashiwakura, Akitoshi; Oshima, Masamitsu; Minamide, Ryohei; Sato, Akio; Yoshitake, Toshihiro; Takeda, Akira; Egusa, Hiroshi; Tsuji, Takashi

    2016-04-01

    The integumentary organ system is a complex system that plays important roles in waterproofing, cushioning, protecting deeper tissues, excreting waste, and thermoregulation. We developed a novel in vivo transplantation model designated as a clustering-dependent embryoid body transplantation method and generated a bioengineered three-dimensional (3D) integumentary organ system, including appendage organs such as hair follicles and sebaceous glands, from induced pluripotent stem cells. This bioengineered 3D integumentary organ system was fully functional following transplantation into nude mice and could be properly connected to surrounding host tissues, such as the epidermis, arrector pili muscles, and nerve fibers, without tumorigenesis. The bioengineered hair follicles in the 3D integumentary organ system also showed proper hair eruption and hair cycles, including the rearrangement of follicular stem cells and their niches. Potential applications of the 3D integumentary organ system include an in vitro assay system, an animal model alternative, and a bioengineered organ replacement therapy.

  1. Too poor for transplant: finance and insurance issues in transplant ethics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laurentine, Kyle Alexander; Bramstedt, Katrina A

    2010-06-01

    Donor organs are a scarce gift. Additionally, transplantation is very expensive and the United States lacks universal health insurance for all citizens. These facts combine to make personal finance and insurance some of the criteria for wait listing at US transplant centers. Previous research has shown that the poor and the uninsured (as well as women and nonwhites) are less likely to receive a transplant. Living donor candidates are also limited by the US insurance system. To determine the effect of finance and insurance variables on access to transplant and living donation. A qualitative descriptive study of ethics consultation data contained in a research registry approved by the institutional review board at California Pacific Medical Center. This study analyzes research registry data from a large community hospital in Northern California that serves patients from California, Oregon, and Nevada. The registry data are derived from transplant ethics consultations occurring between January 1, 2007, and June 30, 2009. This study explores the restriction of access to transplantation and of participation in living donation. More than a quarter of all transplant ethics consultation reports described the restriction of transplant-related treatment for reasons rooted in finance or insurance. Individuals on the recipient side and on the donor side were hindered with regard to access. Insurance status and personal ability to pay significantly affect access to transplantation in the United States, and this theme is a frequent feature of ethics consultations at California Pacific Medical Center.

  2. Access to Heart Transplantation: A Proper Analysis of the Competing Risks of Death and Transplantation Is Required to Optimize Graft Allocation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cantrelle, Christelle; Legeai, Camille; Latouche, Aurélien; Tuppin, Philippe; Jasseron, Carine; Sebbag, Laurent; Bastien, Olivier; Dorent, Richard

    2017-08-01

    Heart allocation systems are usually urgency-based, offering grafts to candidates at high risk of waitlist mortality. In the context of a revision of the heart allocation rules, we determined observed predictors of 1-year waitlist mortality in France, considering the competing risk of transplantation, to determine which candidate subgroups are favored or disadvantaged by the current allocation system. Patients registered on the French heart waitlist between 2010 and 2013 were included. Cox cause-specific hazards and Fine and Gray subdistribution hazards were used to determine candidate characteristics associated with waitlist mortality and access to transplantation. Of the 2053 candidates, 7 variables were associated with 1-year waitlist mortality by the Fine and Gray method including 4 candidate characteristics related to heart failure severity (hospitalization at listing, serum natriuretic peptide level, systolic pulmonary artery pressure, and glomerular filtration rate) and 3 characteristics not associated with heart failure severity but with lower access to transplantation (blood type, age, and body mass index). Observed waitlist mortality for candidates on mechanical circulatory support was like that of others. The heart allocation system strongly modifies the risk of pretransplant mortality related to heart failure severity. An in-depth competing risk analysis is therefore a more appropriate method to evaluate graft allocation systems. This knowledge should help to prioritize candidates in the context of a limited donor pool.

  3. Bioartificial liver assist devices in support of patients with liver failure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patzer II, John F; Lopez, Roberto C; Zhu, Yue; Wang, Zi-Fa; Mazariegos, George V; Fung, John J

    2002-02-01

    Bioartificial liver assist devices (BALs) offer an opportunity for critical care physicians and transplant surgeons to stabilize patients prior to orthotopic liver transplantation. Such devices may also act as a bridge to transplant, providing liver support to patients awaiting transplant, or as support for patients post living-related donor transplant. Four BAL devices that rely on hepatocytes cultured in hollow fiber membrane cartridges (Circe Biomedical HepatAssist(r), Vitagen ELADTM, Gerlach BELS, and Excorp Medical BLSS) are currently in various stages of clinical evaluation. Comparison of the four devices shows that several unique approaches based upon the same overall system architecture are possible. Preliminary results of the Excorp Medical BLSS Phase I safety evaluation at the University of Pittsburgh, after treating four patients (F, 41, acetominophen-induced, two support periods; M, 50, Wilson's disease, one support period; F, 53, acute alcoholic hepatitis, two support periods; F, 24, chemotherapy-induced, one support period, are presented. All patients presented with hypoglycemia and transient hypotension at the start of extracorporeal perfusion. Hypoglycemia was treated by IV dextrose and the transient hypotension responded positively to IV fluid bolus. Heparin anticoagulation was used only in the second patient. No serious or adverse events were noted in the four patients. Moderate Biochemical response to support was noted in all patients. More complete characterization of the safety of the BLSS requires completion of the Phase I safety evaluation.

  4. [Liver transplantation].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pompili, Maurizio; Mirante, Vincenzo Giorgio; Rapaccini, Gian Ludovico; Gasbarrini, Giovanni

    2004-01-01

    Liver transplantation represents the first choice treatment for patients with fulminant acute hepatitis and for patients with chronic liver disease and advanced functional failure. Patients in the waiting list for liver transplantation are classified according to the severity of their clinical conditions (evaluated using staging systems mostly based on hematochemical parameters related to liver function). This classification, together with the blood group and the body size compatibility, remains the main criterion for organ allocation. The main indications for liver transplantation are cirrhosis (mainly HCV-, HBV- and alcohol-related) and hepatocellular carcinoma emerging in cirrhosis in adult patients, biliary atresia and some inborn errors of metabolism in pediatric patients. In adults the overall 5-year survival ranges between 60 and 70%, in both American and European series. Even better results have been reported for pediatric patients: in fact, the 5-year survival rate for children ranges between 70 and 80% in the main published series. In this study we evaluated the main medical problems correlated with liver transplantation such as immunosuppressive treatment, acute and chronic rejection, infectious complications, the recurrence of the liver disease leading to transplantation, and cardiovascular and metabolic complications.

  5. Adherence in pediatric kidney transplant recipients: solutions for the system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steinberg, Elizabeth A; Moss, Mary; Buchanan, Cindy L; Goebel, Jens

    2018-03-01

    Non-adherence remains a significant problem among pediatric (and adult) renal transplant recipients. Non-adherence among solid organ transplant recipients results in US$15-100 million annual costs. Estimates of non-adherence range from 30 to 70% among pediatric patients. Research demonstrates that a 10% decrement in adherence is associated with 8% higher hazard of graft failure and mortality. Focus has begun to shift from patient factors that impact adherence to the contributing healthcare and systems factors. The purpose of this review is to describe problems within the systems implicated in non-adherence and potential solutions that may be related to positive adherence outcomes. Systems issues include insurance and legal regulations, provider and care team barriers to optimal care, and difficulties with transitioning to adult care. Potential solutions include recognition of how systems can work together to improve patient outcomes through improvements in insurance programs, a multi-disciplinary care team approach, evidence-based medical management, pharmacy-based applications and interventions to simplify medication regimens, improved transition protocols, and telehealth/technology-based multi-component interventions. However, there remains a significant lack of reliability in the application of these potential solutions to systems issues that impact patient adherence. Future efforts should accordingly focus on these efforts, likely by leveraging quality improvement and related principles, and on the investigation of the efficacy of these interventions to improve adherence and graft outcomes.

  6. Appraisal of the coordinator-based transplant organizational model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Filipponi, F; De Simone, P; Mosca, F

    2005-01-01

    In 1999, the Italian Parliament passed a law aimed at setting the standards of practice and quality in organ, tissue and cell donation, and transplantation. For the first time in the history of Italian transplantation, a coordinator-based model reproducing some of the basic principles of the Spanish system was officially enacted by the Parliament, bringing to an end years of lacking regulation. What differentiates those coordinator-based systems adopted in Southern Europe from Northern European national and multinational transplant organizations is the functional integration of donor and transplant care activities enacted by national governments. The Italian model of transplant health care consists of four levels of transplant coordination: local, regional, interregional, and national. The latter is represented by Centro Nazionale Trapianti (CNT; the Italian National Center for Transplantation). CNT objectives consist of ensuring equitable access to donation and transplant care for all citizens according to the principles of the Italian National Health System. In achieving these goals, CNT acts in cooperation with three interregional transplant agencies: the Nord Italia Transplant program, the Associazione InterRegionale Trapianti, and the Organizzazione Centro Sud Trapianti. Whereas local and interregional coordinators are at the front line of all donation and transplant activities, regional and national coordinators function to monitor, direct, and plan donation and transplant health care activities. Based on the increase in donation and transplant activities recently achieved in those countries that have adopted a governmental coordinator-based transplant care model, we believe that such a system is appropriate to serve patients' interests according to the principles of subsidiary and equity. However, it should further be improved by expansion of the governance model throughout Europe, through implementation of current standards of care, and by adopting the

  7. Successful treatment of Fusarium keratitis with cornea transplantation and topical and systemic voriconazole.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Klont, R.R.; Eggink, C.A.; Rijs, A.J.M.M.; Wesseling, P.; Verweij, P.E.

    2005-01-01

    A case of invasive Fusarium keratitis in a previously healthy male patient was treated successfully with cornea transplantation and systemic and topical voriconazole after treatment failure with topical amphotericin B and systemic itraconazole. Topical voriconazole was well tolerated, and, in

  8. The twitcher mouse. Central nervous system pathology after bone marrow transplantation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Suzuki, K.; Hoogerbrugge, P. M.; Poorthuis, B. J.; Bekkum, D. W.

    1988-01-01

    Effects of bone marrow transplantation (BMT) on the pathology of the central nervous system were evaluated, at light and electron microscope levels, in the homozygous twitcher mouse (twi/twi), an authentic murine model of globoid cell leukodystrophy (GLD, Krabbe disease) in humans. In the twitcher

  9. [Kidney transplantation epidemiology in France].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hiesse, Christian

    2013-11-01

    candidates, all efforts should be put together, by increasing the living donor transplantation activity and by supporting and promoting the deceased donor procurement activity. Copyright © 2013 Association Société de néphrologie. Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

  10. Invasive central nervous system aspergillosis in bone marrow transplantation recipients: an overview

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guermazi, Ali; Gluckman, Eliane; Tabti, Bachir; Miaux, Yves

    2003-01-01

    Invasive central nervous system aspergillosis is being seen with an increased frequency, particularly due to the increased number of immunosuppressed patients. The major cause of invasive central nervous system aspergillosis is bone marrow transplantation. In most cases, aspergillosis develops in the paranasal sinuses and in the lungs, and secondarily spreads to the brain. Imaging of cerebral aspergillosis may present different patterns depending on the lesion's age and the immunologic status of the patient. Lesions of the spinal cord are far less common but has been encountered in our series. In this article we review the clinical and radiologic features of aspergillosis affecting the central nervous system in patients who underwent bone marrow transplantation. Different CT and MR patterns are presented, including pertinent clinical and pathologic material. Significant morbidity and mortality can be associated with this fungal infection, and it is therefore incumbent upon the radiologist to identify intracranial aspergillosis as early as possible so that appropriate therapy can be administered. (orig.)

  11. [Hepatic cell transplantation: a new therapy in liver diseases].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pareja, Eugenia; Cortés, Miriam; Martínez, Amparo; Vila, Juan José; López, Rafael; Montalvá, Eva; Calzado, Angeles; Mir, José

    2010-07-01

    Liver transplantation has been remarkably effective in the treatment in patients with end-stage liver disease. However, disparity between solid-organ supply and increased demand is the greatest limitation, resulting in longer waiting times and increase in mortality of transplant recipients. This situation creates the need to seek alternatives to orthotopic liver transplantation.Hepatocyte transplantation or liver cell transplantation has been proposed as the best method to support patients. The procedure consists of transplanting individual cells to a recipient organ in sufficient quantity to survive and restore the function. The capacity of hepatic regeneration is the biological basis of hepatocyte transplantation. This therapeutic option is an experimental procedure in some patients with inborn errors of metabolism, fulminant hepatic failure and acute and chronic liver failure, as a bridge to orthotopic liver transplantation. In the Hospital La Fe of Valencia, we performed the first hepatocyte transplantation in Spain creating a new research work on transplant program. Copyright 2009 AEC. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

  12. Transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells cultured on biomatrix support induces repairing of digestive tract defects, in animal model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sîrbu-Boeţi, Mirela-Patricia; Chivu, Mihaela; Pâslaru, Liliana Livia; Efrimescu, C; Herlea, V; Pecheanu, C; Moldovan, Lucia; Dragomir, Laura; Bleotu, Coralia; Ciucur, Elena; Vidulescu, Cristina; Vasilescu, Mihaela; Boicea, Anişoara; Mănoiu, S; Ionescu, M I; Popescu, I

    2009-01-01

    Transplanted mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) appear to play a significant role in adult tissue repair. The aim of this research was to obtain MSCs enriched, three dimensional (3D) patches for transplant, and to test their ability to induce repair of iatrogenic digestive tract defects in rats. MSCs were obtained from human and rat bone marrow, cultured in vitro, and seeded in a collagen-agarose scaffold, where they showed enhanced viability and proliferation. The phenotype of the cultured cells was representative for MSCs (CD105+, CD90+, and CD34-, CD45-, CD3-, CD14-). The 3D patch was obtained by laying the MSCs enriched collagen-agarose scaffold on a human or swine aortic fragment. After excision of small portions of the rat digestive tract, the 3D patches were sutured at the edge of the defect using micro-surgical techniques. The rats were sacrificed at time-points and the regeneration of the digestive wall was investigated by immunofluorescence, light and electron microscopy. The MSCs enriched 3D patches were biocompatible, biodegradable, and prompted the regeneration of the four layers of the stomach and intestine wall in rats. Human cells were identified in the rat regenerated digestive wall as a hallmark of the transplanted MSCs. For the first time we constructed 3D patches made of cultured bone marrow MSCs, embedded into a collagen-rich biomatrix, on vascular bio-material support, and transplanted them in order to repair iatrogenic digestive tract defects. The result was a complete repair with preservation of the four layered structure of the digestive wall.

  13. Heart transplantation for adults with congenital heart disease: current status and future prospects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matsuda, Hikaru; Ichikawa, Hajime; Ueno, Takayoshi; Sawa, Yoshiki

    2017-06-01

    Increased survival rates after corrective or palliative surgery for complex congenital heart disease (CHD) in infancy and childhood are now being coupled with increased numbers of patients who survive to adulthood with various residual lesions or sequelae. These patients are likely to deteriorate in cardiac function or end-organ function, eventually requiring lifesaving treatment including heart transplantation. Although early and late outcomes of heart transplantation have been improving for adult survivors of CHD, outcomes and pretransplant management could still be improved. Survivors of Fontan procedures are a vulnerable cohort, particularly when single ventricle physiology fails, mostly with protein-losing enteropathy and hepatic dysfunction. Therefore, we reviewed single-institution and larger database analyses of adults who underwent heart transplantation for CHD, to enable risk stratification by identifying the indications and outcomes. As the results, despite relatively high early mortality, long-term results were encouraging after heart transplantation. However, further investigations are needed to improve the indication criteria for complex CHD, especially for failed Fontan. In addition, the current system of status criteria and donor heart allocation system in heart transplantation should be arranged as suitable for adults with complex CHD. Furthermore, there is a strong need to develop ventricular assist devices as a bridge to transplantation or destination therapy, especially where right-sided circulatory support is needed.

  14. Customizing Fair Use Transplants

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peter K. Yu

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available In the past decade, policymakers and commentators across the world have called for the introduction of copyright reform based on the fair use model in the United States. Thus far, Israel, Liberia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka and Taiwan have adopted the fair use regime or its close variants. Other jurisdictions such as Australia, Hong Kong and Ireland have also advanced proposals to facilitate such adoption. This article examines the increasing efforts to transplant fair use into the copyright system based on the U.S. model. It begins by briefly recapturing the strengths and weaknesses of legal transplants. The article then scrutinizes the ongoing effort to transplant fair use from the United States. Specifically, it identifies eight modalities of transplantation. This article concludes with five lessons that can be drawn from studying the ongoing transplant efforts.

  15. PHENOMENON OF DEMIKHOV. "Transplantation of vital organs In experiment" (1960. Transplantation immunity, artifi cial circulation in organ transplantation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. P. Glyantsev

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The article (the fourth of five presents the analysis of the 4th and 5th chapters from V.P.Demikhov's monograph "Transplantation of vital organs in experiment" (MedGIz Publisher, Moscow, 1960, where he described his studies of transplantation immunity in originally created models and his use of artificial blood-circulation systems in experimental organ transplantation. It has been shown that V.P.Demikhov changed his views on the tissue biological incompatibility in homoplastic transplants and turned from the Michurin-Pavlov's concepts (1946–1953 to natural-scientific views (1959. Meanwhile, his multiple attempts to study both the morphological and humoral immunological response to transplanted organs did not give conclusive results because of lacking the experience of such studies even in the country's leading scientists and due the imperfection of their techniques. Realizing that the retrieval of a beating heart from a human would have created further problems for its subsequent transplantation, V.P. Demikhov attempted to reanimate human hearts in corpses by means of extracorporeal devices to provide artificial circulation. Methodologically, those devices were based on S.S.Bryukhonenko's research and his "auto-injector" pump modified by V.P.Demikhov. However, by 1960, those studies had not come beyond the experiments.

  16. The logistics and cost-effectiveness of circulatory support: advantages of the ABIOMED BVS 5000.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Couper, G S; Dekkers, R J; Adams, D H

    1999-08-01

    In 1994, the ABIOMED BVS 5000 was incorporated into our acute cardiac assist armamentarium. This report is a general overview of our experience. A hypothetical cost analysis focusing on specific devices and device-related personnel contrasted the BVS 5000 with our prior model of centrifugal pump use. In 3 years, 22 patients were supported with the BVS 5000, as a biventricular assist device in 40%, right ventricular assist device in 27%, and left ventricular assist device in 32%. Indications were postcardiotomy support in 12, acute myocarditis in 2, bridge to transplant in 4, and failed heart transplant in 4. The cost analysis was performed retrospectively. The actual cost of disposable blood pumps, including replacement pumps, and cannulae constituted the BVS cost. The hypothetical centrifugal costs included the disposables, replacement cones, as well as the labor costs of the continuous perfusionist coverage. Of the 22 patients, 10 (45%) were weaned and 13 (59%) were successfully discharged. Five patients were transplanted while on BVS 5000 support, accounting for a higher rate of discharge. Comparison of "actual" BVS costs with "projected" centrifugal costs revealed differences based upon the intended application of the BVS. In bridge-to-transplant patients with long duration of support, the daily cost of support was dramatically lower with the BVS 5000. For short-term postcardiotomy support, acute myocarditis, or failed transplant, the differences were small. Because the BVS 5000 was readily managed by the intensive care unit nursing staff, this system displaced centrifugal systems in our program. Outcome measures of weaning and successful discharge were improved relative to our prior experience with centrifugal pumps. Even without taking indirect costs into account, the hypothetical cost analysis supported continued use of the BVS system for acute cardiac assistance.

  17. Bone marrow transplantation and other treatment after radiation injury

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Balner, H.

    1977-01-01

    This review deals mainly with current concepts about bone marrow transplantation as therapy for serious radiation injury. Such injury can be classified according to the following broadly defined dose ranges: (1) the supralethal range, leading mainly to the cerebral and intestinal syndromes; (2) the potentially lethal or therapeutic range which causes the bone marrow syndrome, and (3) the sublethal range which rarely leads to injury requiring therapy. The bone marrow syndrome of man and animals is discussed in detail. The optimal therapy for this syndrome is bone marrow transplantation in conjunction with conventional supportive treatment. The principal complications of such therapy are Graft versus Host Disease and a slow recovery of the recipient's immune system. Concerted research activities in a number of institutions have led to considerable progress in the field of bone marrow transplantation. Improved donor selection, new techniques for stem-cell separation and preservation, as well as effective barrier-nursing and antibiotic decontamination, have made bone marrow transplantation an accepted therapy for marrow depression, including the aplasia caused by excessive exposure to radiation. The review also contains a number of guidelines for the handling of serious radiation accidents. (Auth.)

  18. HLA Typing for Bone Marrow Transplantation

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-07-21

    ASBMT American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation ASEATTA Australasian and South East Asian Tissue Typing Association ASH American...for investigators to obtain statistical and data management support for prospective trials focusing on addressing various transplant issues. These...these relationships so that when an event occurs no one will need to exchange business cards, but rather will already know who to call. Two levels

  19. Current issues in allogeneic islet transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, Charles A; Lawrence, Michael C; Naziruddin, Bashoo

    2017-10-01

    Transplantation of allogenic pancreatic islets is a minimally invasive treatment option to control severe hypoglycemia and dependence on exogenous insulin among type 1 diabetes (T1D) patients. This overview summarizes the current issues and progress in islet transplantation outcomes and research. Several clinical trials from North America and other countries have documented the safety and efficacy of clinical islet transplantation for T1D patients with impaired hypoglycemia awareness. A recently completed phase 3 clinical trial allows centres in the United States to apply for a Food and Drug Administration Biologics License for the procedure. Introduction of anti-inflammatory drugs along with T-cell depleting induction therapy has significantly improved long-term function of transplanted islets. Research into islet biomarkers, immunosuppression, extrahepatic transplant sites and potential alternative beta cell sources is driving further progress. Allogeneic islet transplantation has vastly improved over the past two decades. Success in restoration of glycemic control and hypoglycemic awareness after islet transplantation has been further highlighted by clinical trials. However, lack of effective strategies to maintain long-term islet function and insufficient sources of donor tissue still impose limitations to the widespread use of islet transplantation. In the United States, wide adoption of this technology still awaits regulatory approval and, importantly, a financial mechanism to support the use of this technology.

  20. Liver transplantation in the Nordic countries – An intention to treat and post-transplant analysis from The Nordic Liver Transplant Registry 1982–2013

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fosby, Bjarte; Melum, Espen; Bjøro, Kristian; Bennet, William; Rasmussen, Allan; Andersen, Ina Marie; Castedal, Maria; Olausson, Michael; Wibeck, Christina; Gotlieb, Mette; Gjertsen, Henrik; Toivonen, Leena; Foss, Stein; Makisalo, Heikki; Nordin, Arno; Sanengen, Truls; Bergquist, Annika; Larsson, Marie E.; Soderdahl, Gunnar; Nowak, Greg; Boberg, Kirsten Muri; Isoniemi, Helena; Keiding, Susanne; Foss, Aksel; Line, Pål-Dag; Friman, Styrbjörn; Schrumpf, Erik; Ericzon, Bo-Göran; Höckerstedt, Krister; Karlsen, Tom H.

    2015-01-01

    Abstract Aim and background. The Nordic Liver Transplant Registry (NLTR) accounts for all liver transplants performed in the Nordic countries since the start of the transplant program in 1982. Due to short waiting times, donor liver allocation has been made without considerations of the model of end-stage liver disease (MELD) score. We aimed to summarize key outcome measures and developments for the activity up to December 2013. Materials and methods. The registry is integrated with the operational waiting-list and liver allocation system of Scandiatransplant (www.scandiatransplant.org) and accounted at the end of 2013 for 6019 patients out of whom 5198 were transplanted. Data for recipient and donor characteristics and relevant end-points retransplantation and death are manually curated on an annual basis to allow for statistical analysis and the annual report. Results. Primary sclerosing cholangitis, acute hepatic failure, alcoholic liver disease, primary biliary cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma are the five most frequent diagnoses (accounting for 15.3%, 10.8%, 10.6%, 9.3% and 9.0% of all transplants, respectively). Median waiting time for non-urgent liver transplantation during the last 10-year period was 39 days. Outcome has improved over time, and for patients transplanted during 2004–2013, overall one-, five- and 10-year survival rates were 91%, 80% and 71%, respectively. In an intention-to-treat analysis, corresponding numbers during the same time period were 87%, 75% and 66%, respectively. Conclusion. The liver transplant program in the Nordic countries provides comparable outcomes to programs with a MELD-based donor liver allocation system. Unique features comprise the diagnostic spectrum, waiting times and the availability of an integrated waiting list and transplant registry (NLTR). PMID:25959101

  1. Kidney transplantation in the elderly.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Neeraj; Nori, Uday; Pesavento, Todd

    2009-08-01

    Recent outcome data, ongoing organ shortage and proposed changes in allocation policies are driving the need to review current practices and possible future course of kidney transplantation in the elderly patients. A proposed new kidney allocation system based on matching donor and recipient characteristics to enable 'age-matched' kidney allocation is currently being discussed in the USA. While this system benefits younger recipients, implications for elderly recipients receiving older grafts remain a matter of debate. Despite improved outcomes, there remain significant challenges to kidney transplantation in the elderly, including organ shortage, poor transplant rate, evolving allocation policies, high wait-list mortality and nonstandardized immunosuppression. Prospective studies are needed to evaluate the strategies to meet these challenges and to study the impact of proposed new allocation system.

  2. Donor transplant programme

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abu Bakar Sulaiman

    1999-01-01

    to promote the concept and understanding of organ donation among health professionals. A review of the Human Tissues Act 1974 which governs organ and tissue donation in this country is being undertaken. A number of seminars have been held to garner the support of religious groups in the promotion of organ donation. A major weakness had been the lack of a national organizational framework to facilitate and coordinate the development of organ donation and transplantation in this country. Therefore a National Transplantation Coordinating Committee and a Transplant Programme Working Committee have been formed to oversee the development and implementation of national policy guidelines and programmes. With these measures it is hoped that the donor transplant programme in Malaysia will be one of the success stories of the future

  3. Bilateral versus single lung transplant for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lehmann, Sven; Uhlemann, Madlen; Leontyev, Sergey; Seeburger, Joerg; Garbade, Jens; Merk, Denis R; Bittner, Hartmuth B; Mohr, Friedrich W

    2014-10-01

    It is unknown if uni- or bilateral lung transplant is best for treatment of usual idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. We reviewed our single-center experience comparing both treatments. Between 2002 and 2011, one hundred thirty-eight patients at our institution underwent a lung transplant. Of these, 58 patients presented with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (56.9%) and were the focus of this study. Thirty-nine patients received a single lung transplant and 19 patients a bilateral sequential lung transplant. The mean patient age was 54 ± 10 years, and 69% were male. The intraoperative course was uneventful, save for 7 patients who needed extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support. Three patients had respiratory failure before the lung transplant that required mechanical ventilation and was supported by extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Elevated pulmonary artery pressure > 40 mm Hg was identified as an independent predictor of early mortality by uni- and multivariate analysis (P = .01; OR 9.7). Using a Cox regression analysis, postoperative extracorporeal membrane oxyge-nation therapy (P = .01; OR 10.2) and the need for > 10 red blood cell concentrate during the first 72 hours after lung transplant (P = .01; OR 5.6) were independent predictors of long-term survival. Actuarial survival at 1 and 5 years was 65.6% and 55.3%, with no significant between-group differences (70.6% and 54.3%). Lung transplant is a safe and curative treatment for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. According to our results, unilateral lung transplant for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is an alternative to bilateral lung transplant and may affect the allocation process.

  4. Commercial Kidney Transplantation: Attitude, Knowledge, Perception, and Experience of Recipients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al Rahbi, Fatma; Al Salmi, Issa

    2017-07-01

    Kidney transplantation is the gold standard for patients with end-stage kidney disease. In view of shortages of available organs, long wait times for possible transplantation, and strict regulation, many patients opt for commercial transplantation. This study elicits the reasons and motivations for patients with end-stage kidney disease to elect for commercial transplant. A questionnaire-based evaluation was conducted during the period from July 2015 until late December 2015. It consisted of 29 multiple choice questions and was distributed to all patients who underwent commercial kidney transplantation. One hundred and fifty patients were approached to participate and 106 agreed. Of the participants, 60% were male with an average age of 41.5 (SD 14.8) years and ranged from 18 to 83 years. The majority (82%) of our participants were educated ranging from primary to college level. The major reason (71%) for these participants to obtain commercial transplants was stated as the unavailability of a live related donor. Thirteen percent stated that they objected to getting a kidney donated from a family member, and 9% stated that they were worried about taking a kidney from a family member. Finally, 3% of participants stated that they needed prompt transplant and could not wait for a long time for transplant investigations and the workup associated with this program. The study showed that the most common underlying cause for seeking commercial transplantation is the unavailability of a national transplant program, particularly transplantation from deceased sources. All western ethical arguments turn out to become of vital importance in developing countries, because transplantation is the cheapest renal replacement therapy. However, it must be emphasized that commercial transplants should not be an alternative to building a national transplant initiative. The national diseased program must be a priority with full financial and administrative support. All government

  5. Concurrent validity of kidney transplant questionnaire in US renal transplant recipients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chisholm-Burns MA

    2011-10-01

    with all KTQ subscales (P < 0.01, ie, KTQ-physical (r = 0.26, KTQ-fatigue (r = 0.48, KTQ-uncertainty/fear (r = 0.33, KTQ-emotional (r = 0.47, and KTQ-appearance (r = 0.28. Conclusion: The findings support the concurrent validity of the KTQ in US renal transplant recipients. Future studies should continue exploring the validity of the KTQ, as well as its practical and research utility in HQoL measurement in the renal transplant population. Keywords: concurrent validity, kidney transplant questionnaire, quality of life, renal transplant recipients, SF-12 Health Survey

  6. A Novel Augmented Reality-Based Navigation System in Perforator Flap Transplantation - A Feasibility Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Taoran; Zhu, Ming; Zan, Tao; Gu, Bin; Li, Qingfeng

    2017-08-01

    In perforator flap transplantation, dissection of the perforator is an important but difficult procedure because of the high variability in vascular anatomy. Preoperative imaging techniques could provide substantial information about vascular anatomy; however, it cannot provide direct guidance for surgeons during the operation. In this study, a navigation system (NS) was established to overlie a vascular map on surgical sites to further provide a direct guide for perforator flap transplantation. The NS was established based on computed tomographic angiography and augmented reality techniques. A virtual vascular map was reconstructed according to computed tomographic angiography data and projected onto real patient images using ARToolKit software. Additionally, a screw-fixation marker holder was created to facilitate registration. With the use of a tracking and display system, we conducted the NS on an animal model and measured the system error on a rapid prototyping model. The NS assistance allowed for correct identification, as well as a safe and precise dissection of the perforator. The mean value of the system error was determined to be 3.474 ± 1.546 mm. Augmented reality-based NS can provide precise navigation information by directly displaying a 3-dimensional individual anatomical virtual model onto the operative field in real time. It will allow rapid identification and safe dissection of a perforator in free flap transplantation surgery.

  7. Transplantation tolerance after total lymphoid irradiation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Strober, S.; Slavin, S.; Fuks, Z.; Kaplan, H.S.; Gottlieb, M.; Bieber, C.; Hoppe, R.T.; Grumet, F.C.

    1979-03-01

    We have presented an animal model of tissue transplantation tolerance using the unusual effects of TLI on the immune system. The application of TLI to bone marrow and whole-organ transplantation in humans merits further study, since TLI offers several advantages over presently used therapeutic modalities. Current regimens used to prepare patients for marrow transplantation are lethal in the absence of allogeneic marrow engraftment, and marrow donors are restricted to HLA-matched siblings due to the danger of GHVD. On the other hand, TLI is a nonlethal procedure that has been used successfully in animals to transplant allogeneic marrow from unmatched donors without the development of GHVD. Thus, TLI might allow for marrow transplantation in all patients with a single sibling, whereas conventional procedures are feasible in only one of four such cases (probability of finding a single HLA-matched sibling). In addition, the induction of transplantation tolerance with TLI would obviate the requirement for the use of maintenance immunosuppressive drugs after whole-organ transplantation. Systemic infections associated with the use of these drugs currently account for the majority of deaths in heart transplant patients. Serious infectious complications associated with TLI are rare; thus this therapeutic regimen may offer considerable improvement in the long-term survival of organ graft recipients as compared to that presently obtained with immunosuppressive drugs.

  8. Cardiac transplant in young female patient diagnosed with diffuse systemic sclerosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bennasar, Guillermo; Carlevaris, Leandro; Secco, Anastasia; Romanini, Felix; Mamani, Marta

    2016-01-01

    Systemic sclerosis (SS) in a multifactorial and systemic, chronic, autoimmune disease that affects the connective tissue. We present this clinical case given the low prevalence of diffuse SS with early and progressive cardiac compromise in a young patient, and treatment with cardiac transplantation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Reumatología y Colegio Mexicano de Reumatología. All rights reserved.

  9. Towards a global system of vigilance and surveillance in unrelated donors of haematopoietic progenitor cells for transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shaw, B E; Chapman, J; Fechter, M; Foeken, L; Greinix, H; Hwang, W; Phillips-Johnson, L; Korhonen, M; Lindberg, B; Navarro, W H; Szer, J

    2013-11-01

    Safety of living donors is critical to the success of blood, tissue and organ transplantation. Structured and robust vigilance and surveillance systems exist as part of some national entities, but historically no global systems are in place to ensure conformity, harmonisation and the recognition of rare adverse events (AEs). The World Health Assembly has recently resolved to require AE/reaction (AE/R) reporting both nationally and globally. The World Marrow Donor Association (WMDA) is an international organisation promoting the safety of unrelated donors and progenitor cell products for use in haematopoietic progenitor cell (HPC) transplantation. To address this issue, we established a system for collecting, collating, analysing, distributing and reacting to serious adverse events and reactions (SAE/R) in unrelated HPC donors. The WMDA successfully instituted this reporting system with 203 SAE/R reported in 2011. The committee generated two rapid reports, reacting to specific SAE/R, resulting in practice changing policies. The system has a robust governance structure, formal feedback to the WMDA membership and transparent information flows to other agencies, specialist physicians and transplant programs and the general public.

  10. Evaluation of Revised International Staging System (R-ISS) for transplant-eligible multiple myeloma patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    González-Calle, Verónica; Slack, Abigail; Keane, Niamh; Luft, Susan; Pearce, Kathryn E; Ketterling, Rhett P; Jain, Tania; Chirackal, Sintosebastian; Reeder, Craig; Mikhael, Joseph; Noel, Pierre; Mayo, Angela; Adams, Roberta H; Ahmann, Gregory; Braggio, Esteban; Stewart, A Keith; Bergsagel, P Leif; Van Wier, Scott A; Fonseca, Rafael

    2018-04-06

    The International Myeloma Working Group has proposed the Revised International Staging System (R-ISS) for risk stratification of multiple myeloma (MM) patients. There are a limited number of studies that have validated this risk model in the autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) setting. In this retrospective study, we evaluated the applicability and value for predicting survival of the R-ISS model in 134 MM patients treated with new agents and ASCT at the Mayo Clinic in Arizona and the University Hospital of Salamanca in Spain. The patients were reclassified at diagnosis according to the R-ISS: 44 patients (33%) had stage I, 75 (56%) had stage II, and 15 (11%) had stage III. After a median follow-up of 60 months, R-ISS assessed at diagnosis was an independent predictor for overall survival (OS) after ASCT, with median OS not reached, 111 and 37 months for R-ISS I, II and III, respectively (P R-ISS II and having high-risk chromosomal abnormalities (CA) had a significant shorter median OS than those with R-ISS II without CA: 70 vs. 111 months, respectively. Therefore, this study lends further support for the R-ISS as a reliable prognostic tool for estimating survival in transplant myeloma patients and suggests the importance of high-risk CA in the R-ISS II group.

  11. Return to work after renal transplantation: a study of the Brazilian Public Social Security System.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Messias, Alexandre Augusto; Reichelt, Angela J; Dos Santos, Edson F; Albuquerque, Galton C; Kramer, José S P; Hirakata, Vania N; Garcia, Valter D

    2014-12-15

    Return to work is an objective parameter used worldwide to evaluate the success of organ transplantation and is especially feasible after renal transplantation. This study sought to describe the frequency of return to work after renal transplantation and related characteristics. Retrospective cohort of 511 isolated kidney transplant recipients was recruited from a Brazilian referral center from January 2005 to December 2009; all were matched to the public social security database to determine inclusion and benefit awards, as well as the rate of resumption of contributions to the public social security system, a surrogate marker of work rehabilitation. Characteristics associated with work return were analyzed. No social security records were found for 28 subjects. The remaining 483 subjects had a mean age of 45±13 years; 62% were male; 401 (83%) received some public social security benefit; 298 were paying dues and could, therefore, receive temporary or permanent disability benefits. Of these, 78 subjects made social security payments after transplantation, resulting in a work return rate of 26% (95% confidence interval, 21-32). Younger age, living donor graft, and chronic glomerulonephritis were significantly associated with return to work. In Brazil, most renal transplant recipients are on social security benefits, but only a small proportion return to work after surgery. Clinical characteristics may help define work resumption trends.

  12. Neuromuscular diseases after cardiac transplantation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Mateen, Farrah J.; van de Beek, Diederik; Kremers, Walter K.; Daly, Richard C.; Edwards, Brooks S.; McGregor, Christopher G. A.; Wijdicks, Eelco F. M.

    2009-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Cardiac transplantation is a therapeutic option in end-stage heart failure. Peripheral nervous system (PNS) disease is known to occur in cardiac transplant recipients but has not been fully characterized. METHODS: This retrospective cohort review reports the PNS-related concerns of 313

  13. Transplante de intestino delgado Small intestine transplantation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Flávio Henrique Ferreira Galvão

    2003-06-01

    Full Text Available RACIONAL: Avanços da biotecnologia e o desenvolvimento de novas drogas imunossupressoras melhoraram os resultados do transplante de intestino delgado. Esse transplante é atualmente indicado para casos especiais da falência intestinal. OBJETIVO: A presente revisão realça os recentes desenvolvimentos na área do transplante de intestino delgado. MATERIAL E MÉTODO: Mais de 600 publicações de transplante de intestino delgado foram revisadas. O desenvolvimento da pesquisa, novas estratégias de imunossupressão, monitorização do enxerto e do receptor, e avanços na técnica cirúrgica são discutidos. RESULTADOS: Realizaram-se cerca de 700 transplante de intestino delgado em 55 centros: 44% intestino-fígado, 41% enxerto intestinal isolado e 15% transplante multivisceral. Rejeição e infecção são as principais limitações desse transplante. Sobrevida de 5 anos na experiência internacional é de 46% para o transplante de intestino isolado, 43% para o intestino-fígado e de cerca de 30% para o transplante multivisceral. Sobrevidas prolongadas são mais freqüentes nos centros com maior experiência. Em série de 165 transplantes intestinais na Universidade de Pittsburgh, PA, EUA, foi relatada sobrevida do paciente maior do que 75% no primeiro ano, 54% em 5 anos e 42% em 10 anos. Mais de 90% desses pacientes assumem dieta oral irrestrita. CONCLUSÃO: O transplante de intestino delgado evoluiu de estratégia experimental para uma alternativa viável no tratamento da falência intestinal permanente. Promover o refinamento da terapia imunossupressora, do manejo e prevenção de infecções, da técnica cirúrgica e da indicação e seleção adequada dos pacientes é crucial para melhorar a sobrevida desse transplante.BACKGROUND: Significant progress has been made in clinical small bowel transplantation over the last decade mainly due advances in biotechnology and new immunosuppressive regiments. This transplantation has now been indicated

  14. Effectiveness of Partner Social Support Predicts Enduring Psychological Distress after Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rini, Christine; Redd, William H.; Austin, Jane; Mosher, Catherine E.; Meschian, Yeraz Markarian; Isola, Luis; Scigliano, Eileen; Moskowitz, Craig H.; Papadopoulos, Esperanza; Labay, Larissa E.; Rowley, Scott; Burkhalter, Jack E.; Schetter, Christine Dunkel; DuHamel, Katherine N.

    2011-01-01

    Objective: Hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) survivors who are 1 to 3 years posttransplant are challenged by the need to resume valued social roles and activities--a task that may be complicated by enduring transplant-related psychological distress common in this patient population. The present study investigated whether transplant…

  15. Renal transplantation at the Johns Hopkins Comprehensive Transplant Center.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Montgomery, Robert A; Cooper, Matthew; Kraus, Edward; Rabb, Hamid; Samaniego, Milagros; Simpkins, Christopher E; Sonnenday, Christopher J; Ugarte, Richard M; Warren, Daniel S; Zachary, Andrea A

    2003-01-01

    A stagnant supply of transplantable organs in the face of a relentless burgeoning of transplant waiting lists has created a crisis. Necessity continues to be the mother of invention and as the crisis has deepened it has served as a crucible for the development of new ways to think about perennial problems. Our program has taken a 2-pronged approach to increasing the organ supply for our patients. First, through innovations like the laparoscopic donor nephrectomy, ABO-incompatible and positive-crossmatch transplantation protocols, unconventional paired kidney exchanges, and the use of altruistic donors we have more than doubled our utilization of live donor organs. At the same time, we have developed algorithms and interrogative techniques to enhance the intelligent use of kidneys from expanded criteria donors for patients who do not have an available live donor. The laparoscopic nephrectomy has proven to be a safe and effective way of removing a significant barrier to live donation. Our results from 100 ABOi, (+)XM, and PKE transplants are similar to national statistics for compatible live donor transplants, suggesting that existing paradigms of compatibility can be safely expanded. These encouraging early outcomes and the savings they transmit to the health care system have allowed us to obtain insurance coverage for the InKTP programs, setting the stage for further expansion of these opportunities to broaden the options for patients with end-stage renal disease.

  16. Transformações na administração em enfermagem no suporte aos transplantes no Brasil Cambios en la administración de enfermería en apoyo de los transplantes en Brasil Changes in nursing administration in supporting transplantation in Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vivian Cintra

    2005-02-01

    Full Text Available Estudo bibliográfico, de caráter histórico, cujo objetivo foi compreender como a Enfermagem se estruturou para gerenciar a assistência nos transplantes. O rastreamento de publicações foi feito nas bases de dados HISA, LILACS, BDENF, PERIENF e DEDALUS, e usou como recorte temporal o primeiro transplante renal, realizado em 1965 até a publicação do último artigo científico do ano de 2003. Das treze publicações encontradas, dez eram artigos científicos, duas dissertações de mestrado e uma tese de doutorado. Após a leitura dos textos foi feito o agrupamento por similaridade e pertinência, construindo-se o eixo temático para a apresentação dos resultados. Estes indicaram ativa participação da Enfermagem frente às similaridades e aos diferentes tipos de transplantes realizados nesses quase 40 anos de história.Estudio bibliográfico, de carácter histórico, cuyo objetivo fue comprender cómo la Enfermería se organizó para brindar un apoyo a los transplantes. Se buscaron publicaciones en las bases de datos HISA, LILACS, BDENF, PERIENF y DEDALUS, y se tomó como referencia temporal el período comprendido entre el primer transplante renal, realizado en 1965, y la publicación del último artículo científico del año 2003. De las trece publicaciones diez eran artículos científicos, dos disertaciones de maestría y una tesis de doctorado. Después de la lectura de los textos, éstos fueron agrupados por similitud y pertinencia, lo que sirvió para elaborar el eje temático para la presentación de los resultados. Éstos revelaron que la Enfermería participó activamente en los diferentes tipos de transplantes realizados en esos casi 40 años de historia.This historical and bibliographic study aimed to understand how Nursing was organized to support care in transplantation. The HISA, LILACS, BDENF, PERIENF and DEDALUS databases were consulted, and thirteen references were found, ten of which were scientific articles, two

  17. Screening for heart transplantation and left ventricular assist system

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lund, Lars H; Trochu, Jean-Noel; Meyns, Bart

    2018-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Heart transplantation (HTx) and implantable left ventricular assist systems (LVAS) improve outcomes in advanced heart failure but may be underutilized. We hypothesized that screening can identify appropriate candidates. METHODS AND RESULTS: The ScrEEning for advanced Heart Failure...... treatment (SEE-HF) study was a multicentre prospective study screening patients with existing cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) and/or implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) for ejection fraction ≤40% and New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III-IV, and subsequently for guideline-based HTx...

  18. National review of use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation as respiratory support in thoracic surgery excluding lung transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rinieri, Philippe; Peillon, Christophe; Bessou, Jean-Paul; Veber, Benoît; Falcoz, Pierre-Emmanuel; Melki, Jean; Baste, Jean-Marc

    2015-01-01

    Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) for respiratory support is increasingly used in intensive care units (ICU), but rarely during thoracic surgical procedures outside the transplantation setting. ECMO can be an alternative to cardiopulmonary bypass for major trachea-bronchial surgery and single-lung procedures without in-field ventilation. Our aim was to evaluate the intraoperative use of ECMO as respiratory support in thoracic surgery: benefits, indications and complications. This was a multicentre retrospective study (questionnaire) of use of ECMO as respiratory support during the thoracic surgical procedure. Lung transplantation and lung resection for tumour invading the great vessels and/or the left atrium were excluded, because they concern respiratory and circulatory support. From March 2009 to September 2012, 17 of the 34 centres in France applied ECMO within veno-venous (VV) (n=20) or veno-arterial (VA) (n=16) indications in 36 patients. Ten VA ECMO were performed with peripheral cannulation and 6 with central cannulation; all VV ECMO were achieved through peripheral cannulation. Group 1 (total respiratory support) was composed of 28 patients without mechanical ventilation, involving 23 tracheo-bronchial and 5 single-lung procedures. Group 2 (partial respiratory support) was made up of 5 patients with respiratory insufficiency. Group 3 was made up of 3 patients who underwent thoracic surgery in a setting of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) with preoperative ECMO. Mortality at 30 days in Groups 1, 2 and 3 was 7, 40 and 67%, respectively (P<0.05). In Group 1, ECMO was weaned intraoperatively or within 24 h in 75% of patients. In Group 2, ECMO was weaned in ICU over several days. In Group 1, 2 patients with VA support were converted to VV support for chronic respiratory indications. Bleeding was the major complication with 17% of patients requiring return to theatre for haemostasis. There were two cannulation-related complications (6%). VV or

  19. System for tracking transplanted limbal epithelial stem cells in the treatment of corneal stem cell deficiency

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boadi, J.; Sangwal, V.; MacNeil, S.; Matcher, S. J.

    2015-03-01

    The prevailing hypothesis for the existence and healing of the avascular corneal epithelium is that this layer of cells is continually produced by stem cells in the limbus and transported onto the cornea to mature into corneal epithelium. Limbal Stem Cell Deficiency (LSCD), in which the stem cell population is depleted, can lead to blindness. LSCD can be caused by chemical and thermal burns to the eye. A popular treatment, especially in emerging economies such as India, is the transplantation of limbal stem cells onto damaged limbus with hope of repopulating the region. Hence regenerating the corneal epithelium. In order to gain insights into the success rates of this treatment, new imaging technologies are needed in order to track the transplanted cells. Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) is well known for its high resolution in vivo images of the retina. A custom OCT system has been built to image the corneal surface, to investigate the fate of transplanted limbal stem cells. We evaluate two methods to label and track transplanted cells: melanin labelling and magneto-labelling. To evaluate melanin labelling, stem cells are loaded with melanin and then transplanted onto a rabbit cornea denuded of its epithelium. The melanin displays strongly enhanced backscatter relative to normal cells. To evaluate magneto-labelling the stem cells are loaded with magnetic nanoparticles (20-30nm in size) and then imaged with a custom-built, magneto-motive OCT system.

  20. [History of kidney transplantation surgery].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Timsit, M O; Kleinclauss, F; Thuret, R

    2016-11-01

    To perform a state of the art about the history of kidney transplantation. An exhaustive systematic review of the scientific literature was performed in the Medline database (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov) and Embase (http://www.embase.com) using different associations of the following keywords (MESH): kidney transplantation, history, vascular anastomosis. From the first vascular ligations to the discovery of ciclosporin, the history of organ transplantation was made of surgical bets and medical discoveries, such as blood group, HLA-system, immunity, etc. The audacity of some surgeons led to the onset of renal transplantation as the treatment of choice for end stage renal disease. This article aims to describe the first surgical methods for vascular anastomosis and renal transplantation. Through a comprehensive search within the archives of the French National Library, the authors provide a precise description of the first renal transplantations performed, the technique that have been used and their authors. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

  1. Liver transplant

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hepatic transplant; Transplant - liver; Orthotopic liver transplant; Liver failure - liver transplant; Cirrhosis - liver transplant ... The donated liver may be from: A donor who has recently died and has not had liver injury. This type of ...

  2. Hair Transplants

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Search Skin Experts Skin Treatments Hair Transplants Share » HAIR TRANSPLANTS Before (left) and after (right) - front of ... transplant. Photo courtesy of N. Sadick What are hair transplants? In punch transplanting, a plug containing hair ...

  3. Waiting narratives of lung transplant candidates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yelle, Maria T; Stevens, Patricia E; Lanuza, Dorothy M

    2013-01-01

    Before 2005, time accrued on the lung transplant waiting list counted towards who was next in line for a donor lung. Then in 2005 the lung allocation scoring system was implemented, which meant the higher the illness severity scores, the higher the priority on the transplant list. Little is known of the lung transplant candidates who were listed before 2005 and were caught in the transition when the lung allocation scoring system was implemented. A narrative analysis was conducted to explore the illness narratives of seven lung transplant candidates between 2006 and 2007. Arthur Kleinman's concept of illness narratives was used as a conceptual framework for this study to give voice to the illness narratives of lung transplant candidates. Results of this study illustrate that lung transplant candidates expressed a need to tell their personal story of waiting and to be heard. Recommendation from this study calls for healthcare providers to create the time to enable illness narratives of the suffering of waiting to be told. Narrative skills of listening to stories of emotional suffering would enhance how healthcare providers could attend to patients' stories and hear what is most meaningful in their lives.

  4. Waiting Narratives of Lung Transplant Candidates

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria T. Yelle

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Before 2005, time accrued on the lung transplant waiting list counted towards who was next in line for a donor lung. Then in 2005 the lung allocation scoring system was implemented, which meant the higher the illness severity scores, the higher the priority on the transplant list. Little is known of the lung transplant candidates who were listed before 2005 and were caught in the transition when the lung allocation scoring system was implemented. A narrative analysis was conducted to explore the illness narratives of seven lung transplant candidates between 2006 and 2007. Arthur Kleinman’s concept of illness narratives was used as a conceptual framework for this study to give voice to the illness narratives of lung transplant candidates. Results of this study illustrate that lung transplant candidates expressed a need to tell their personal story of waiting and to be heard. Recommendation from this study calls for healthcare providers to create the time to enable illness narratives of the suffering of waiting to be told. Narrative skills of listening to stories of emotional suffering would enhance how healthcare providers could attend to patients’ stories and hear what is most meaningful in their lives.

  5. Enhance Therapeutic Effect Compared with Single Transplantation in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dandan Wang

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available The clinical trial of allogenic mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs transplantation for refractory SLE patients has shown significant safety and efficacy profiles. However, the optimum frequency of the MSCs transplantation (MSCT is unknown. This study was undertaken to observe whether double transplantations of MSCs is superior to single transplantation. Fifty-eight refractory SLE patients were enrolled in this study, in which 30 were randomly given single MSCT, and the other 28 were given double MSCT. Patients were followed up for rates of survival, disease remission, and relapse, as well as transplantation-related adverse events. SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI and serologic features were evaluated. Our results showed that no remarkable differences between single and double allogenic MSCT were found in terms of disease remission and relapse, amelioration of disease activity, and serum indexes in an SLE clinical trial with more than one year followup. This study demonstrated that single MSCs transplantation at the dose of one million MSCs per kilogram of body weight was sufficient to induce disease remission for refractory SLE patients.

  6. Potentially inappropriate liver transplantation in the era of the "sickest first" policy - A search for the upper limits.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Linecker, Michael; Krones, Tanja; Berg, Thomas; Niemann, Claus U; Steadman, Randolph H; Dutkowski, Philipp; Clavien, Pierre-Alain; Busuttil, Ronald W; Truog, Robert D; Petrowsky, Henrik

    2017-11-11

    Liver transplantation has emerged as a highly efficient treatment for a variety of acute and chronic liver diseases. However, organ shortage is becoming an increasing problem globally, limiting the applicability of liver transplantation. In addition, potential recipients are becoming sicker, thereby increasing the risk of losing the graft during transplantation or in the initial postoperative period after liver transplantation (three months). This trend is challenging the model for end-stage liver disease allocation system, where the sickest candidates are prioritised and no delisting criteria are given. The weighting of the deontological demand for "equity", trying to save every patient, regardless of the overall utility; and "efficiency", rooted in utilitarianism, trying to save as many patients as possible and increase the overall quality of life of patients facing the same problem, has to be reconsidered. In this article we are aiming to overcome the widespread concept of futility in liver transplantation, providing a definition of potentially inappropriate liver transplantation and giving guidance on situations where it is best not to proceed with liver transplantation, to decrease the mortality rate in the first three months after transplantation. We propose "absolute" and "relative" conditions, where early post-transplant mortality is highly probable, which are not usually captured in risk scores predicting post-transplant survival. Withholding liver transplantation for listed patients in cases where liver transplant is not deemed clearly futile, but is potentially inappropriate, is a far-reaching decision. Until now, this decision had to be discussed extensively on an individual basis, applying explicit communication and conflict resolution processes, since the model for end-stage liver disease score and most international allocation systems do not include explicit delisting criteria to support a fair delisting process. More work is needed to better

  7. An economic assessment of contemporary kidney transplant practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Axelrod, David A; Schnitzler, Mark A; Xiao, Huiling; Irish, William; Tuttle-Newhall, Elizabeth; Chang, Su-Hsin; Kasiske, Bertram L; Alhamad, Tarek; Lentine, Krista L

    2018-05-01

    Kidney transplantation is the optimal therapy for end-stage renal disease, prolonging survival and reducing spending. Prior economic analyses of kidney transplantation, using Markov models, have generally assumed compatible, low-risk donors. The economic implications of transplantation with high Kidney Donor Profile Index (KDPI) deceased donors, ABO incompatible living donors, and HLA incompatible living donors have not been assessed. The costs of transplantation and dialysis were compared with the use of discrete event simulation over a 10-year period, with data from the United States Renal Data System, University HealthSystem Consortium, and literature review. Graft failure rates and expenditures were adjusted for donor characteristics. All transplantation options were associated with improved survival compared with dialysis (transplantation: 5.20-6.34 quality-adjusted life-years [QALYs] vs dialysis: 4.03 QALYs). Living donor and low-KDPI deceased donor transplantations were cost-saving compared with dialysis, while transplantations using high-KDPI deceased donor, ABO-incompatible or HLA-incompatible living donors were cost-effective (<$100 000 per QALY). Predicted costs per QALY range from $39 939 for HLA-compatible living donor transplantation to $80 486 for HLA-incompatible donors compared with $72 476 for dialysis. In conclusion, kidney transplantation is cost-effective across all donor types despite higher costs for marginal organs and innovative living donor practices. © 2018 The American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.

  8. Immediate re-transplantation following early kidney transplant thrombosis.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Phelan, Paul J

    2012-02-01

    Allograft thrombosis is a devastating early complication of renal transplantation that ultimately leads to allograft loss. We report here on our experience of nine cases of immediate re-transplantation following early kidney transplant thrombosis at a single centre between January 1990 and June 2009. The mean age was 42.9 years at time of transplant. For seven patients, the allograft thrombosis was their first kidney transplant and seven of the nine cases had a deceased donor transplant. The initial transplants functioned for a mean of 1.67 days and the patients received a second allograft at a mean of 3.1 days after graft failure. All of the re-transplants worked immediately. Four allografts failed after a mean of 52.5 months (2-155 months). Two of these died with a functioning allograft, one failed owing to chronic allograft nephropathy and one owing to persistent acute cellular rejection. The remaining five patients still have a functioning allograft after a mean of 101.8 months (7-187 months). One year allograft and patient survival after re-transplantation were 87.5% and 100% respectively (after 5 years, both were 57%). Immediate re-transplantation following early kidney transplant thrombosis can be a success. It may be considered in selected cases after allograft thrombosis.

  9. [An artificial heart: bridge to transplantation or permanent?].

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Mol, Bas A J M; Lahpor, Jaap

    2013-01-01

    An artificial heart is a continuous-flow pump device with a constant output, which usually supports the left ventricle. Over the past five years, survival rates with an artificial heart have increased dramatically, but with an annual mortality of 10% per year compared with 6% for heart transplantation the artificial heart is mainly a 'bridge to transplantation' or an alternative for those patients who are not suitable for heart transplant, 'destination therapy'. It is anticipated that the number and severity of complications will decrease as a result of technological progress. The artificial heart could then become a long-term treatment option providing a good quality of life and thus become equivalent to a heart transplant.

  10. Medication adherence among adolescent solid-organ transplant recipients: A survey of healthcare providers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mehta, Pooja; Steinberg, Elizabeth A; Kelly, Sarah L; Buchanan, Cindy; Rawlinson, Alana Resmini

    2017-11-01

    The aim of this study was to assess healthcare provider perspectives on barriers to medication adherence and to discover recommendations for interventions among providers of pediatric solid-organ transplant patients. An anonymous online survey was administered to a multidisciplinary pool of pediatric transplant providers from February 2015 to March 2016. It consisted of 15 questions regarding transplant providers' attitudes, clinical practice, and beliefs pertaining to medication adherence among teenage solid-organ transplant recipients. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Responses to open-ended questions were coded and categorized into themes. One hundred ten surveys were completed by providers specializing in pediatric heart, kidney, liver, lung, and/or intestinal transplantation. Commonly cited reasons for poor adherence were forgetting/poor planning (94%), the desire to be normal (86%), lack of support (86%), and poor parental monitoring (79%). Suggestions to improve adherence included increasing peer and family support, providing education, and incorporating technology into adherence regimens. Barriers to adherence in transplant patients are recognized by providers and are both similar to and disparate from patient and family identified barriers published in the literature. Providers recognize the importance of education, social support, and technologically driven interventions on improving outcomes in the transplant population. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  11. [Efficiency of Brazilian States and the Federal District in the public kidney transplant system based on DEA (Data Envelopment Analysis) and the Malmquist index].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Costa, Cassia Kely Favoretto; Balbinotto Neto, Giácomo; Sampaio, Luciano Menezes Bezerra

    2014-08-01

    The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of Brazilian States and the Federal District in the public kidney transplant system and their productivity trends from 2006 to 2011. The authors used Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) with slack and the Malmquist index with slack. Inputs included spending on hospital services and health professionals in the system. The output was the number of kidney transplants performed in each State. The data showed a significant discrepancy between States in the number of kidney transplants. The transplant system's inefficiency may result from inadequate management, failure to comply with national guidelines, inactive hospital transplant committees, and overburdened hospital staff. Institutional changes promoted by the Brazilian Ministry of Health (procedures improvement and standardization) failed to increase productivity in most States during this period.

  12. The transplantation donation process in the Centro de Investigaciones Medico Quirurgicas of Cuba: 1999-2002.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abdo, A; Ugarte, J C; Castellanos, R; González, L; López, O; Hernández, J C; Valdivia, J; Almora, E; Suárez, O; Diaz, J; Collera, S; Enamorado, A; Vázquez, A; Beníte, P; Dominguez, J; Wilford, M; Falcon, J

    2003-08-01

    In 1998 in the Centro de Investigaciones Medico Quirurgicas the Transplant Coordination Office (TCO) was created, with the aim to organize a system to support a hepatic transplantation program. This organization, which changed the transplantation-donation process not only in our center but in the whole country, is described in this article. The files of donors generated in our hospital were studied together with the transplant coordination records, from 1999 till the first half of 2002. In the period studied, 21 potential donors were diagnosed with brain death, yielding a donation rate of 71.4%. Brain death was most frequently caused by vascular brain disease; however, in the realized donor group, the cranioencephalic trauma predominated. The typical donor was a man of average age 39.2 years (range, 18-86 years). Among the potential donors, 24% were excluded based on medical criteria, and 5% due to family objections. Forty liver transplantation were performed in 36 patients including 1 liver-kidney simultaneous procedure. The principal etiologies for transplant included hepatitis C virus cirrhosis, 22%; alcoholic, 19%; and acute hepatic failure, 13%. Kidney transplantations were performed in 70 patients, including 41 from cadaveric donors (53.6%) and 29 from living related donors (41.4%). In 2001, a pancreas-kidney transplantation program was started. The creation of the TCO has been of paramount importance to optimize transplantation program functions.

  13. Medication Adherence After Renal Transplantation-a Review of the Literature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rebafka, Anne

    2016-12-01

    Whether or not patients follow the advice given by their healthcare professional is commonly referred to as adherence. In the case of kidney transplantation, transplant recipients need to take immunosuppressive drugs on a regular basis to prevent rejection of their transplant. However, medication adherence can be problematic for many patients. This critical appraisal of evidence aimed to gain insights into factors contributing to adherence and non-adherence in recipients of kidney transplants, and to explore patients' perceptions regarding adherence to immunosuppression. A comprehensive literature search was performed using Medline, PsycInfo, the Joanna Briggs Institute, CINAHL and the Cochrane Library. Included were primary research studies or reviews of primary research, independent of their research paradigms, on adult kidney or kidney/pancreas transplant recipients published in English or German. Children or adolescents were not considered. No time-frame was applied RESULTS: Fifty-two papers were included in the review. All extracted findings of included papers were organised according to the five factors influencing medication-taking behaviour as defined by the World Health Organisation: social and economic factors; therapy-related factors; patient-related factors; condition-related factors; healthcare team and system-related factors. Reasons for non-adherence after kidney transplantations are diverse. Attention is attracted by the fact that potentially modifiable factors such as social support, experiences on dialysis, side effects, features of the treatment regimen, intentions and beliefs, forgetfulness and mental health issues play a greater role than other factors in the development of medication non-adherence. Factors not related to patient characteristics seem to be under researched. © 2016 European Dialysis and Transplant Nurses Association/European Renal Care Association.

  14. Twitter Use in the Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Community.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patel, Sagar S; Majhail, Navneet S

    2018-02-01

    Social media has revolutionized the access and exchange of information in healthcare. The microblogging platform Twitter has been used by blood and marrow transplant physicians over the last several years with increasing enthusiasm. We review the adoption of Twitter in the transplant community and its implications on clinical care, education, and research. Twitter allows instantaneous access to the latest research publications, developments at national and international meetings, networking with colleagues, participation in advocacy, and promoting available clinical trials. Additionally, Twitter serves as a gateway for resources dedicated to education and support for patients undergoing transplantation. We demonstrate the utilization and various applications in using Twitter among hematopoietic cell transplant healthcare professionals, patients, and other affiliated stakeholders. Professionalism concerns with clinician use of such social media platforms, however, also exist. Overall, Twitter has enhanced and increased the opportunities for engagement in the transplant community.

  15. The new chimaera: the industrialization of organ transplantation. International Forum for Transplant Ethics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tilney, N L; Guttmann, R D; Daar, A S; Hoffenberg, R; Kennedy, I; Lock, M; Radcliffe-Richards, J; Sells, R A

    2001-03-15

    Clinical organ transplantation has evolved through advances in patient care in parallel with investigations in associated biologies. It has developed from a cottage industry to an important medical specialty driven increasingly by the availability of newer and more effective immunosuppressive drugs, and dependent on consistently close collaborations between university-based clinical scientists and the pharmaceutical industry. Particularly during the past decade, however, this industry has undergone striking changes, consolidating into huge multi-national corporations, each competing for patients, their doctors, and for support of the allied hospitals. Because of the growth of "Big Pharma," the relationship between academia and industry has changed. There have been many advantages to such mutually dependent interactions. A combination of university-based expertise and the specialized knowledge and resources of industry have produced important scientific gains in drug development. Commercial sponsorship of applied research has been crucial. The orchestration of multicenter controlled clinical drug trials has provided invaluable information about the effectiveness of newer agents. But there are also disadvantages of increasing concern. Indeed, the power of "Big Pharma" in many medical fields including transplantation is such that presentation of data can be delayed, adverse results withheld, and individual investigations hampered. Clinical trials may be protracted to stifle competition. Monetary considerations may transcend common sense. Several measures to enhance the clinical relationship between the pharmaceutical industry and those involved with organ transplantation are suggested, particularly the use of third party advisors in the production of clinical trials, support for more basic research and in the dissemination of results. In this way, the increasingly problematic phenomenon of commercialization of the field of transplantation can be tempered and

  16. Immediate re-transplantation following early kidney transplant thrombosis.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Phelan, Paul J

    2011-08-01

    Allograft thrombosis is a devastating early complication of renal transplantation that ultimately leads to allograft loss. We report here on our experience of nine cases of immediate re-transplantation following early kidney transplant thrombosis at a single centre between January 1990 and June 2009. The mean age was 42.9 years at time of transplant. For seven patients, the allograft thrombosis was their first kidney transplant and seven of the nine cases had a deceased donor transplant. The initial transplants functioned for a mean of 1.67 days and the patients received a second allograft at a mean of 3.1 days after graft failure. All of the re-transplants worked immediately. Four allografts failed after a mean of 52.5 months (2-155 months). Two of these died with a functioning allograft, one failed owing to chronic allograft nephropathy and one owing to persistent acute cellular rejection. The remaining five patients still have a functioning allograft after a mean of 101.8 months (7-187 months). One year allograft and patient survival after re-transplantation were 87.5% and 100% respectively (after 5 years, both were 57%). Immediate re-transplantation following early kidney transplant thrombosis can be a success. It may be considered in selected cases after allograft thrombosis.

  17. A high sodium intake reduces antiproteinuric response to renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system blockade in kidney transplant recipients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Monfá, Elena; Rodrigo, Emilio; Belmar, Lara; Sango, Cristina; Moussa, Fozi; Ruiz San Millán, Juan Carlos; Piñera, Celestino; Fernández-Fresnedo, Gema; Arias, Manuel

    Post-transplant proteinuria is associated with lower graft and patient survival. Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system blockers are used to reduce proteinuria and improve renal outcome. Although it is known that a high salt intake blunts the antiproteinuric effect of ACEI and ARB drugs in non-transplant patients, this effect has not been studied in kidney transplant recipients. To analyse the relationship between sodium intake and the antiproteinuric effect of ACEI/ARB drugs in kidney transplant recipients. We selected 103 kidney transplant recipients receiving ACEI/ARB drugs for more than 6 months due to proteinuria>1 g/day. Proteinuria was analysed at baseline and at 6 months after starting ACEI/ARB treatment. Salt intake was estimated by urinary sodium to creatinine ratio (uNa/Cr). Proteinuria fell to less than 1g/day in 46 patients (44.7%). High uNa/Cr was associated with a smaller proteinuria decrease (r=-0.251, P=.011). The percentage proteinuria reduction was significantly lower in patients in the highest uNa/Cr tertile [63.9% (IQR 47.1%), 60.1% (IQR 55.4%), 38.9% (IQR 85.5%), P=.047]. High uNa/Cr independently relates (OR 2.406 per 100 mEq/g, 95% CI: 1.008-5.745, P=.048) to an antiproteinuric response <50% after renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system blockade. A high salt intake results in a smaller proteinuria decrease in kidney transplant recipients with proteinuria treated with ACEI/ARB drugs. Copyright © 2016 Sociedad Española de Nefrología. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  18. [Heart transplant in Monterrey, Nuevo León].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herrera-Garza, Eduardo Heberto; Molina-Gamboa, Julio David; Ortega-Durán, Oscar Alejandro; Chavarria-Martánez, Uriel; Martínez-Chapa, Héctor David; Elizondo-Sifuentes, Luis Angel; De-La-fuente-Magallanes, Felipe de Jesús; Muñiz-García, Arturo; Decanini-Arcaute, Horacio; Ibarra-Flores, Marcos; Nacoud-Askar, Alfredo; Herrera-Garza, José Luis; Torre-Amionet, Guillermo

    2011-09-01

    Heart failure constantly increases its incidence and prevalence in our society, it was imperative to start a heart transplant program to improve the survival rates of patients with end stages of the disease. Legal issues made impossible to transplant patients out of Mexico City until recent years. Even with an acute hemodynamic and clinic improvement after the transplant, these patients frequently develop complications such as graft rejection or opportunistic infections due to the immunosuppressive schemes increasing the morbidity and mortality of the procedure. In the present article we report the experience acquired with 65 heart transplant patients from 4 transplant programs in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, one of them from the socialized system and the other three from private hospitals. Our program not only has successfully transplanted patients with advanced age but, for the first time in Latin America we have transplanted patients assisted with the ambulatory Thoratec TLC II system. Even that we have faced obstacles like a newly started donation culture in our population and limited resources, our patient's survival rate push us to continue working with these very ill population.

  19. History of corneal transplantation in Australia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coster, Douglas J

    2015-04-01

    Corneal transplantation is a triumph of modern ophthalmology. The possibility of corneal transplantation was first raised in 1797 but a century passed before Zirm achieved the first successful penetrating graft in 1905. Gibson reported the first corneal graft in Australia from Brisbane in 1940 and English established the first eye bank there a few years later. Corneal transplantation evolved steadily over the twentieth century. In the second half of the century, developments in microsurgery, including surgical materials such as monofilament nylon and strong topical steroid drops, accounted for improvements in outcomes. In 2013, approximately 1500 corneal transplants were done in Australia. Eye banking has evolved to cope with the rising demands for donor corneas. Australian corneal surgeons collaborated to establish and support the Australian Corneal Graft Registry in 1985. It follows the outcomes of their surgery and has become an important international resource for surgeons seeking further improvement with the procedure. © 2014 Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists.

  20. Supporting the Support System: How Assessment and Communication Can Help Patients and Their Support Systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harkey, Jane; Young, Jared; Carter, Jolynne Jo; Demoratz, Michael

    The benefits of having a support system, such as social relationships with close friends and family, have been well documented for patients with serious health issues. As scientific evidence has shown, individuals who have the lowest level of involvement in social relationships face a greater mortality risk. Support systems, however, are not infallible. Relationship stress can have a negative impact on people-patient and caregiver alike-behaviorally, psychosocially, and physiologically. The purpose of this article is to encourage case managers who take a patient-centered approach to also consider the existence and extent of the support system, as well as any stresses or tensions that are observable within the support system. Although the case manager is ethically obliged to advocate for the individual receiving case management services, that advocacy can be extended to the support system for the good of all. This discussion applies to numerous case management practices and work settings including (but not limited to) hospital-based case management, home health, geriatrics, catastrophic case management, mental health, palliative care, and end of life/hospice. As part of the assessment phase of the case management process, case managers determine the extent of the patient's support system or social support network such as family and close friends. Although their advocacy is primarily for the patient receiving case management services, case managers also become aware of the needs of the support system members as they face their loved one's serious illness, severe injury, geriatric care demands, or end of life. Case managers can use their communication skills, especially motivational interviewing, with patients and their support systems to identify stresses and issues that can impact the pursuit of health goals. In addition, case managers ensure that individuals and their support systems are kept informed such as about the health condition, stage of disease, plan of

  1. Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Organ Transplantation: Immunomodulatory properties of mesenchymal stem cells for application in organ transplantation

    OpenAIRE

    Crop, Meindert

    2010-01-01

    textabstractKidney transplantation is the only effective treatment for patients with end-stage renal disease. Transplantation of a donor organ, however, leads to recognition of the foreign donor antigens by the recipient’s immune system, resulting in rejection of the graft. In addition, ischemia-reperfusion injury leads to the initiation of immune responses. To prevent graft rejection, transplant recipients need to use life-long immunosuppressive medication. These drugs, however, can lead to ...

  2. Socioeconomic aspects of heart transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Evans, R W

    1995-03-01

    Heart transplantation is an established treatment modality for end-stage cardiac disease. Unfortunately, relative to other health care priorities, heart transplantation has fallen into disrepute. Efforts to reform the health care system have focused on three fundamental issues--cost, quality, and access. On each count, heart transplantation is vulnerable to criticism. Managed care is an incremental approach to health care reform that imposes fiscal constraint on providers. This constraint is expressed in the form of capitation which, in turn, requires providers to assume risk and accept economic responsibility for clinical decisions. While the need for transplantation is considerable, there are both clinical and economic factors limiting the overall level of activity. In 1993, over 2200 heart transplants were performed in the United States on people who were dying of end-stage cardiac disease. The total demand for heart transplantation was estimated to be about 5900 persons, which was not met due to an insufficient supply of donor hearts. Absent donors, the fiscal consequences of heart transplantation are minimized. In 1993, actuaries estimated that the total charge per heart transplant was $209,100. By designating centers based on price and quality considerations, managed care plans have reduced this per procedure expense to less than $100,000. While the benefits of transplantation are noteworthy, there are still concerns. Sixty percent of patients report that they are able to work, but only 30% do so. Employers hope to improve upon this record by expanding the designated center approach. In conclusion, the future of heart transplantation is unclear. Opportunities for innovation are limited, although the management of heart failure is an area of increased interest.

  3. Tricuspid valve regurgitation after heart transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kwon, Murray H; Shemin, Richard J

    2017-05-01

    Tricuspid valve regurgitation (TVR) in the orthotopic heart transplant (OHT) recipient is quite common and has varied clinical sequelae. In its severest forms, it can lead to right-sided failure symptoms indistinguishable from that seen in native heart TVR disease. While certain implantation techniques are widely recognized to reduce the risk of TVR in the cardiac allograft, concomitant tricuspid annuloplasty, while having advocates, is not currently accepted as a routinely established adjunct. Decisions to surgically correct TVR in the OHT recipient must be made carefully, as certain clinical scenarios have high risk of failure. Like in the native heart, anatomic etiologies typically have the greatest chances for success compared to functional etiologies. While repair options have been utilized, there is emerging data to support replacement as the more durable option. While mechanical prostheses are impractical in the heart transplant recipient, biologic valves offer the advantage of continued access to the right ventricle for biopsies in addition to acceptable durability in the low pressure system of the right side.

  4. Original article What does it mean to live after heart transplantation? The lived experience of heart transplant recipients. A qualitative study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anna Cierpka

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Background Despite significant improvements in physical state after heart transplantation, the majority of adult patients struggle with continuous psychological distress. The aim of the study was to explore the lived experiences of adult heart transplant recipients in order to understand the inner background of these difficulties. Participants and procedure Unstructured, in-depth interviews, based on the Life Story Interview of D. P. McAdams, were performed with 8 adults, aged between 50 and 60 years, who had undergone heart transplantation a year before the research was conducted. Interviews were tape recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were analysed using narrative methods. Results The central themes of the patients’ lived experience were the illness itself and the feeling of being very different from others and from oneself remembered in the past – the times before the transplantation. The experienced discordance between their inner world and the expectations to get better presented by other people (the family, health care workers, etc. implies that these patients struggle with others’ lack of understanding and therefore suffer from a lack of effective psychological support. Conclusions This study shows that the life stories of patients after heart transplantation are in fact stories of their illness and the consequences it brought. It seems important to take this into consideration when constructing rehabilitation programmes for these patients in order to offer them the most effective support possible.

  5. Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder following kidney transplantation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Maksten, Eva Futtrup; Vase, Maja Ølholm; Kampmann, Jan

    2016-01-01

    after long-term post-transplantation follow-up. A retrospective population-based cohort study including all kidney transplant recipients at two Danish centres (1990-2011; population covered 3.1 million; 2175 transplantations in 1906 patients). Pathology reports were reviewed for all patient biopsies...

  6. Orthotopic small intestine transplantation in dogs with systemic graft drainage Transplante ortotópico de intestino delgado em cães com drenagem sistêmica do enxerto

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Flávio Henrique Ferreira Galvão

    2005-09-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Small intestine transplantation has been accepted worldwide to treat complex cases of intestinal failure. Canine intestinal transplantation model is important in training the surgical technique and to study the complications of this procedure. Systemic graft venous drainage is frequently performed in clinic, although the consequences of this partial meso-caval shunt have not been studied in detail. AIM: To describe the surgical technique and clinical outcome of a canine intestinal transplantation model using mesenteric-caval graft drainage. METHOD: Adult mongrel dogs from University of São Paulo Animal Facility, São Paulo, SP, Brazil, were used as donors and recipients in ten consecutives orthotopic intestinal transplantation with mesenteric-caval venous drainage. Clinical examination and body weight measurement were performed daily in all animals. Necropsy was performed in animals presenting moribund state (lethargic posture, diarrhea and loss of over 35% of body weight to determine cause of death and histological changes. RESULTS: Three recipients died before day 2 from technical complications and were excluded from the experiment. The remaining seven animals developed signs of graft rejection with onset on days 3-4 and died or were sacrificed presenting severe graft rejection between days 7-9. Necropsy and histology of the graft confirmed the diagnosis of severe acute cellular rejection. CONCLUSION: Small intestine transplantation with systemic drainage in dogs courses with analogous and lethal outcome between postoperative day 7 to 9 due to strong graft rejection. This model serves as an excellent pre-clinical model to study the main complications related to this transplantation.RACIONAL: O transplante de intestino delgado é atualmente indicado para tratar casos complexos de falência entérica. Transplante intestinal em cão é importante modelo experimental para treino da técnica cirúrgica e para estudar as complica

  7. Hematopoietic chimerism and transplantation tolerance: a role for regulatory T cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lise ePasquet

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available The major obstacle in transplantation medicine is rejection of donor tissues by the host’s immune system. Immunosuppressive drugs can delay but not prevent loss of transplants, and their efficiency is strongly impacted by inter-individual pharmacokinetic differences. Moreover, due to the global immunosuppression induced and to the broad distribution of their targets amongst human tissues, these drugs have severe side effects. Induction of donor-specific non-responsiveness (i.e. immunological tolerance to transplants would solve these problems and would substantially ameliorate patients’ quality of life. It is widely believed that bone marrow or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, and resulting (mixed hematopoietic chimerism, invariably leads to immunological tolerance to organs of the same donor. A careful analysis of the literature, reviewed here, indeed shows that chimerism consistently prolongs allograft survival. However, in absence of additional conditioning leading to the development of active regulatory mechanisms, it does not prevent chronic rejection. A central role for active tolerance in transplantation-tolerance is also supported by recent data showing that genuine immunological tolerance to organ allografts can be achieved by combining induction of hematopoietic chimerism with infusion of regulatory T lymphocytes. Therefore, conditioning regimens that lead to the establishment of hematopoietic chimerism plus active regulatory mechanisms appear required for induction of genuine tolerance to allogeneic grafts.

  8. Hematopoietic cell transplantation: Training challenges and potential opportunities through networking and integration of modern technologies to the practice setting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kharfan-Dabaja, Mohamed A; Aljurf, Mahmoud

    2017-12-01

    Hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT), particularly allogeneic HCT, is a complex and a high-risk procedure requiring expertise to manage potential treatment complications. Published data supports the value of quality management systems in improving post-transplant outcomes; however, there are no universally established, or agreed upon, criteria to assess adequacy of training of physicians, transplant or nontransplant, and supporting staff, among others. It is of paramount importance for transplant centers to identify the needed area(s) of expertise in order to seek appropriate training for their staff. Moreover, transplant physicians need to keep up-to-date with the rapidly occurring advances in the field. Outcomes of patients undergoing HCT are affected by various factors related to patient, disease, procedure, preventative, and supportive strategies, among others. Accordingly, availability of databases is necessary to collect information on these variables and use to benchmark future prospective clinical trials aiming at further improving clinical outcomes. Twinning with leading centers worldwide is helping to not only bridge the survival gap of patients diagnosed with cancer in the developing vis-à-vis the developed world, but eventually closing it. The advent of the World Wide Web and revolution in telecommunication has made access to information more readily available to various sectors including healthcare. Telemedicine is enabling healthcare delivery to remote and underserved geographic areas. In the setting of HCT, ensuring compliance to prescribed therapies and post-transplant surveillance are some areas where implementing telemedicine programs could fulfill an unmet need. Copyright © 2017 King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Fungal infection in organ transplant patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hong, Wei; Wen, Hai; Liao, Wanqing

    2003-09-01

    To review the characteristics and evolution of the fungal spectrum, and the risk factors causing fungal infection, and to make progress in diagnosing fungal infection after organ transplantation. An English-language literature search (MEDLINE 1990 - 2000) and bibliographic review of textbooks and review articles. Twenty-three articles were selected from the literature that specifically addressed the stated purpose. Fungal infections in organ transplant patients were generally divided into two types: (1) disseminated primary or reactivation infection with one of the geographically restricted systemic mycoses; (2) opportunistic infection by fungal species that rarely cause invasive infection in normal hosts. The risk factors of fungal infection after a transplant can be evaluated and predicted according to the organ recipient's conditions before, during and after the transplant. Progress in early diagnostic methods during the past 10 years has mainly revolved around two aspects, culture and non-culture. It is important to undertake a systemic evaluation on the condition of the organ recipient before, during and after a transplant; should any risk factor for fungal infection be suspected, diagnosis should be made as early as possible by employing mycological techniques including culture and non-culture methods.

  10. Ethical dilemma: offering short-term extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support for terminally ill children who are not candidates for long-term mechanical circulatory support or heart transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shankar, Venkat; Costello, John P; Peer, Syed M; Klugman, Darren; Nath, Dilip S

    2014-04-01

    The use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in terminally ill pediatric patients who are not candidates for long-term mechanical circulatory support or heart transplantation requires careful deliberation. We present the case of a 16-year-old female with a relapse of acute lymphoid leukemia and acute-on-chronic cardiomyopathy who received short-term ECMO therapy. In addition, we highlight several ethical considerations that were crucial to this patient's family-centered care and demonstrate that this therapy can be accomplished in a manner that respects patient autonomy and family wishes.

  11. Hepatocyte transplants improve liver function and encephalopathy in portacaval shunted rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fogel, Wieslawa Agnieszka; Stasiak, Anna; Maksymowicz, Michał; Kobos, Jozef; Unzeta, Mercedes; Mussur, Miroslaw

    2014-07-01

    Rats with portacaval shunt (PCS) are useful experimental models of human hepatic encephalopathy in chronic liver dysfunction. We have previously shown that PCS modifies amine neurotransmitter systems in the CNS and increases voluntary alcohol intake by rats. Hepatocyte transplantation, used in acute liver failure, has recently also been applied to chronic liver diseases, which prompted us to investigate whether the altered brain amine system and the drinking behavior in long-term shunted rats could be normalized by hepatocyte transplants. Hepatocytes, isolated from syngeneic donors by collagenase digestion, were injected (3 × 10(6) cells/rat) into the pancreatic tail region, 6 months after PCS. Hepatic function was evaluated by measuring urine urea and plasma L-histidine concentrations. A free choice test with two bottles (tap water and 10% ethyl alcohol) was performed for 3 days to assess the rats' preference for alcohol. The rats were euthanized 2 months posttransplantation. Brain histamine and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) levels were measured by radioenzymatic assay and by HPLC-EC, respectively, N-tele-methylhistamine by GC/MS while MAOA and MAOB activities by isotopic procedures. Portacaval shunt rats with hepatocyte transplants gave more urea than before transplantation, with lower plasma L-His levels and higher body weight versus the PCS counterparts. Also, those rats consumed less alcohol. The CNS amines and 5-HIAA concentrations, as well as MAO-B activity, being abnormally high in untreated PCS rats, significantly reduced after PCS hepatocyte treatment. The results support the therapeutic values of hepatocyte transplants in chronic liver diseases and the temporary character of PCS-exerted CNS dysfunctions. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  12. Artificial liver support: a real step forward.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saliba, F; Samuel, D

    2015-02-01

    Since the early 1960s, several authors reported on the use of some experimental artificial liver devices in order to support patients with either acute liver failure (ALF) or end-stage chronic liver disease. In the 1980s, liver transplantation became an established real treatment replacing the whole liver with a major survival benefit. In the 1990s, the concept of albumin dialysis appeared as a new revolution in the concept of dialysis with the great capacity of removal of toxins, drugs and molecules strongly bound to albumin. Currently, three artificial liver support devices are available: The MARS®, the Prometheus® and the SPAD®. The most widely studied and used system is the MARS® that uses albumin dialysis to replace the detoxification function of the liver. MARS has shown in several uncontrolled studies and few randomized studies an improvement in the patient condition in terms of clinical symptoms (hepatic encephalopathy, pruritus, jaundice) and in liver and kidney biological parameters bringing these patients safely to liver transplantation. MARS® has shown for some patients with ALF (mainly paracetamol intoxication) an improvement of spontaneous or transplant free survival. The use of MARS in acute on chronic liver failure (ACLF) require further studies based on strict definition of the syndrome. The use of albumin dialysis technique, require the performance of multiple sessions of treatment or even (in situations of ALF) a continuous treatment in order to improve spontaneous recovery or bridge these patients to liver transplantation. The performance of these systems would need further improvement. Large randomized trials are still needed in both patients with ALF and ACLF to establish the indications, the timing and the real place of liver support therapies. Meanwhile, early use of these devices in patients with ALF and ACLF could be considered as an additional tool among others in the management of these patients in specialized liver units.

  13. Transplant recipients are vulnerable to coverage denial under Medicare Part D.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Potter, Lisa M; Maldonado, Angela Q; Lentine, Krista L; Schnitzler, Mark A; Zhang, Zidong; Hess, Gregory P; Garrity, Edward; Kasiske, Bertram L; Axelrod, David A

    2018-02-15

    Transplant immunosuppressants are often used off-label because of insufficient randomized prospective trial data to achieve organ-specific US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval. Transplant recipients who rely on Medicare Part D for immunosuppressant drug coverage are vulnerable to coverage denial for off-label prescriptions, unless use is supported by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)-approved compendia. An integrated dataset including national transplant registry data and 3 years of dispensed pharmacy records was used to identify the prevalence of immunosuppression use that is both off-label and not supported by CMS-approved compendia. Numbers of potentially vulnerable transplant recipients were identified. Off-label and off-compendia immunosuppression regimens are frequently prescribed (3-year mean: lung 66.5%, intestine 34.2%, pancreas 33.4%, heart 21.8%, liver 16.5%, kidney 0%). The annual retail cost of these at-risk medications exceeds $30 million. This population-based study of transplant immunosuppressants vulnerable to claim denials under Medicare Part D coverage demonstrates a substantial gap between clinical practice, current FDA approval processes, and policy mandates for pharmaceutical coverage. This coverage barrier reduces access to life-saving medications for patients without alternative resources and may increase the risk of graft loss and death from medication nonadherence. © 2018 The American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.

  14. Herpesvirus-associated central nervous system diseases after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Meiqing; Huang, Fen; Jiang, Xinmiao; Fan, Zhiping; Zhou, Hongsheng; Liu, Can; Jiang, Qianli; Zhang, Yu; Zhao, Ke; Xuan, Li; Zhai, Xiao; Zhang, Fuhua; Yin, Changxin; Sun, Jing; Feng, Ru; Liu, Qifa

    2013-01-01

    Herpesvirus infections of the central nervous system (CNS) are associated with encephalitis/myelitis and lymphoproliferative diseases in immunocompromised individuals. As of now, data of herpesvirus-associated CNS diseases in transplant recipients is limited. Hence, in this prospective study, we investigated the incidence of herpesvirus-associated CNS diseases and explored the diagnosis of these diseases in 281 allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) recipients. Herpesvirus-DNA and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cells were sampled from 58 recipients with herpesvirus-associated diseases or with unexplainable CNS manifestations. Results showed that 23 patients were diagnosed as herpesvirus-associated CNS diseases, including 15 Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated diseases (4 encephalitis and 11 lymphoproliferative diseases), 5 herpes simplex virus type 1 encephalitis, 2 cytomegalovirus encephalitis/myelitis and 1 varicella zoster virus encephalitis. The median time of diseases onset was 65 (range 22-542) days post-transplantation. The 3-year cumulative incidence of herpesvirus-associated encephalitis/myelitis and post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) was 6.3% ± 1.9% and 4.1% ± 1.2%, respectively. Of the evaluable cases, CSF cells mainly consisted of CD19(+)CD20(+) B cells (7/11) and had clonal rearrangement of immunoglobulin genes (3/11) in patients with CNS-PTLD. On the contrary, in patients with encephalitis/myelitis, CSF cells were comprised of different cell populations and none of the gene rearrangement was detected. Herpesvirus-associated CNS diseases are common in the early stages of allo-HSCT, wherein EBV is the most frequent causative virus. The immunophenotypic and clonal analysis of CSF cells might be helpful in the differential diagnosis between encephalitis and lymphoproliferative diseases.

  15. Role of gastroesophageal reflux disease in lung transplantation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hathorn, Kelly E; Chan, Walter W; Lo, Wai-Kit

    2017-01-01

    Lung transplantation is one of the highest risk solid organ transplant modalities. Recent studies have demonstrated a relationship between gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and lung transplant outcomes, including acute and chronic rejection. The aim of this review is to discuss the pathophysiology, evaluation, and management of GERD in lung transplantation, as informed by the most recent publications in the field. The pathophysiology of reflux-induced lung injury includes the effects of aspiration and local immunomodulation in the development of pulmonary decline and histologic rejection, as reflective of allograft injury. Modalities of reflux and esophageal assessment, including ambulatory pH testing, impedance, and esophageal manometry, are discussed, as well as timing of these evaluations relative to transplantation. Finally, antireflux treatments are reviewed, including medical acid suppression and surgical fundoplication, as well as the safety, efficacy, and timing of such treatments relative to transplantation. Our review of the data supports an association between GERD and allograft injury, encouraging a strategy of early diagnosis and aggressive reflux management in lung transplant recipients to improve transplant outcomes. Further studies are needed to explore additional objective measures of reflux and aspiration, better compare medical and surgical antireflux treatment options, extend follow-up times to capture longer-term clinical outcomes, and investigate newer interventions including minimally invasive surgery and advanced endoscopic techniques. PMID:28507913

  16. Perceptions of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation and Coping Predict Emotional Distress During the Acute Phase After Transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baliousis, Michael; Rennoldson, Michael; Dawson, David L; Mills, Jayne; das Nair, Roshan

    2017-01-01

    To test whether a widely used model of adjustment to illness, the self-regulatory model, explains the patterns of distress during acute hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). According to the model, perceptions of HSCT, coping, and coping appraisals are associated with distress.
. Longitudinal, correlational.
. The Centre for Clinical Haematology at Nottingham City Hospital and the Department of Haematology at Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield, both in the United Kingdom.
. 45 patients receiving mostly autologous transplantations for a hematologic malignancy.
. Patients were assessed at baseline, on transplantation day, and two and four weeks after transplantation using three questionnaires. Psychological distress, including depression, anxiety, stress, and overall distress (DASS-21); use of different coping styles (Brief COPE); and perceptions of HSCT and coping appraisals (Brief IPQ).
. As suggested by the self-regulatory model, greater distress was associated with negative perceptions of HSCT, controlling for the effects of confounding variables. Mixed support was found for the model's predictions about the impact of coping styles on distress. Use of active and avoidant coping styles was associated with more distress during the acute phase after HSCT.
. Negative perceptions of HSCT and coping contribute to psychological distress during the acute phase after HSCT and suggest the basis for intervention.
. Eliciting and discussing patients' negative perceptions of HSCT beforehand and supporting helpful coping may be important ways to reduce distress during HSCT.

  17. Everolimus in Heart Transplantation: An Update

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stephan W. Hirt

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The evidence base relating to the use of everolimus in heart transplantation has expanded considerably in recent years, providing clinically relevant information regarding its use in clinical practice. Unless there are special considerations to take into account, all de novo heart transplant patients can be regarded as potential candidates for immunosuppression with everolimus and reduced-exposure calcineurin inhibitor therapy. Caution about the use of everolimus immediately after transplantation should be exercised in certain patients with the risk of severe proteinuria, with poor wound healing, or with uncontrolled severe hyperlipidemia. Initiation of everolimus in the early phase aftertransplant is not advisable in patients with severe pretransplant end-organ dysfunction or in patients on a left ventricular assist device beforetransplant who are at high risk of infection or of wound healing complications. The most frequent reason for introducing everolimus in maintenance heart transplant patients is to support minimization or withdrawal of calcineurin inhibitor therapy, for example, due to impaired renal function or malignancy. Due to its potential to inhibit the progression of cardiac allograft vasculopathy and to reduce cytomegalovirus infection, everolimus should be initiated as soon as possible after heart transplantation. Immediate and adequate reduction of CNI exposure is mandatory from the start of everolimus therapy.

  18. Estimating demand and unmet need for allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation in the United States using geographic information systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Besse, Kelsey L; Preussler, Jaime M; Murphy, Elizabeth A; Denzen, Ellen M; Lill, Michael C; Chell, Jeffrey W; Senneka, Mary K; Majhail, Navneet S; Williams, Eric P

    2015-03-01

    Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is an increasingly used therapy for many patients with hematologic malignancies and other marrow failure or immune system disorders. The purpose of this study was to quantify and visualize both the demand and unmet need for HCT. HCT use for 2012 was described using the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research registry. Potential demand for HCT was calculated using 2012 SEER data and published literature for HCT-treatable conditions. Point locations of transplant centers were geocoded using geographic information system (GIS) software; Thiessen polygons were created to establish adult (age 20 to 74 years) and pediatric (age 0 to 19 years) market areas. Market-area population estimates were calculated using 2012 population estimates by age aggregated by census block. US market areas for HCTs were identified separately for transplant centers treating adult (n = 62) and pediatric patients (n = 52). Overall HCT demand among adults was 16,096, with an unmet need for HCTs of 10,276 patients. For pediatric patients, the total demand was 4,561, with an unmet need of 3,213 potential recipients. Evaluation of adult and pediatric market areas indicated that the largest unmet needs tended to be in areas with large populations. Market-area maps and statistics developed using GIS will help communicate the unmet need for HCT, inform policy, and assist transplant centers in planning for the anticipated growth in HCT use. Copyright © 2015 by American Society of Clinical Oncology.

  19. Kidney transplant

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... always take your medicine as directed. Alternative Names Renal transplant; Transplant - kidney Patient Instructions Kidney removal - discharge Images Kidney anatomy Kidney - blood and urine flow Kidneys Kidney transplant - ...

  20. Attitude and Impact Factors Toward Organ Transplantation and Donation Among Transplantation Nurses in China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, J-F; Wang, C-Y; He, G-P; Ming, Y-Z; Wan, Q-Q; Liu, J; Gong, L-N; Liu, L-F

    Health workers' awareness and knowledge of transplantation medicine can improve people's sensitivity and reduce their degree of opposition to donations. The medical literature contains numerous examples of attitudes toward organ transplantation and donation aimed at university students or medical staff members, but rarely for transplantation nurses. The purposes of the study were to investigate the attitudes toward organ transplantation and donation among transplantation nurses and to explore the impact factors. The study was conducted in 37 transplantation surgery wards in 22 hospitals using cross-sectional approach. SPSS (International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, New York, USA) 7.0 software was used to analysis descriptive and inferential statistics for data. Five hundred thirty-six effective questionnaires were received and the effective rate was 89.33%. Nurses' mean age was 28.40 years with a mean service length of 6.54 years. Among these nurses, 66.6% and 78.0% were willing to accept organ transplantation surgery for themselves and their relatives, respectively. Of these nurses, 33.4% would donate their organs after death; whereas 39.9% were uncertain. Only 38.2% were willing to register in the national organ donation system. Of these nurses, 28.2% were willing to sign the organ donation consent forms when their relatives became potential organ donors, and 45.7% were uncertain. Eight independent variables that affected nurses' attitudes toward donating their organs from most to least significant were: ratio of nurse to bed, title, employment form, age, length of service, position, monthly income, and the highest educational degree earned. Pearson correlation analysis showed a significant correlation among nurses' attitudes toward organ transplantation, organ donation, and online registration. The attitude toward donation and transplantation in the hospitals was not too optimistic, and an improvement in the training regarding transplantation and

  1. Pancreatic Islet Cell Transplantation: A new era in transplantation

    OpenAIRE

    Warnock, Garth L.; Rajotte, Ray V.

    1992-01-01

    Transplantation of insulin-producing tissue offers a physiologic approach to restoration of glycemic control. Whereas transplantation of vascularized pancreatic grafts has recently achieved encouraging results, pancreatic islet cell transplantation holds the promise of low morbidity and reduced requirements for agressive immunosuppression for recipients. Islet cell transplantation was recently demonstrated to induce euglycemia with insulin independence.

  2. Central nervous system infection following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hanajiri, Ryo; Kobayashi, Takeshi; Yoshioka, Kosuke; Watanabe, Daisuke; Watakabe, Kyoko; Murata, Yutaka; Hagino, Takeshi; Seno, Yasushi; Najima, Yuho; Igarashi, Aiko; Doki, Noriko; Kakihana, Kazuhiko; Sakamaki, Hisashi; Ohashi, Kazuteru

    2017-03-01

    Here, we described the clinical characteristics and outcomes of central nervous system (CNS) infections occurring after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) in a single institution over the previous 6 years. Charts of 353 consecutive allogeneic transplant recipients were retrospectively reviewed for CNS infection. A total of 17 cases of CNS infection were identified at a median of 38 days (range, 10-1028 days) after allo-HSCT. Causative pathogens were human herpesvirus-6 (n=6), enterococcus (n=2), staphylococcus (n=2), streptococcus (n=2), varicella zoster virus (n=1), cytomegalovirus (n=1), John Cunningham virus (n=1), adenovirus (n=1), and Toxoplasma gondii (n=1). The cumulative incidence of CNS infection was 4.1% at 1 year and 5.5% at 5 years. Multivariate analysis revealed that high-risk disease status was a risk factor for developing CNS infection (p=.02), and that overall survival at 3 years after allo-HSCT was 33% in patients with CNS infection and 53% in those without CNS infection (p=.04). Copyright © 2016 King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. State of the Art in Pediatric Lung Transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lancaster, Timothy S; Eghtesady, Pirooz

    2018-04-24

    Pediatric lung transplantation is a highly specialized therapy for end stage pulmonary disease in children, performed in only a handful of transplant centers around the world. Advancement in the field has been made on many fronts in recent years, including in public policy and organ allocation strategies, donor selection and management, emerging technologies for donor lung rehabilitation and bridge-to-transplant support of listed candidates, and ongoing refinement of surgical techniques. Despite this progress, children continue to suffer discrepant waitlist mortality and longer waiting times than their adult counterparts, and face special challenges of donor availability and size matching. Here we review the current state of the art in pediatric lung transplantation, reviewing progress made to date and further opportunities to improve care for this unique group of patients. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. The role of the pharmacist in the management of kidney transplant recipients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joshua J Wiegel

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Pharmacists may play a key role on the multidisciplinary transplant team. This article describes the development and current status of pharmacists in the management of transplant recipients in the United States. Traditionally, pharmacists played an important support role in transplant medicine. This role has been expanded to include direct patient care for the avoidance, detection, and/or treatment of side effects from the polypharmacy necessary in the management of these complex patients. Pharmacists provide pre- and post-transplant education to transplant recipients to enhance adherence to complicated medical regimens and thereby reduce readmission to hospital and unscheduled, costly visits to urgent care centers and/or hospital emergency departments.

  5. Risk Factors for Subsequent Central Nervous System Tumors in Pediatric Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplant

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gabriel, Melissa; Shaw, Bronwen E; Brazauskas, Ruta

    2017-01-01

    Survivors of hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) are at risk of subsequent solid tumors, including central nervous system (CNS) tumors. The risk of CNS tumors after HCT in pediatric HCT recipients is not known. We evaluated the incidence and risk factors for CNS tumors in pediatric recipients...

  6. Dynamic MRI-based computer aided diagnostic systems for early detection of kidney transplant rejection: A survey

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mostapha, Mahmoud; Khalifa, Fahmi; Alansary, Amir; Soliman, Ahmed; Gimel'farb, Georgy; El-Baz, Ayman

    2013-10-01

    Early detection of renal transplant rejection is important to implement appropriate medical and immune therapy in patients with transplanted kidneys. In literature, a large number of computer-aided diagnostic (CAD) systems using different image modalities, such as ultrasound (US), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT), and radionuclide imaging, have been proposed for early detection of kidney diseases. A typical CAD system for kidney diagnosis consists of a set of processing steps including: motion correction, segmentation of the kidney and/or its internal structures (e.g., cortex, medulla), construction of agent kinetic curves, functional parameter estimation, diagnosis, and assessment of the kidney status. In this paper, we survey the current state-of-the-art CAD systems that have been developed for kidney disease diagnosis using dynamic MRI. In addition, the paper addresses several challenges that researchers face in developing efficient, fast and reliable CAD systems for the early detection of kidney diseases.

  7. Nuclear-fueled circulatory support systems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Norman, J C [Texas Heart Inst. (USA)

    1975-08-01

    Experiments on calves using two types of systems for nuclear left ventricular assist pumps are described. These two systems use a nuclear heat source containing 120 g, 1600 Ci Pu-238 in the form of plutonium oxide. The heat source for the first system is the tidal regenerator engine with no valve or seal and is controlled using a hall effect displacement sensor. The second left ventricular assist system uses heat generated by nuclear decay for producing high gas pressure which is converted into a high hydraulic pressure for pumping. The engine efficiency amounts to 7 to 16%, and the measurement value of the pump efficiency obtained is 85%. How these two systems are synchronized with the left ventricle of vital body is described. IN a transplant experiment for a short period (175 hours) in the initial stage, the possibility of the present method was demonstrated. A long-term performance experiment and improvement of the systems are anticipated. However, there still remain many problems, such as improvement of efficiency, reliability, and performance and diminution of the size.

  8. Cardiac transplantation after bridged therapy with continuous flow left ventricular assist devices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deo, Salil V; Sung, Kiick; Daly, Richard C; Shah, Ishan K; Altarabsheh, Salah E; Stulak, John M; Joyce, Lyle D; Boilson, Barry A; Kushwaha, Sudhir S; Park, Soon J

    2014-03-01

    Cardiac transplantation is an effective surgical therapy for end-stage heart failure. Patients (pts) may need to be bridged with a continuous flow left ventricular assist device (CF-LVAD) while on the transplant list as logistic factors like organ availability are unknown. Cardiac transplantation post-LVAD can be a surgically challenging procedure and outcome in these pts is perceived to be poorer based on experience with earlier generation pulsatile flow pumps. Data from a single institution comparing these pts with those undergoing direct transplantation in the present era of continuous flow device therapy are limited. Evaluate results of cardiac transplantation in pts bridged with a CF-LVAD (BTx) and compare outcomes with pts undergoing direct transplantation (Tx) in a single institution. From June 2007 till January 2012, 106 pts underwent cardiac transplantation. Among these, 37 (35%) pts (51±11 years; 85% male) were bridged with a CF-LVAD (BTx), while 70 (65%) comprised the Tx group (53±12 years; 72% males). The median duration of LVAD support was 227 (153,327) days. During the period of LVAD support, 10/37 (27%) pts were upgraded to status 1A and all were successfully transplanted. Median hospital stay in the BTx (14 days) was slightly longer than the Tx group (12 days) but not statistically significant (p=0.21). In-hospital mortality in the BTx (5%) and Tx (1%) were comparable (p=0.25). Estimated late survival in the BTx cohort was 94±7, 90±10 and 83±16% at the end of one, two and three years, respectively which was comparable to 97±4%, 93±6% and 89±9% for the Tx group (p=0.50). Cardiac transplantation after LVAD implant can be performed with excellent results. Patients can be supported on the left ventricular assist device even for periods close to a year with good outcome after cardiac transplantation. Copyright © 2013 Australian and New Zealand Society of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgeons (ANZSCTS) and the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand

  9. Intestine Transplant

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... After the transplant Preventing rejection Post-transplant medications Types of immunosuppressants Switching immunosuppressants Side effects Other medications Generic and brand name drugs Post-transplant tests Infections and immunity Lifestyle changes Health concerns Back to work or ...

  10. Bone marrow transplantation for an infant with neutrophil dysfunction

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Camitta, B M; Quesenberry, P J; Parkman, R; Boxer, L A; Stossel, T P; Cassady, J R; Rappeport, J M; Nathan, D G [Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass. (USA); Tufts Univ., Boston, Mass. (USA). School of Medicine)

    1977-01-01

    A child with severe neutrophil dysfunction and intractable infections received bone marrow transplants from histocompatible siblings. After a first transplant preceded by cyclophosphamide (CY), antithymocyte serum (ATS) and procarbazine (PCB) preconditioning, there was no evidence for engraftment and autologous marrow function rapidly returned. Cell mediated lysis showed no evidence of patient sensitization against the marrow donor suggesting that graft rejection did not cause the transplant failure. A second transplant was performed utilizing another matched sibling donor. Total body irradiation was added to CY, ATS, and PCB for preconditioning after in vitro studies of the colony forming capacity (CFUsub(c)) of the patient's marrow cells showed normal sensitivity to radiation. Full engraftment ensued with correction of granulocyte function abnormalities. The patient eventually died of intractable pulmonary disease. Experience with this child suggests that cyclophosphamide alone may be insufficient preparation for marrow transplantation in some patients with non-neoplastic hematologic disorders. Experimental and clinical data supporting this contention are reviewed.

  11. Cross-transmission of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus in patients undergoing dialysis and kidney transplant

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    D. Fram

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this study was to investigate the occurrence of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE cross-transmission between two patient groups (long-term dialysis and kidney transplant patients. Molecular typing, by automated ribotyping with the RiboPrinter Microbial Characterization System (Qualicon, USA, was used to analyze VRE isolates from 31 fecal samples of 320 dialysis patients and 38 fecal samples of 280 kidney transplant patients. Clonal spread of E. faecalis and E. casseliflavus was observed intragroup, but not between the two groups of patients. In turn, transmission of E. gallinarum and E. faecium between the groups was suggested by the finding of vancomycin-resistant isolates belonging to the same ribogroup in both dialysis and transplant patients. The fact that these patients were colonized by VRE from the same ribogroup in the same health care facility provides evidence for cross-transmission and supports the adoption of stringent infection control measures to prevent dissemination of these bacteria.

  12. Ultrasonic microbubble contrast agents and the transplant kidney

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kay, D.H., E-mail: davidhkay@doctors.org.u [Department of Radiology, Western Infirmary, Glasgow (United Kingdom); Mazonakis, M.; Geddes, C. [Department of Renal Medicine, Western Infirmary, Glasgow (United Kingdom); Baxter, G. [Department of Radiology, Western Infirmary, Glasgow (United Kingdom)

    2009-11-15

    Aim: To evaluate the potential application of microbubble agents in the immediate post-transplant period, by studying contrast uptake and washout, and to correlate these values with clinical indices, and thus, assess the potential prognostic value of this technique. Materials and methods: The study group comprised 20 consecutive renal transplant patients within 7 days of transplantation. Sonovue was administered as an intravenous bolus with continuous imaging of the transplant kidney at low mechanical index (MI) for 1 min post-injection. These data were analysed off-line by two observers, and time intensity curves (TIC) for the upper, mid, and lower poles constructed. Within each pole, a region of interest (5 mm square) was placed over the cortex, medullary pyramid, and interlobar artery, resulting in a total of nine TIC for each patient. TIC parameters included the arrival time (AT), time to peak (TTP), peak intensity (Max), gradient of the slope (M), and the area under curve (AUC). Results: For both observers there was good agreement for all values measured from the cortex and medulla, but poor interobserver correlation for the vascular values. In addition, there was only agreement for these values in the upper and mid-pole of the transplant with poor agreement for the lower pole values. The mid-pole of the transplant kidney was chosen as the point of measurement for subsequent studies. Mid-pole values were correlated with clinical data and outcome over the 3-month post-transplant period. Renal microbubble perfusion correlated with the transplant estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) at 3 months post-transplantation (p = 0.016). Discussion: In conclusion, this is the first study to confirm reproducibility of the Sonovue TIC data in transplant patients and to quantify regional variation and perfusion. The statistically significant estimates of transplant perfusion may be of future benefit to transplant recipients and potentially utilized as a prognostic tool

  13. The management of perioperative nutrition in patients with end stage liver disease undergoing liver transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Qi-Kun; Wang, Meng-Long

    2015-10-01

    Malnutrition is found in almost 100% of patients with end stage liver disease (ESLD) awaiting transplantation and malnutrition before transplantation leads to higher rates of post-transplant complications and worse graft survival outcomes. Reasons for protein energy malnutrition include several metabolic alterations such as inadequate intake, malabsorption, and overloaded expenditure. And also, stress from surgery, gastrointestinal reperfusion injury, immunosuppressive therapy and corticosteriods use lead to delayed bowl function recovery and disorder of nutrients absorption. In the pretransplant phase, nutritional goals include optimization of nutritional status and treatment of nutrition-related symptoms induced by hepatic decompensation. During the acute post-transplant phase, adequate nutrition is required to help support metabolic demands, replenish lost stores, prevent infection, arrive at a new immunologic balance, and promote overall recovery. In a word, it is extremely important to identify and correct nutritional deficiencies in this population and provide an adequate nutritional support during all phases of liver transplantation (LT). This study review focuses on prevalence, nutrition support, evaluation, and management of perioperative nutrition disorder in patients with ESLD undergoing LT.

  14. Interprofessional communication in organ transplantation in Gauteng Province, South Africa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Harriet Rosanne Etheredge

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Background. Communication is essential to the transplant process, but it is challenging in South Africa (SA because of the complexity of the country and the health system, the nature of transplantation as a technical procedure with inherent psychological considerations, and the large number of professionals involved. Transplant communication has not been explored in SA, and this study was the first to use health communication methods to generate empirical evidence relating to it. Objective. To explore communication in transplant settings in Gauteng Province, SA. Methods. Qualitative methods were used to collect data across six hospitals and transplant centres in Gauteng. State and private institutions were equally represented. Health professionals and transplant co-ordinators participated. Thematic analysis of data was undertaken. Results. Facilitators of interprofessional transplant communication included appreciation of its importance to good practice and cohesive individual transplant teams. Barriers to interprofessional communication were observed when individual teams had to come together in a multi-team, interdisciplinary environment, when interchange became aggressive, and when information was not passed on to other health professionals timeously. These barriers had implications for continuity of care and ethics, which could lead to moral distress. Conclusion. Transplantation in Gauteng is characterised by aspects of good teamwork, and the importance of effective communication is acknowledged. Transplantation also faces some challenges in terms of interprofessional communication. Recommendations for mitigating some of the gaps include integrating a health communication specialist into the transplant process, ‘knotworking’, the use of apology, and an advance warning text-message system for transplant professionals.

  15. Osteochondral Allograft Transplantation in Cartilage Repair: Graft Storage Paradigm, Translational Models, and Clinical Applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bugbee, William D.; Pallante-Kichura, Andrea L.; Görtz, Simon; Amiel, David; Sah, Robert

    2016-01-01

    The treatment of articular cartilage injury and disease has become an increasingly relevant part of orthopaedic care. Articular cartilage transplantation, in the form of osteochondral allografting, is one of the most established techniques for restoration of articular cartilage. Our research efforts over the last two decades have supported the transformation of this procedure from experimental “niche” status to a cornerstone of orthopaedic practice. In this Kappa Delta paper, we describe our translational and clinical science contributions to this transformation: (1) to enhance the ability of tissue banks to process and deliver viable tissue to surgeons and patients, (2) to improve the biological understanding of in vivo cartilage and bone remodeling following osteochondral allograft (OCA) transplantation in an animal model system, (3) to define effective surgical techniques and pitfalls, and (4) to identify and clarify clinical indications and outcomes. The combination of coordinated basic and clinical studies is part of our continuing comprehensive academic OCA transplant program. Taken together, the results have led to the current standards for OCA processing and storage prior to implantation and also novel observations and mechanisms of the biological and clinical behavior of OCA transplants in vivo. Thus, OCA transplantation is now a successful and increasingly available treatment for patients with disabling osteoarticular cartilage pathology. PMID:26234194

  16. Amniotic membrane transplantation ineffective as additional therapy in patients with aggressive Mooren's ulcer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schallenberg, Maurice; Westekemper, Henrike; Steuhl, Klaus-Peter; Meller, Daniel

    2013-12-17

    Mooren's ulcer is a severe ulcerative inflammation of the cornea. The exact pathogenesis remains unclear. Therefore many therapies of Mooren's ulcer are recommended in literature. To shed more light on the ongoing question of optimal treatment of severe progressive Mooren's ulcer, we here report on a retrospective case series of patients treated with systemic immunosuppressive therapy and additional amniotic membrane transplantation. Medical records from seven patients (eleven eyes), 4 male and 3 female, with severe progressive Mooren's ulcer were analysed retrospectively. The mean follow up was 88.4 ± 80.8 months (range 12-232 month). A HLA-typing was performed in all patients. A systemic immunosuppressive therapy was administered in all patients. The amniotic membrane was transplanted after the base of the ulcer was resected. Multiple amniotic membrane transplantations were necessary in six patients. The visual outcome of all patients was poor. No patient achieved a visual acuity better than 20/630 Snellen chart. Five patients were positive for HLA-DQ2 and four patients were positive for HLA-DR17(3). The aggressive and highly inflammatory form of Mooren's ulcer is difficult to treat and the progression of the disease is hard to influence positively even under systemic immunosuppressive therapy. Therefore, the main intention of therapy is to achieve a stable epithelialized corneal surface without the risk of perforation. Amniotic membrane transplantation is not able to cure severe forms of Mooren's ulcer. However it supports the immunosuppressive therapy in acute situations as in critical corneal thinning.

  17. Islet alloautotransplantation: Allogeneic pancreas transplantation followed by transplant pancreatectomy and islet transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nijhoff, M F; Dubbeld, J; van Erkel, A R; van der Boog, P J M; Rabelink, T J; Engelse, M A; de Koning, E J P

    2018-04-01

    Simultaneous pancreas-kidney (SPK) transplantation is an important treatment option for patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Due to complications, in up to 10% of patients, allograft pancreatectomy is necessary shortly after transplantation. Usually the donor pancreas is discarded. Here, we report on a novel procedure to rescue endocrine tissue after allograft pancreatectomy. A 39-year-old woman with T1D and ESRD who had undergone SPK transplantation required emergency allograft pancreatectomy due to bleeding at the vascular anastomosis. Islets were isolated from the removed pancreas allograft, and almost 480 000 islet equivalents were infused into the portal vein. The patient recovered fully. After 3 months, near-normal mixed meal test (fasting glucose 7.0 mmol/L, 2-hour glucose 7.5 mmol/L, maximal stimulated C-peptide 3.25 nmol/L, without insulin use in the preceding 36 hours) was achieved. Glycated hemoglobin while taking a low dose of long-acting insulin was 32.7 mmol/mol hemoglobin (5.3%). When a donor pancreas is lost after transplantation, rescue β cell therapy by islet alloautotransplantation enables optimal use of scarce donor pancreata to optimize glycemic control without additional HLA alloantigen exposure. © 2017 The American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.

  18. Transplant tolerance: a new role for IL-34

    OpenAIRE

    Kim, James I.; Turka, Laurence A.

    2015-01-01

    Immune-suppressive cell populations, including Tregs and suppressor monocytes, have been implicated in long-term survival of allografts in both human transplant recipients and animal models. The factors that drive differentiation and function of these cell populations are not completely understood. In this issue, Bézie and colleagues identify IL-34 as an important mediator of allograft tolerance in a rat model of heart transplantation. Their data support a model in which IL-34 production by T...

  19. Transplant tourism among kidney transplant patients in Eastern Nigeria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Okafor, U H

    2017-07-05

    Transplant tourism entails movement of recipient, donor or both to a transplant centre outside their country of residence. This has been reported in many countries; and has variously been associated with organ trade. The objective of this study is to determine the frequency and pattern of transplant tourism among transplant patients in Eastern Nigeria. This is a non randomized cross sectional study. All kidney transplant patients who presented at Enugu State University Teaching Hospital Parklane Enugu and Hilton Clinics Port Harcourt in Nigeria were recruited. The clinical parameters including the transplant details of all the patients were documented. The data obtained was analysed using SPSS package. A total of one hundred and twenty six patients were studied, 76.2% were males with M:F ratio of 3.2:1 and mean age of 46.9 ± 13.3 years. Fifty four and 58.7% of the patients were managed in a tertiary hospital and by a nephrologist respectively before referral for kidney transplant. Only 15.8% of the patients had their kidney transplant without delay: finance, lack of donor, logistics including delay in obtaining travelling documents were the common causes of the delay. Ninety percent of the patients had their transplant in India with majority of them using commercial donors. India was also the country with cheapest cost ($18,000.00). 69.8% were unrelated donors, 68.2% were commercial donors and 1.6% of the donors were spouse. All the commercial donors received financial incentives and each commercial donor received mean of 7580 ± 1280 dollars. Also 30.2% of the related donors demanded financial incentive. Transplant tourism is prevalent in eastern Nigeria.

  20. Overview of marrow transplantation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thomas, E.D.

    1985-01-01

    Bone marrow transplantation is now an accepted form of therapy for many hematologic disorders including aplastic anemia, genetically determined diseases and malignant diseases, particularly leukemia, and for rescue of patients given intensive chemoradiotherapy for malignant disease. The donor may be a healthy identical twin, a family member or even an unrelated person. Selection is made on the basis of human leukocyte antigen tissue typing. Intensive chemoradiotherapy is used to suppress patients' immune systems to facilitate engraftment and destroy diseased marrow. Transfusion of platelets, erythrocytes and granulocytes (or all of these), antibiotic coverage and protection from infection are necessary during the pancytopenic period. Survival rates vary considerably depending on a patient's disease, clinical state and age. Patients with aplastic anemia transplanted early in the course of their disease have a survival rate of approximately 80%. Patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia are usually transplanted in a second or subsequent remission and have a survival rate of 25% to 40%. Patients with acute nonlymphoblastic leukemia in remission have survivals ranging from 45% to 70%. More than 200 patients in the chronic phase of chronic granulocytic leukemia have been transplanted with survival ranging from 50% to 70%. Complications of marrow transplantation include marrow graft rejection, graft-versus-host disease, immunologic insufficiency and the possibility of recurrence of the leukemia. 14 references

  1. Enhancing patient engagement and blood pressure management for renal transplant recipients via home electronic monitoring and web-enabled collaborative care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aberger, Edward W; Migliozzi, Daniel; Follick, Michael J; Malick, Tom; Ahern, David K

    2014-09-01

    Effective management of hypertension in chronic kidney disease and renal transplantation is a clinical priority and has societal implications in terms of preserving and optimizing the value of scarce organs. However, hypertension is optimally managed in only 37% of people with chronic kidney disease, and poor control can contribute to premature graft loss in renal transplant recipients. This article describes a telehealth system that incorporates home electronic blood pressure (BP) monitoring and uploading to a patient portal coupled with a Web-based dashboard that enables clinical pharmacist collaborative care in a renal transplant clinic. The telehealth system was developed and implemented as a quality improvement initiative in a renal transplant clinic in a large, 700-bed, urban hospital with the aim of improving BP in posttransplant patients. A convenience sample of 66 posttransplant patients was recruited by the clinical pharmacist from consecutive referrals to the Transplant Clinic. Preliminary results show statistically significant reductions in average systolic and diastolic BP of 6.0 mm Hg and 3.0 mm Hg, respectively, at 30 days after enrollment. Two case reports describe the instrumental role of home BP monitoring in the context of medication therapy management. Optimizing BP control for both pre- and post-renal transplant patients is likely to benefit society in terms of preserving scarce resources and reducing healthcare costs due to premature graft failure. Connected health systems hold great promise for supporting team-based care and improved health outcomes.

  2. The impact of socioeconomic status and geographic remoteness on access to pre-emptive kidney transplantation and transplant outcomes among children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Francis, Anna; Didsbury, Madeleine; Lim, Wai H; Kim, Siah; White, Sarah; Craig, Jonathan C; Wong, Germaine

    2016-06-01

    Low socioeconomic status (SES) and geographic disparity have been associated with worse outcomes and poorer access to pre-emptive transplantation in the adult end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) population, but little is known about their impact in children with ESKD. The aim of our study was to determine whether access to pre-emptive transplantation and transplant outcomes differ according to SES and geographic remoteness in Australia. Using data from the Australia and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant Registry (1993-2012), we compared access to pre-emptive transplantation, the risk of acute rejection and graft failure, based on SES and geographic remoteness among Australian children with ESKD (≤ 18 years), using adjusted logistic and Cox proportional hazard modelling. Of the 768 children who commenced renal replacement therapy, 389 (50.5%) received living donor kidney transplants and 28.5% of these (111/389) were pre-emptive. There was no significant association between SES quintiles and access to pre-emptive transplantation, acute rejection or allograft failure. Children residing in regional or remote areas were 35% less likely to receive a pre-emptive transplant compared to those living in major cities [adjusted odds ratio (OR) 0.65, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.45-1.0]. There was no significant association between geographic disparity and acute rejection (adjusted OR 1.03, 95% CI 0.68-1.57) or graft loss (adjusted hazard ratio 1.05, 95% CI 0.74-1.41). In Australia, children from regional or remote regions are much less likely to receive pre-emptive kidney transplantation. Strategies such as improved access to nephrology services through expanding the scope of outreach clinics, and support for regional paediatricians to promote early referral may ameliorate this inequity.

  3. Patient support systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Braden, A.B.; McBride, T.R.; Styblo, D.J.; Taylor, S.K.; Richey, J.B.

    1979-01-01

    A patient support system for use in computerized tomography (CT) is described. The system is particularly useful for CT scanning of the brain and also of the abdominal area. The support system consists of two moveable tables which may be translated into position for X-ray scanning of the patient's body and which may be translated incrementally and automatically to obtain scans at adjacent locations. For use with brain scans, the second table is replaced by a detachable restraint assembly which is described in detail. The support system is so designed that only a small volume of low density material will intercept the X-ray beam. (UK)

  4. transPLANT Resources for Triticeae Genomic Data

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Manuel Spannagl

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available The genome sequences of many important Triticeae species, including bread wheat ( L. and barley ( L., remained uncharacterized for a long time because their high repeat content, large sizes, and polyploidy. As a result of improvements in sequencing technologies and novel analyses strategies, several of these have recently been deciphered. These efforts have generated new insights into Triticeae biology and genome organization and have important implications for downstream usage by breeders, experimental biologists, and comparative genomicists. transPLANT ( is an EU-funded project aimed at constructing hardware, software, and data infrastructure for genome-scale research in the life sciences. Since the Triticeae data are intrinsically complex, heterogenous, and distributed, the transPLANT consortium has undertaken efforts to develop common data formats and tools that enable the exchange and integration of data from distributed resources. Here we present an overview of the individual Triticeae genome resources hosted by transPLANT partners, introduce the objectives of transPLANT, and outline common developments and interfaces supporting integrated data access.

  5. In defense of a regulated system of compensation for living donation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matas, Arthur J; Hippen, Benjamin; Satel, Sally

    2008-08-01

    The organ shortage is the major problem in kidney transplantation today. Despite aggressive organ procurement efforts, the supply of donated kidneys, living and deceased, has not matched the growing demand; as a consequence, more and more qualified candidates are suffering on dialysis and then dying before being transplanted. Herein, we provide justification for a regulated system of compensation for donation. The main argument in favor of compensation is simple-financial incentives will increase donation, so fewer transplant candidates will suffer and die while waiting. In addition, development of a regulated system of compensation is the most effective means of crippling the core economic support for transplant tourism. Because dialysis is so much more expensive than a transplant, compensated donation could be cost-neutral to the healthcare system. Importantly, opinion polls suggest that the public would support compensation. As uncompensated kidney donation is widely accepted, persuasive arguments against compensation must explain why such a system would be morally distinguishable from uncompensated donation. We suggest that the potential advantages of a regulated system of compensation for donation far outweigh any potential disadvantages. It is time to advocate for a change in the law so that trials can be done.

  6. Compensating the transplant professional: time for a model change.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abouljoud, M; Whitehouse, S; Langnas, A; Brown, K

    2015-03-01

    Compensation models for physicians are currently based primarily on the work relative value unit (wRVU) that rewards productivity by work volume. The value-based payment structure soon to be ushered in by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services rewards clinical quality and outcomes. This has prompted changes in wRVU value for certain services that will result in reduced payment for specialty procedures such as transplantation. To maintain a stable and competent workforce and achieve alignment between clinical activity, growth imperatives, and cost effectiveness, compensation of transplant physicians must evolve toward a matrix of measures beyond the procedure-based activity. This personal viewpoint proposes a redesign of transplant physician compensation plans to include the "virtual RVU" to recognize and reward meaningful clinical integration defined as hospital-physician commitment to specified and measurable metrics for current non-RVU-producing activities. Transplantation has been a leader in public outcomes reporting and is well suited to meet the challenges ahead that can only be overcome with a tight collaboration and alignment between surgeons, other physicians, support staff, and their respective institution and leadership. © Copyright 2015 The American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.

  7. The impact of pediatric liver transplantation on family relations / O impacto do transplante hepático infantil na dinâmica familiar

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Márcia Camaratta Anton

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available This study attempts to understand the impact of pediatric liver transplantation on family relations. Six mothers of two-parent families whose children had been submitted to liver transplant within the last six years participated in the study. Mothers were interviewed about family relationships in the context of pediatric liver transplantation. Qualitative content analysis of the interviews revealed that parents-child relationship was marked by fear of death, leading to permissive and overprotective attitudes in order to reduce the child's suffering. It was noted that this pattern of behavior was maintained even after transplantation and patient's recovery. Parents' relationship tended to fortify and focus on the child's transplant and illness. Parents' relationship with their healthy children was affected. These children developed feelings of abandonment, competition and rivalry. Relatives tended to become closer and played an important supportive role. The results showed that all family members were affected and needed restructuring which reinforces the importance of early and systematic psychological assistance to the families aiming at a better adaptation to the child's condition, preventing the development of emotional problems.

  8. Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease in liver transplant recipients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mercedes Rubio-Manzanares-Dorado

    Full Text Available Introduction: Post-transplant lymphoproliferative syndrome (PTLD is a rare and potentially life-threatening complication after liver transplantation. The aim of this study was to analyze the clinicopathologic features related to PTLD in a single institution after liver transplantation. Methods: Observational study where we have retrospectively analyzed 851 cases who underwent liver transplantation. Ten cases have developed PTLD. Their clinical-pathological characteristics and the treatment received have been analyzed. Results: PTLD incidence was 1.2% (10/851. The mean time from liver transplantation to PTLD diagnosis was 36 months (range 1.2 to 144 months. PTLD localization was extranodal in all cases, the most frequent location being intestinal. Seven cases showed a monomorphic lymphoma which in all cases was differentiated B cell lymphomas. Fifty per cent of the series were seropositive for Epstein-Barr virus. Five patients were alive at the time of the review. Among these patients, we observed three cases of complete remission and two cases of disease stabilization. The death rate was higher in the first year after diagnosis of PTLD. Conclusion: PTLD is a rare complication after liver transplantation, but it may pose a threat to the life of a liver transplant recipient. It is essential to identify patients at risk, to establish an early diagnosis and treatment that can change the outcome of the disease.

  9. Pre-transplant history of mental health concerns, non-adherence, and post-transplant outcomes in kidney transplant recipients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gumabay, Franz Marie; Novak, Marta; Bansal, Aarushi; Mitchell, Margot; Famure, Olusegun; Kim, S Joseph; Mucsi, Istvan

    2018-02-01

    The association between pre-transplant mental health concerns and non-adherence and post-transplant outcomes after kidney transplantation is not fully established. We examined the relationship between a pre-transplant history of mental health concerns and non-adherence and post-transplant outcomes among kidney transplant recipients. In this retrospective single center cohort study of adult kidney transplant recipients (n=955) the associations between the history of mental health concerns or non-adherence and the time from kidney transplant to biopsy proven acute rejection; death-censored graft failure and total graft failure were examined using Cox proportional hazards models. Mean (SD) age was 51 (13) years, 61% were male and 27% had a history of diabetes. Twenty-two and 11% of patients had mental health concerns and non-adherence, respectively. Fifteen percent of the patients had acute rejection, 5.6% had death-censored graft failure and 13.0% had total graft failure. The history of mental health concerns was not associated with acute rejection, death-censored graft failure or total graft failure. Patients with versus without a history of non-adherence tended to have higher cumulative incidence of acute rejection (23.3% [95% CI: 16.1, 33.2] vs. 13.6% [95% CI: 11.4, 16.2]) and death-censored graft failure (15.0% [95% CI: 6.9, 30.8] vs. 6.4% [95% CI: 4.7, 8.7]) (log rank p=0.052 and p=0.086, respectively). These trends were not significant after multivariable adjustment. In summary, a history of pre-transplant mental health concerns or non-adherence is not associated with adverse outcomes in patients who completed transplant workup and received a kidney transplant. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Organ donation and transplantation in Mexico. A transplantation health professionals’ perspective

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luis Eduardo Hernández-Ibarra

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective. We aimed to explore organ donation and transplantation in Mexico from the point of view of transplantation health professionals. Materials and methods. A qualitative study was carried out. Twenty six organ transplantation health professionals from seven states of Mexico participated. Semi-structured face-to-face interviews were conducted mainly in hospital settings. Critical discourse analysis was performed. Results. According to participants, living organ transplantation offers benefits for recipients as well as for donors. Several factors influence the field of transplantation negatively, among them the scarcity of resources that impedes the incorporation of new health personnel, as well as conflicts between transplantation teams with diverse health professionals and authorities. Conclusion. Besides increasing economic resources, transplantation health personnel should be sensitized to find solutions in order to avoid conflicts with different health professionals. Studies on organ donation and transplants also should include other social actors’ viewpoint.

  11. Heart transplantation and arterial elasticity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Colvin-Adams M

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Monica Colvin-Adams,1 Nonyelum Harcourt,1 Robert LeDuc,2 Ganesh Raveendran,1 Yassir Sonbol,3 Robert Wilson,1 Daniel Duprez11Cardiovascular Division, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA; 2Division of Biostatistics University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA; 3Cardiovascular Division, St Luke's Hospital System, Sugar Land, TX, USAObjective: Arterial elasticity is a functional biomarker that has predictive value for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in nontransplant populations. There is little information regarding arterial elasticity in heart transplant recipients. This study aimed to characterize small (SAE and large (LAE artery elasticity in heart transplant recipients in comparison with an asymptomatic population free of overt cardiovascular disease. A second goal was to identify demographic and clinical factors associated with arterial elasticity in this unique population.Methods: Arterial pulse waveform was registered noninvasively at the radial artery in 71 heart transplant recipients between 2008 and 2010. SAEs and LAEs were derived from diastolic pulse contour analysis. Comparisons were made to a healthy cohort of 1,808 participants selected from our prevention clinic database. Multiple regression analyses were performed to evaluate associations between risk factors and SAE and LAE within the heart transplant recipients.Results: LAE and SAE were significantly lower in heart transplant recipients than in the normal cohort (P <0.01 and P < 0.0001, respectively. Female sex and history of ischemic cardiomyopathy were significantly associated with reduced LAE and SAE. Older age and the presence of moderate cardiac allograft vasculopathy were also significantly associated with reduced SAE. Transplant duration was associated with increased SAE.Conclusion: Heart transplants are associated with peripheral endothelial dysfunction and arterial stiffness, as demonstrated by a significant reduction in SAE and LAE when compared with a

  12. Post-transplantation Infections in Bolivia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arze, S; Arze, L; Abecia, C

    2016-03-01

    Over 26 years, we found 46 infectious episodes in 350 kidney transplant recipients. Fifteen were urinary tract infections, recurrent in 4 patients. There were 8 cytomegalovirus infections, three of them fatal when intravenous (IV) ganciclovir was not available. Seven patients had a reactivation of tuberculosis (TB) in the pleura, cervical spine, lumbar spine, knee, ankle, skin and peritoneum, respectively, and were all resolved satisfactorily with conventional anti-TB therapy. Three patients transplanted before routine prophylaxis with the use of acyclovir developed an extensive herpes zoster infection in the 1st 6 months after transplantation, which was resolved with the use of oral acyclovir, and 1 had a disseminated herpes simplex infection resolved with the use of IV acyclovir. Three patients transplanted before routine prophylaxis with trimethoprim sulfa developed Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in the 1st 6 months after transplantation, which was fatal in one of them. In 2 patients, we found a Nocardia infection, confined to the lung, which was cured in one of the cases and systemic and fatal in the other. Two patients transplanted before routine prophylaxis with the use of nystatin developed esophageal candidiasis in the 1st 6 months after transplantation. One patient developed infective endocarditis in a stenotic bicuspid aortic valve and died 10 years later after another incident of infective endocarditis at the prosthetic aortic valve. Two patients developed an extensive condyloma at the penis, perianal region, and perineum owing to human papillomavirus, requiring extensive surgical resection and podophyllin applications. Another patient developed fatal post-transplantation lymphoproliferative disease due to Epstein-Barr virus infection 15 years after transplantation. One patient developed a severe and fatal mucocutaneous leishmaniasis with no response to conventional antimonial therapy. It is interesting to note that despite Chagas disease being endemic

  13. Gene Expression Profiling of Peripheral Blood From Kidney Transplant Recipients for the Early Detection of Digestive System Cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kusaka, M; Okamoto, M; Takenaka, M; Sasaki, H; Fukami, N; Kataoka, K; Ito, T; Kenmochi, T; Hoshinaga, K; Shiroki, R

    2017-06-01

    Kidney transplant recipients are at increased risk of developing cancer in comparison with the general population. To effectively manage post-transplantation malignancies, it is essential to proactively monitor patients. A long-term intensive screening program was associated with a reduced incidence of cancer after transplantation. This study evaluated the usefulness of the gene expression profiling of peripheral blood samples obtained from kidney transplant patients and adopted a screening test for detecting cancer of the digestive system (gastric, colon, pancreas, and biliary tract). Nineteen patients were included in this study and a total of 53 gene expression screening tests were performed. The gene expression profiles of blood-delivered total RNA and whole genome human gene expression profiles were obtained. We investigated the expression levels of 2665 genes associated with digestive cancers and counted the number of genes in which expression was altered. A hierarchical clustering analysis was also performed. The final prediction of the cancer possibility was determined according to an algorithm. The number of genes in which expression was altered was significantly increased in the kidney transplant recipients in comparison with the general population (1091 ± 63 vs 823 ± 94; P = .0024). The number of genes with altered expression decreased after the induction of mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitor (1484 ± 227 vs 883 ± 154; P = .0439). No cases of possible digestive cancer were detected in this study period. The gene expression profiling of peripheral blood samples may be a useful and noninvasive diagnostic tool that allows for the early detection of cancer of the digestive system. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. A simple and accurate grading system for orthoiodohippurate renal scans in the assessment of post-transplant renal function

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zaki, S.K.; Bretan, P.N.; Go, R.T.; Rehm, P.K.; Streem, S.B.; Novick, A.C.

    1990-01-01

    Orthoiodohippurate renal scanning has proved to be a reliable, noninvasive method for the evaluation and followup of renal allograft function. However, a standardized system for grading renal function with this test is not available. We propose a simple grading system to distinguish the different functional phases of hippurate scanning in renal transplant recipients. This grading system was studied in 138 patients who were evaluated 1 week after renal transplantation. There was a significant correlation between the isotope renographic functional grade and clinical correlates of allograft function such as the serum creatinine level (p = 0.0001), blood urea nitrogen level (p = 0.0001), urine output (p = 0.005) and need for hemodialysis (p = 0.007). We recommend this grading system as a simple and accurate method to interpret orthoiodohippurate renal scans in the evaluation and followup of renal allograft recipients

  15. THE ROLE OF IgM-ENRICHED INTRAVENOUS IMMUNOGLOBULIN IN TRANSPLANTATION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Szabó Judit

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available After organ transplantation, gamma globulin and intravenous immunoglobulin enriched with IgM are most frequently used in septic shock as early immune-support. If the explanted organ is infected, the transplantation, as a life-saving operation, can be performed if there is no systemic inflammation and the patient receives IgM enriched immunoglobulin prophylaxis during surgery. The period after transplantation can be divided into three parts from the infection point of view: the first month after transplantation, the first sixth months and the following six months. Infections within the first month are basically related to the surgical procedure. Because of the immunosuppressive therapy, the opportunistic and fungal infections are more common during the first sixth months. After this period, the occurrence and the type of infections are similar to that of the non-transplant population except for pulmonary infections. The latter is two to three times more frequent. This is explained by the secondary hypogammaglobulinaemia (lower blood levels of IgM and IgG which is caused by the steroids but most of mycophenolate mofetil by inhibition of the T and B lymphocyte proliferation. Septic shock develops with a continuing fall of IgM levels. Under these circumstances additional intravenous immunoglobulin therapy with IgM can be lifesaving. Besides, immunoglobulin concentrates with IgM may also be used in the case of viral infections without prophylaxis and/or without etiological therapy such as in the case of West Nile virus infection. As a result of the increase in antibiotic resistance, the application of immunotherapy, including immunoglobulins may become the mainstream in the treatment of septic shock.

  16. The Major Histocompatibility Complex in Transplantation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marco Antonio Ayala García

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available The transplant of organs is one of the greatest therapeutic achievements of the twentieth century. In organ transplantation, the adaptive immunity is considered the main response exerted to the transplanted tissue, since the principal target of the immune response is the MHC (major histocompatibility complex molecules expressed on the surface of donor cells. However, we should not forget that the innate and adaptive immunities are closely interrelated and should be viewed as complementary and cooperating. When a human transplant is performed, HLA (human leukocyte antigens molecules from a donor are recognized by the recipient's immune system triggering an alloimmune response Matching of donor and recipient for MHC antigens has been shown to have a significant positive effect on graft acceptance. This paper will present MHC, the innate and adaptive immunities, and clinical HLA testing.

  17. Dialysis Facility Transplant Philosophy and Access to Kidney Transplantation in the Southeast.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gander, Jennifer; Browne, Teri; Plantinga, Laura; Pastan, Stephen O; Sauls, Leighann; Krisher, Jenna; Patzer, Rachel E

    2015-01-01

    Little is known about the impact of dialysis facility treatment philosophy on access to transplant. The aim of our study was to determine the relationship between the dialysis facility transplant philosophy and facility-level access to kidney transplant waitlisting. A 25-item questionnaire administered to Southeastern dialysis facilities (n = 509) in 2012 captured the facility transplant philosophy (categorized as 'transplant is our first choice', 'transplant is a great option for some', and 'transplant is a good option, if the patient is interested'). Facility-level waitlisting and facility characteristics were obtained from the 2008-2011 Dialysis Facility Report. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine the association between the dialysis facility transplant philosophy and facility waitlisting performance (dichotomized using the national median), where low performance was defined as fewer than 21.7% of dialysis patients waitlisted within a facility. Fewer than 25% (n = 124) of dialysis facilities reported 'transplant is our first option'. A total of 131 (31.4%) dialysis facilities in the Southeast were high-performing facilities with respect to waitlisting. Adjusted analysis showed that facilities who reported 'transplant is our first option' were twice (OR 2.0; 95% CI 1.0-3.9) as likely to have high waitlisting performance compared to facilities who reported that 'transplant is a good option, if the patient is interested'. Facilities with staff who had a more positive transplant philosophy were more likely to have better facility waitlisting performance. Future prospective studies are needed to further investigate if improving the kidney transplant philosophy in dialysis facilities improves access to transplantation.

  18. [Comparative study of needs of transplanted patients or those waiting for an organ transplantation and the nurses' attitudes of these needs].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baert, C; Cocula, N; Delran, J; Faubel, E; Foucaud, C; Martins, V

    2000-12-01

    Literature has shown that information, education and support had a beneficial effect on how the patients and their family lived through the transplant process. In our daily practice, we are permanently confronted with requests for information and psychological adjustments from our patients. Do the needs of this population meet the representations of the care-takers? Our theoretical framework is based on the theories of Maslow and Callista Roy, on the concept of social representations according to Moscovici and on the steps of the transplant process. To carry out this survey, we used a questionnaire which we gave to the patients at the different phases of the graft and to the nurses of the services involved in the transplant. There was a similarity of the results between the two populations, despite some differences for certain items. The development of a programme for information and for education will enable an improvement of the care quality thanks to the adaptation of knowledge to the needs of the transplanted patients.

  19. A Primer on Bayesian Decision Analysis With an Application to a Kidney Transplant Decision.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neapolitan, Richard; Jiang, Xia; Ladner, Daniela P; Kaplan, Bruce

    2016-03-01

    A clinical decision support system (CDSS) is a computer program, which is designed to assist health care professionals with decision making tasks. A well-developed CDSS weighs the benefits of therapy versus the cost in terms of loss of quality of life and financial loss and recommends the decision that can be expected to provide maximum overall benefit. This article provides an introduction to developing CDSSs using Bayesian networks, such CDSS can help with the often complex decisions involving transplants. First, we review Bayes theorem in the context of medical decision making. Then, we introduce Bayesian networks, which can model probabilistic relationships among many related variables and are based on Bayes theorem. Next, we discuss influence diagrams, which are Bayesian networks augmented with decision and value nodes and which can be used to develop CDSSs that are able to recommend decisions that maximize the expected utility of the predicted outcomes to the patient. By way of comparison, we examine the benefit and challenges of using the Kidney Donor Risk Index as the sole decision tool. Finally, we develop a schema for an influence diagram that models generalized kidney transplant decisions and show how the influence diagram approach can provide the clinician and the potential transplant recipient with a valuable decision support tool.

  20. [Mechanical circulatory support saves lives -- three years' experience of the newly established assist device program at Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fazekas, Levente; Sax, Balázs; Hartyánszky, István; Pólos, Miklós; Horkay, Ferenc; Varga, Tamás; Rácz, Kristóf; Németh, Endre; Székely, Andrea; Paulovich, Erzsébet; Heltai, Krisztina; Zima, Endre; Szabolcs, Zoltán; Merkely, Béla

    2015-03-29

    Since the celebration of the 20th anniversary of the first heart transplantation in Hungary in 2012 the emerging need for modern heart failure management via mechanical circulatory support has evolved. In May 2012 the opening of a new heart failure and transplant unit with 9 beds together with the procurement of necessary devices at Semmelweis University accomplished this need. The aim of the authors was to report their initial experience obtained in this new cardiac assist device program. Since May, 2012, mechanical circulatory support system was applied in 89 cases in 72 patients. Indication for support were end stage heart failure refractory to medical treatment and acute left or right heart failure. Treatment was initiated for acute graft failure after heart transplantation in 27 cases, for end stage heart failure in 24 cases, for acute myocardial infarction in 21 cases, for acute postcardiotomy heart failure in 14 cases, for severe respiratory insufficiency in 2 cases and for drug intoxication in one case. Among the 30 survivor of the whole program 13 patients were successfully transplanted. The available devices can cover all modalities of current bridge therapy from short term support through medium support to heart transplantation or long term support and destination therapy. These conditions made possible the successful start of a new cardiac assist device program.

  1. Carinal transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ueda, H; Shirakusa, T

    1992-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Current techniques of management of carinal lesions are not always satisfactory. Carinal transplantation, if feasible, would be valuable in certain circumstances. METHODS AND RESULTS: Carinal transplantation experiments were performed in dogs. In early cross transplant experiments there were problems in controlling ventilation and in obtaining satisfactory anastomoses, and the animals failed to live for even a few days. In seven subsequent experiments the carinal graft was removed from one dog and transplanted into a second dog. Two dogs lived for over four months with immunosuppression. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that carinal transplantation can succeed if (1) the calibre of the graft is matched with that of the recipient; (2) there is an abundant blood supply to the graft; (3) appropriate immunosuppression is provided; (4) ventilation is adequate during surgery. Images PMID:1465758

  2. Transplantation and application of RADTRAN 4.0 Code in China

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Jiaming; Li Jikai; Li Shouping; Qian Zhong

    1994-01-01

    The authors present the work of transplanting RADTRAN 4.0 Code from a DEC VAX System to a MICRO VAX-II/VMS System and LX-386 SX PC in the Institute. Through repeated tests, running example cases and analyzing calculation results, it has been proved that the transplantation of the RADTRAN 4.0 Code is successful. The transplanted RADTRAN 4.0 has been taken in nuclear electricity software product library. At present, several institutions in China has started to use the Code

  3. Rosiglitazone attenuates transplant arteriosclerosis after allogeneic aorta transplantation in rats

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Onuta, Geanina; Rienstra, Heleen; de Boer, Jan Freark; Boer, Mark Walther; Roks, Anton J. M.; Klatter, Flip A.; Uges, Donald R. A.; Navis, Gerjan; Rozing, Jan; Hillebrands, Jan-Luuk

    2007-01-01

    Background. Transplant arteriosclerosis is a leading cause of chronic transplant dysfunction and is characterized by occlusive neointima formation in intragraft arteries. Development of transplant arteriosclerosis is refractory to conventional immunosuppressive drugs and adequate therapy is not

  4. Meniscal transplantation: procedures, outcomes, and rehabilitation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Young J

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available James Young, Francois Tudor, Ahmed Mahmoud, Peter Myers Brisbane Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine Centre, Brisbane Private Hospital, Spring Hill, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia Abstract: Meniscal allograft transplantation (MAT is a possible treatment option for patients with joint pain after meniscectomy. It is necessary that the joint be aligned and stable. Current evidence shows that MAT improves pain and mechanical function in the mid to long term with patients reporting significantly improved outcomes at up to 15 years following surgery. Studies on survivorship showed up to 76% graft survival at 10 years. Recent studies have suggested a chondroprotective effect, but there is, at present, no evidence to support MAT in the prevention of osteoarthritis. This review article reported the current evidence for MAT showing support for fresh frozen, nonirradiated allografts. However, further research is required to determine the ideal indications for MAT, the optimal graft fixation method, and the safest rehabilitation protocol. Keywords: meniscus, meniscectomy, meniscal allograft transplantation

  5. Considerations for successful transplantation of encapsulated pancreatic islets

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Vos, P; Hamel, AF; Tatarkiewicz, K

    Encapsulation of pancreatic islets allows for transplantion in the absence of immunosuppression. The technology is based on the principle that transplanted tissue is protected for the host immune system by an artificial membrane. Encapsulation offers a solution to the shortage of donors in clinical

  6. Self-efficacy in the context of heart transplantation - a new perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Almgren, Matilda; Lennerling, Annette; Lundmark, Martina; Forsberg, Anna

    2017-10-01

    An in-depth exploration of self-efficacy among heart transplant recipients by means of Bandura's self-efficacy theory. An essential component of chronic illness management is self-management, which refers to activities carried out by people to create order, structure and control in their lives. Self-efficacy is an important aspect of self-management, which seems to have become the main paradigm for long-term management after solid organ transplantation. A directed content analysis using Bandura's self-efficacy theory. Open-ended, in-depth interviews were conducted with 14 heart transplant recipients at their 12-month follow-up after heart transplantation. This study generated the hypothesis that from the patients' perspective, self-efficacy after heart transplantation concerns balancing expectations to find the optimum level of self-efficacy. Performance accomplishment was found to have the greatest impact on self-efficacy, while its absence was the main source of disappointments. It was also revealed that the gap between performance accomplishment and efficacy expectations can be understood as uncertainty. It is essential to assess both expectations and disappointments from the patient perspective in order to promote an optimum level of self-efficacy among heart transplant recipients. This includes supporting the heart recipient to adopt mental and physical adjustment strategies to balance her/his expectations as a means of minimising disappointments. The understanding that uncertainty can undermine self-efficacy is crucial. The merging of the uncertainty in illness and self-efficacy theories provides an excellent framework for the provision of self-management support. In addition, focusing on a partnership between the transplant professionals and the recipient is essential because it minimises the use of a behavioural approach. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  7. Transplante de bexiga: estudo piloto Bladder transplant: pilot study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Frederico Teixeira Brandt

    2004-08-01

    Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Desenvolver um modelo biológico que seja viável para o estudo sistemático do transplante de bexiga. MÉTODOS: Cães mestiços vivos são usados como doadores e receptores do segmento supra-trigonal da bexiga. RESULTADOS: Os pacientes tansplantados só fizeram uso de imunossupressão por 15 dias, estão vivos e sadios com 18 meses de transplante. Desde o primeiro mês de transplante os cães apresentam controle funcional da micção, inclusive sem urina residual importante. CONCLUSÃO: Transplante de bexiga em cães é um modelo viável, fisiológico e simples.PURPOSE: Our aim was to study the feasible of bladder transplants. METHODS: Alive mongrel dogs are being used as trigone bladder segment donators and receptors RESULTS: The transplanted patients had 15 days of immunosuppression and so far an 18-months satisfactory post-operative outcome. Since a month after surgery, the dogs have been presenting full functional control of micturition and the evaluations have been showing normal bladder storage and contraction capacities. CONCLUSION: bladder transplants in dogs its a possible, physiological and simple model.

  8. Treatment of post-transplantation lymphoproliferative disorders after kidney transplant with rituximab and conversion to m-TOR inhibitor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nieto-Rios, John Fredy; Gómez de Los Ríos, Sandra Milena; Serna-Higuita, Lina María; Ocampo-Kohn, Catalina; Aristizabal-Alzate, Arbey; Gálvez-Cárdenas, Kenny Mauricio; Zuluaga-Valencia, Gustavo Adolfo

    2016-12-30

    Post-transplantation lymphoproliferative disorders are serious complications of organ transplantation which treatment is not yet standardized. To describe the clinical response, overall and graft survival of patients in our center with this complication after kidney transplantation, which received rituximab as part of their treatment as well as conversion to m-TOR. Retrospective study, which included patients, diagnosed with post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders after kidney transplantation from January 2011 to July 2014. Eight cases were found with a wide spectrum of clinical presentations. Most had monomorphic histology, 85% were associated with Epstein-Barr virus, 25% of patients had tumor involvement of the renal graft, and 12.5% ​​had primary central nervous system lymphoma. All patients were managed with reduction of immunosuppression, conversion to m-TOR (except one who lost the graft at diagnosis) and rituximab-based therapy. The overall response rate was 87.5% (62.5% complete response, 25% partial response). Survival was 87.5% with a median follow-up of 34 months. An additional patient lost the graft, with chronic nephropathy already known. All the remaining patients had stable renal function. There are no standardized treatment regimens for lymphoproliferative disorders after kidney transplantation, but these patients can be managed successfully with reduction of immunosuppression, conversion to m-TOR and rituximab-based schemes.

  9. Transplantation of specific human astrocytes promotes functional recovery after spinal cord injury.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stephen J A Davies

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available Repairing trauma to the central nervous system by replacement of glial support cells is an increasingly attractive therapeutic strategy. We have focused on the less-studied replacement of astrocytes, the major support cell in the central nervous system, by generating astrocytes from embryonic human glial precursor cells using two different astrocyte differentiation inducing factors. The resulting astrocytes differed in expression of multiple proteins thought to either promote or inhibit central nervous system homeostasis and regeneration. When transplanted into acute transection injuries of the adult rat spinal cord, astrocytes generated by exposing human glial precursor cells to bone morphogenetic protein promoted significant recovery of volitional foot placement, axonal growth and notably robust increases in neuronal survival in multiple spinal cord laminae. In marked contrast, human glial precursor cells and astrocytes generated from these cells by exposure to ciliary neurotrophic factor both failed to promote significant behavioral recovery or similarly robust neuronal survival and support of axon growth at sites of injury. Our studies thus demonstrate functional differences between human astrocyte populations and suggest that pre-differentiation of precursor cells into a specific astrocyte subtype is required to optimize astrocyte replacement therapies. To our knowledge, this study is the first to show functional differences in ability to promote repair of the injured adult central nervous system between two distinct subtypes of human astrocytes derived from a common fetal glial precursor population. These findings are consistent with our previous studies of transplanting specific subtypes of rodent glial precursor derived astrocytes into sites of spinal cord injury, and indicate a remarkable conservation from rat to human of functional differences between astrocyte subtypes. In addition, our studies provide a specific population of human

  10. Growing experience with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation as a bridge to lung transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shafii, Alexis E; Mason, David P; Brown, Chase R; Vakil, Nakul; Johnston, Douglas R; McCurry, Kenneth R; Pettersson, Gosta B; Murthy, Sudish C

    2012-01-01

    Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is rarely used as a bridge to lung transplantation (BTT) because of its associated morbidity and mortality. However, recent advancements in perfusion technology and critical care have revived interest in this application of ECMO. We retrospectively reviewed our utilization of ECMO as BTT and evaluated our early and midterm results. Nineteen patients were placed on ECMO with the intent to transplant of which 14 (74%) were successfully transplanted. Early and midterm survival of transplanted patients was 75% (1 year) and 63% (3 years), respectively, with the most favorable results observed in interstitial lung disease patients supported in the venovenous configuration. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation-bridged transplant survival rates were equivalent to nonbridged recipients, but early morbidity and mortality are high and the failure to bridge to transplant is significant. Overall, successfully bridged patients can derive a tangible benefit, albeit with considerable consumption of resources.

  11. Organ transplantation: legal, ethical and islamic perspective in Nigeria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bakari, Abubakar A; Abbo Jimeta, Umar S; Abubakar, Mohammed A; Alhassan, Sani U; Nwankwo, Emeka A

    2012-07-01

    Organ transplantation dates back to the ancient times and since then it has become one of the important developments in modern medicine; saving the lives, as well as improving the quality of life of many patients. As the demand for organ transplantation far exceeds the organ availability, the transplant program is often saddled with complex legal and ethical issues. This review article highlights the legal and ethical issues that might arise regarding organ transplantation and appraises the existing legal frame work governing organ transplantation in Nigeria. Information on legal, cultural, religious and medical ethical issues regarding organ transplantation in Nigeria was obtained by searching the PubMed and Google Scholar, conference proceedings, seminar paper presentations, law library and other related publications were collated and analyzed. In decision making for organ transplantation, the bioethical principles like autonomy, beneficence and justice must be employed. It was believed by Catholic theologians that to mutilate one living person to benefit another violates the principle of Totality. Among Muslim scholars and researchers, there are those who throw legal support as to its permissibility while the other group sees it as illegal. Organ/tissues transplantation is considered a medical intervention that touches on the fundamental rights of the donor or the recipient. Where there is an unlawful infringement of the right of such persons in any way may be regarded as against Section 34 of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution dealing with right to dignity of the human person. Worldwide, the researchers and government bodies have agreed on informed consent for organ/tissue donation and for recipient should be obtained without coercion before embarking on such medical treatment Worldwide organ transplantation has become the best medical treatment for patients with end stage organ failure. However, there is no law/legislation backing organ/tissues transplantation in

  12. Organ Transplantation: Legal, Ethical and Islamic Perspective in Nigeria

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bakari, Abubakar A; Abbo Jimeta, Umar S; Abubakar, Mohammed A; Alhassan, Sani U; Nwankwo, Emeka A

    2012-01-01

    Organ transplantation dates back to the ancient times and since then it has become one of the important developments in modern medicine; saving the lives, as well as improving the quality of life of many patients. As the demand for organ transplantation far exceeds the organ availability, the transplant program is often saddled with complex legal and ethical issues. This review article highlights the legal and ethical issues that might arise regarding organ transplantation and appraises the existing legal frame work governing organ transplantation in Nigeria. Information on legal, cultural, religious and medical ethical issues regarding organ transplantation in Nigeria was obtained by searching the PubMed and Google Scholar, conference proceedings, seminar paper presentations, law library and other related publications were collated and analyzed. In decision making for organ transplantation, the bioethical principles like autonomy, beneficence and justice must be employed. It was believed by Catholic theologians that to mutilate one living person to benefit another violates the principle of Totality. Among Muslim scholars and researchers, there are those who throw legal support as to its permissibility while the other group sees it as illegal. Organ/tissues transplantation is considered a medical intervention that touches on the fundamental rights of the donor or the recipient. Where there is an unlawful infringement of the right of such persons in any way may be regarded as against Section 34 of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution dealing with right to dignity of the human person. Worldwide, the researchers and government bodies have agreed on informed consent for organ/tissue donation and for recipient should be obtained without coercion before embarking on such medical treatment Worldwide organ transplantation has become the best medical treatment for patients with end stage organ failure. However, there is no law/legislation backing organ/tissues transplantation in

  13. [Cooling shell in renal transplantation. Thermometric evaluation of a prototype].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Desgrandchamps, F; Eugene, M; Tuchschmid, Y; Muller, F; Teillac, P; Idatte, J M; Le Duc, A

    1996-02-01

    We have developed a cooling system for renal transplants designed to eliminate the second period of warm ischaemia corresponding to the vascular anastomosis phase of renal transplantation. This is an autonomous and independent system which forms a shell around the transplant. Following application of the system, cooling is achieved by refrigeration of a Multitherm sponge contained in the wall of the shell. The thermometric characteristics of a prototype were evaluated in vitro and in vivo in pigs. This system allows the kidney to be preserved at a temperature of less than 10 degrees C for 1 hour without inducing any risk of lesions of the renal surface. Human applications should be developed in the near future.

  14. Laparoscopic robot-assisted pancreas transplantation: first world experience.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boggi, Ugo; Signori, Stefano; Vistoli, Fabio; D'Imporzano, Simone; Amorese, Gabriella; Consani, Giovanni; Guarracino, Fabio; Marchetti, Piero; Focosi, Daniele; Mosca, Franco

    2012-01-27

    Surgical complications are a major disincentive to pancreas transplantation, despite the undisputed benefits of restored insulin independence. The da Vinci surgical system, a computer-assisted electromechanical device, provides the unique opportunity to test whether laparoscopy can reduce the morbidity of pancreas transplantation. Pancreas transplantation was performed by robot-assisted laparoscopy in three patients. The first patient received a pancreas after kidney transplant, the second a simultaneous pancreas kidney transplantation, and the third a pancreas transplant alone. Operations were carried out through an 11-mm optic port, two 8-mm operative ports, and a 7-cm midline incision. The latter was used to introduce the grafts, enable vascular cross-clamping, and create exocrine drainage into the jejunum. The two solitary pancreas transplants required an operating time of 3 and 5 hr, respectively; the simultaneous pancreas kidney transplantation took 8 hr. Mean warm ischemia time of the pancreas graft was 34 min. All pancreatic transplants functioned immediately, and all recipients became insulin independent. The kidney graft, revascularized after 35 min of warm ischemia, also functioned immediately. No patient had complications during or after surgery. At the longer follow-up of 10, 8, and 6 months, respectively, all recipients are alive with normal graft function. We have shown the feasibility of laparoscopic robot-assisted solitary pancreas and simultaneous pancreas and kidney transplantation. If the safety and feasibility of this procedure can be confirmed by larger series, laparoscopic robot-assisted pancreas transplantation could become a new option for diabetic patients needing beta-cell replacement.

  15. Support system, excavation arrangement, and process of supporting an object

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arnold, Bill W.

    2017-08-01

    A support system, an excavation arrangement, and a process of supporting an object are disclosed. The support system includes a weight-bearing device and a camming mechanism positioned below the weight-bearing device. A downward force on the weight-bearing device at least partially secures the camming mechanism to opposing surfaces. The excavation arrangement includes a borehole, a support system positioned within and secured to the borehole, and an object positioned on and supported by the support system. The process includes positioning and securing the support system and positioning the object on the weight-bearing device.

  16. Evolution of the role of the transplant pharmacist on the multidisciplinary transplant team.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alloway, R R; Dupuis, R; Gabardi, S; Kaiser, T E; Taber, D J; Tichy, E M; Weimert-Pilch, N A

    2011-08-01

    Transplant pharmacists have been recognized as an essential part of the transplant team by their colleagues along with several governing and professional organizations. The specific education, training and responsibilities of the transplant pharmacist have not been clearly delineated in the literature. Various pharmacists across the country have been called upon to serve on the transplant team necessitating standardization of their fundamental and desirable activities. Therefore, the purpose of this manuscript is to describe the training and role of a transplant pharmacist on the patient care team and provide a roadmap to implementation of novel transplant pharmacy services. ©2011 The Authors Journal compilation©2011 The American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.

  17. A method for making a glass supported system, such glass supported system, and the use of a glass support therefor

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Unnikrishnan, S.; Jansen, Henricus V.; Berenschot, Johan W.; Fazal, I.; Louwerse, M.C.; Mogulkoc, B.; Sanders, Remco G.P.; de Boer, Meint J.; Elwenspoek, Michael Curt

    2008-01-01

    The invention relates to a method for making a glass supported micro or nano system, comprising the steps of: i) providing a glass support; ii) mounting at least one system on at least one glass support; and iii) bonding the system to the glass support, such that the system is circumferentially

  18. [Heart transplant in "Nuevo Leon": the first 33 cases].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herrera Garza, Eduardo; Molina Gamboa, Julio; Decanini Arcaute, Horacio; Ibarra Flores, Marcos; Torres García, Myrella; Macías Hidalgo, Carlos; González Oviedo, Roberto; de la Fuente Magallanes, Felipe de Jesús; Elizondo Sifuentes, Lius Angel; Villarreal Arredondo, Miguel Angel; Ortega Durán, Oscar; Martínez Bermúdez, Pedro; García Castillo, Armando; Becerra García, Oralia; Martínez Rodríguez, Diana; Contreras Lara, Carmen; Olivares de la Cerda, María de Consuelo; Treviño Treviño, Alfonso

    2006-01-01

    Heart failure is one of the most important causes of death worldwide. Heart transplant is the last effective alternative when the medical and surgical treatments have failed in patients with end stage heart failure, giving them an 80% one year survival rate. Unfortunately, during the outcome, the heart transplant patients can develop complications such as graft rejection and opportunistic infections because of the use of immunosuppressive therapy. In the present article we report the experience with 33 heart transplant patients. Our program not only has successfully transplanted patients with advanced age but, for the first time in Latin America we have transplanted patients assisted with the ambulatory Thoratec TLC II system. Even with limited resources, we have managed the same complications than other heart transplant programs, our 82% one year survival rate is similar than reports in medical literature.

  19. MRI and MRA of kidney transplants - evaluation of vessels and perfusion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wiesner, W.; Pfammatter, T.; Krestin, G.P.; Debatin, J.F.

    1998-01-01

    Purpose: To document the value of fast contrast enhanced-sequences in the assessment of the vascular supply and parenchymal perfusion in renal transplants. Patients: 18 recipients of a renal transplant were examined with a 1.5-Tesla-MR-system. The protocol included fast contrast enhanced 3D MR angiography and coronal 2D GRE sequences. The transplant artery and vein were assessed as well as regional parenchymal perfusion. Results: 3D MRA detected three transplant artery stenoses and one occlusion. In addition, two renal vein thromboses and one compression were identified. Perfusion deficits were documented in 8 renal transplants: Renal infarction (n=4), cortical necrosis (n=2), acute tubular necrosis (n=1) and venous ischemia (n=1). Fluid collections were documented as well as dilatation of the collecting system and abnormalities of the surrounding tissues. Conclusion: Contrast enhanced MRI and MRA permit a comprehensive assessment of renal transplants without inducing nephrotoxicity. (orig.) [de

  20. Outcomes of cryptococcosis in renal transplant recipients in a less-resourced health care system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ponzio, Vinicius; Camargo, Luis F A; Medina-Pestana, José O; Perfect, John R; Colombo, Arnaldo L

    2018-04-20

    Cryptococcosis is the second most common cause of invasive fungal infections in renal transplant recipients in many countries, and data on graft outcome after treatment for this infection is lacking in less-resourced health care settings. Data from 47 renal transplant recipients were retrospectively collected at a single institution during a period of 13 years. Graft dysfunction, graft loss and mortality rates were evaluated. Predictors of mortality and graft loss were estimated. A total of 38 (97.4%) patients treated with amphotericin B deoxycholate (AMBd) showed graft dysfunction after antifungal initiation and 8 (18.2%) had kidney graft loss. Graft loss within 30 days after cryptococcosis onset was significantly associated with disseminated infection, greater baseline creatinine levels and graft dysfunction concomitant to AMBd therapy and an additional nephrotoxic condition. The 30-day mortality rate was 19.2% and it was significantly associated with disseminated and pulmonary infections, somnolence at admission, high CSF opening pressure, positive CSF India ink, creatinine levels greater than 2.0 mg/dL at admission, graft dysfunction in patients treated with AMBd and an additional nephrotoxic condition and graft loss within 30 days. Graft dysfunction was common in renal transplant recipients with cryptococcosis treated with AMBd. The rate of graft loss rate was high, most frequently in patients with concomitant nephrotoxic conditions. Therefore, the clinical focus should be on the use of less nephrotoxic lipid formulations of amphotericin B in this specific population requiring a polyene induction regimen for treatment of severe cryptococcosis in all health care systems caring for transplantation recipients. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

  1. Design of a vascularized synthetic poly(ethylene glycol) macroencapsulation device for islet transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weaver, Jessica D; Headen, Devon M; Hunckler, Michael D; Coronel, Maria M; Stabler, Cherie L; García, Andrés J

    2018-07-01

    The use of immunoisolating macrodevices in islet transplantation confers the benefit of safety and translatability by containing transplanted cells within a single retrievable device. To date, there has been limited development and characterization of synthetic poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-based hydrogel macrodevices for islet encapsulation and transplantation. Herein, we describe a two-component synthetic PEG hydrogel macrodevice system, designed for islet delivery to an extrahepatic islet transplant site, consisting of a hydrogel core cross-linked with a non-degradable PEG dithiol and a vasculogenic outer layer cross-linked with a proteolytically sensitive peptide to promote degradation and enhance localized vascularization. Synthetic PEG macrodevices exhibited equivalent passive molecular transport to traditional microencapsulation materials (e.g., alginate) and long-term stability in the presence of proteases in vitro and in vivo, out to 14 weeks in rats. Encapsulated islets demonstrated high viability within the device in vitro and the incorporation of RGD adhesive peptides within the islet encapsulating PEG hydrogel improved insulin responsiveness to a glucose challenge. In vivo, the implementation of a vasculogenic, degradable hydrogel layer at the outer interface of the macrodevice enhanced vascular density within the rat omentum transplant site, resulting in improved encapsulated islet viability in a syngeneic diabetic rat model. These results highlight the benefits of the facile PEG platform to provide controlled presentation of islet-supportive ligands, as well as degradable interfaces for the promotion of engraftment and overall graft efficacy. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Pancreatic islet transplantation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Corrêa-Giannella Maria

    2009-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background No formulation of exogenous insulin available to date has yet been able to mimic the physiological nictemeral rhythms of this hormone, and despite all engineering advancements, the theoretical proposal of developing a mechanical replacement for pancreatic β cell still has not been reached. Thus, the replacement of β cells through pancreas and pancreatic islet transplantation are the only concrete alternatives for re-establishing the endogenous insulin secretion in type 1 diabetic patients. Since only 1 to 1.5% of the pancreatic mass corresponds to endocrine tissue, pancreatic islets transplantation arises as a natural alternative. Data from the International Islet Transplant Registry (ITR from 1983 to December 2000 document a total of 493 transplants performed around the world, with progressively worse rates of post-transplant insulin independence. In 2000, the "Edmonton Protocol" introduced several modifications to the transplantation procedure, such as the use of a steroid-free immunosuppression regimen and transplantation of a mean islet mass of 11,000 islet equivalents per kilogram, which significantly improved 1-year outcomes. Although the results of a 5-year follow-up in 65 patients demonstrated improvement in glycemic instability in a significant portion of them, only 7.5% of the patients have reached insulin independence, indicating the need of further advances in the preservation of the function of transplanted islet. In addition to the scarcity of organs available for transplantation, islets transplantation still faces major challenges, specially those related to cell loss during the process of islet isolation and the losses related to the graft site, apoptosis, allorejection, autoimmunity, and immunosuppression. The main strategies to optimize islet transplantation aim at improving all these aspects. Conclusion Human islet transplantation should be regarded as an intervention that can decrease the frequency of

  3. Bioartificial liver and liver transplantation: new modalities for the treatment of liver failure

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    DING Yitao

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available The main features of liver failure are extensive necrosis of hepatocytes, rapid disease progression, and poor prognosis, and at present, there are no effective drugs and methods for the treatment of liver failure. This article summarizes four treatment methods for liver failure, i.e., medical treatment, cell transplantation, liver transplantation, and artificial liver support therapy, and elaborates on the existing treatment methods. The current medical treatment regimen should be optimized; cell transplantation has not been used in clinical practice; liver transplantation is the most effective method, but it is limited by donor liver shortage and high costs; artificial liver can effectively remove toxic substances in human body. Therefore, this article puts forward artificial liver as a transition for liver transplantation; artificial liver can buy time for liver regeneration or liver transplantation and prolong patients′ survival time and thus has a promising future. The new treatment modality of bioartificial liver combined with liver transplantation may bring good news to patients with liver failure.

  4. Experience of families of children and adolescents submitted to Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Verônica de Azevedo Mazza

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available A descriptive study with a qualitative approach to describe how families of children and adolescents submitted to Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation went through this experience. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 16 relatives of children and adolescents submitted to transplantation between December of 2014 to March of 2015 at the bone marrow transplantation service at a university hospital located at the South of Brazil. We analyzed the data with steps described by Creswell, with the support of the software IRAMUTEQ. From this analysis, the emerging categories were: the mother as an active subject in the transplantation process; family experience with the transplantation; transplantation impact for the child and/or adolescent; and, transplantation: from fear to hope. Considering our results, it is possible to ponderate about the care provided by the nursing team, becoming indispensable for these professionals to plan assistance focused not only on the patient but the whole family nucleus.

  5. The Ethics of Organ Tourism: Role Morality and Organ Transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adams, Marcus P

    2017-11-15

    Organ tourism occurs when individuals in countries with existing organ transplant procedures, such as the United States, are unable to procure an organ by using those transplant procedures in enough time to save their life. In this paper, I am concerned with the following question: When organ tourists return to the United States and need another transplant, do US transplant physicians have an obligation to place them on a transplant list? I argue that transplant physicians have a duty not to relist organ tourists. Specifically, I contend that we should locate physicians' duties in these cases within the new role of "transplant physician." This role results from transplant physicians' participation in a system that depends on organ donors' voluntary act of donation. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press, on behalf of the Journal of Medicine and Philosophy Inc. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  6. Cerebral Post-Transplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder Occurring after Renal Transplantation: A Case Report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Suh, Jang Ho; Byun, Woo Mok; Kim, Hong Chul; Hwang, Min Su [Dept. of Radiology, Yeungnam University College of Medicine, Daegu (Korea, Republic of)

    2012-04-15

    Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) is a complication of organ transplantation and immunosuppression. A 36-year-old woman with a history of renal transplantation visited the hospital complaining of headache and on pathology was diagnosed with cerebral PTLD manifesting as multiple rim enhanced masses in both hemispheres. We report here a case of post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder involving the cerebrum occurring after renal transplantation, and describe the MRI findings for this patient

  7. Cerebral Post-Transplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder Occurring after Renal Transplantation: A Case Report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suh, Jang Ho; Byun, Woo Mok; Kim, Hong Chul; Hwang, Min Su

    2012-01-01

    Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) is a complication of organ transplantation and immunosuppression. A 36-year-old woman with a history of renal transplantation visited the hospital complaining of headache and on pathology was diagnosed with cerebral PTLD manifesting as multiple rim enhanced masses in both hemispheres. We report here a case of post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder involving the cerebrum occurring after renal transplantation, and describe the MRI findings for this patient

  8. Perceptions of post-transplant recidivism in liver transplantation for alcoholic liver disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kawaguchi, Yoshikuni; Sugawara, Yasuhiko; Akamatsu, Nobuhisa; Kaneko, Junichi; Tanaka, Tomohiro; Tamura, Sumihito; Aoki, Taku; Sakamoto, Yoshihiro; Hasegawa, Kiyoshi; Kokudo, Norihiro

    2014-11-27

    Although alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is regarded as a common indication for liver transplantation (LT), debatable issues exist on the requirement for preceding alcoholic abstinence, appropriate indication criteria, predictive factors for alcoholic recidivism, and outcomes following living-donor LT. In most institutions, an abstinence period of six months before LT has been adopted as a mandatory selection criterion. Data indicating that pre-transplant abstinence is an associated predictive factor for alcoholic recidivism supports the reasoning behind this. However, conclusive evidence about the benefit of adopting an abstinence period is yet to be established. On the other hand, a limited number of reports available on living-donor LT experiences for ALD patients suggest that organ donations from relatives have no suppressive effect on alcoholic recidivism. Prevention of alcoholic recidivism has proved to be the most important treatment after LT based on the resultant inferior long-term outcome of patients. Further evaluations are still needed to establish strategies before and after LT for ALD.

  9. Success of an International Learning Health Care System in Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation: The American Society of Blood and Marrow Transplantation Clinical Case Forum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barba, Pere; Burns, Linda J; Litzow, Mark R; Juckett, Mark B; Komanduri, Krishna V; Lee, Stephanie J; Devlin, Sean M; Costa, Luciano J; Khan, Shakila; King, Andrea; Klein, Andreas; Krishnan, Amrita; Malone, Adriana; Mir, Muhammad; Moravec, Carina; Selby, George; Roy, Vivek; Cochran, Melissa; Stricherz, Melisa K; Westmoreland, Michael D; Perales, Miguel-Angel; Wood, William A

    2016-03-01

    The American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (ASBMT) Clinical Case Forum (CCF) was launched in 2014 as an online secure tool to enhance interaction and communication among hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) professionals worldwide through the discussion of challenging clinical care issues. After 14 months, we reviewed clinical and demographical data of cases posted in the CCF from January 29, 2014 to March 18, 2015. A total of 137 cases were posted during the study period. Ninety-two cases (67%) were allogeneic HCT, 29 (21%) were autologous HCT, and in 16 (12%), the type of transplantation (autologous versus allogeneic) was still under consideration. The diseases most frequently discussed included non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL; n = 30, 22%), acute myeloid leukemia (n = 23, 17%), and multiple myeloma (MM; n = 20, 15%). When compared with the US transplantation activity reported by the US Department of Health and Human Services, NHL and acute lymphoblastic leukemia cases were over-represented in the CCF, whereas MM was under-represented (P educational and research perspectives. Copyright © 2016 American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. After the Transplant

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... After the transplant Preventing rejection Post-transplant medications Types of immunosuppressants Switching immunosuppressants Side effects Other medications Generic and brand name drugs Post-transplant tests Infections and immunity Lifestyle changes Health concerns Back to work or ...

  11. Stem Cell Transplant

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Graft-versus-host disease: A potential risk when stem cells come from donors If you receive a transplant ... medications and blood products into your body. Collecting stem cells for transplant If a transplant using your own ...

  12. Sistemas de tutoramento e épocas de transplante de physalis Periods replanting and training systems of cape-gooseberry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cláudia Simone Madruga Lima

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available A physalis (Physalis peruviana é uma pequena fruta com grandes potencialidades, que, associadas ao seu ciclo curto e às propriedades nutracêuticas, apresenta possibilidade de alto retorno econômico. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o sistema de tutoramento e a época de transplante mais adequados para o crescimento e a produção de frutos de P. peruviana nas condições edafoclimáticas do sul do Rio Grande do Sul. O trabalho foi desenvolvido em Pelotas, RS, na safra de 2007/2008. O transplante de mudas de physalis foi realizado em duas épocas (época 1, 21/11/2007 e época 2 15/01/2008, sendo as plantas tutoradas em quatro sistemas de condução (sistema "V" invertido, sistema triangular, sistema vertical com bambu e sistema vertical com fitilho, semelhantes aos utilizados na cultura do tomateiro. O delineamento experimental adotado foi de blocos casualizados, com três repetições, sendo cada um representado por dez plantas. Os tratamentos formaram um fatorial 2x4 (épocas de transplante x sistemas de tutoramento. As variáveis analisadas foram: incremento do comprimento e da área da seção do ramo principal, área da seção do ramo principal, produtividade e eficiência produtiva. Foi evidenciado que a primeira época de transplante associada aos sistemas de tutoramento "V" invertido e triangular proporciona melhor desempenho agronômico das plantas de physalis.The cape-gooseberry (Physalis peruviana is a small fruit with great potentialities that whether associated to its short cycle and nutraceutical properties it shows high economical return. The work aimed to evaluate the best training system and replant period to plant growth, production and fruit quality of P. peruviana under edaphoclimatic at conditions of southern Rio Grande do Sul. The trial was carried out in Pelotas, RS, in 2007/2008 crop. Transplanting seedlings cape-gooseberry was conducted in two seasons Plant replanting was done in two periods (period 1, 21

  13. Cerebral toxoplasmosis after haematopoietic stem cell transplantation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Agnieszka Zaucha-Prażmo

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Toxoplasmosis is an opportunistic infection caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii. The infection is severe and difficult to diagnose in patients receiving allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT. It frequently involves the central nervous system. The case is presented of cerebral toxoplasmosis in a 17-year-old youth with Fanconi anaemia treated with haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT

  14. High-dose therapy followed by bone marrow transplantation for relapsed follicular non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Schouten, IC; Raemaekers, JJM; Kluin-Nelemans, HC; vanKamp, H; Mellink, WAM; vantVeer, MB

    1996-01-01

    Purpose: To analyze whether, in addition to survival, and disease-free survival progression-free interval after transplantation would be longer than the last progression-free interval before transplantation, supporting the argument that high-dose therapy may change the biologic behavior of the

  15. Rapid, low-cost MR imaging protocol to document central nervous system and sinus abnormalities prior to pediatric hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Leite, Eliane D.; Barbosa, Felipe G. de; Szarf, Gilberto; Lederman, Henrique M. [Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo, Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Sao Paulo (Brazil); Seber, Adriana; Ginani, Valeria C.; Carlesse, Fabianne C.; Gouvea, Roseane V.; Zecchin, Victor G.; Carvalho, Cinthya R. [Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo, Division of Pediatric Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Sao Paulo (Brazil)

    2011-06-15

    Patients undergoing bone marrow transplant (BMT) are at risk for infectious complications, including those of the sinus. Central nervous system (CNS) abnormalities related to the chemotherapy or radiation that the patient received for the treatment of underlying malignancy or to transplant-related effects are also commonly seen. The only effective way to differentiate pre- and post-transplant causes is to have a baseline evaluation prior to the admission for transplant. The current method used to evaluate these patients is head CT. However, CT is not accurate to demonstrate CNS abnormalities and exposes the patient to radiation. MRI, despite better sensitivity for white matter abnormalities, has not been routinely used because of the higher cost and longer duration of the exam. Therefore, we designed a fast, low-cost and radiation-free MRI-based protocol to simultaneously evaluate sinus and brain abnormalities. (orig.)

  16. Cardiac transplantation in South Carolina: 300 transplants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crumbley, A J; Odom, Sylvia; Van Bakel, Adrian B; Pereira, Naveen; Ikonomidis, John S; Bradley, Scott; Kratz, John M; Sade, Robert M; Uber, Walt; Stroud, Martha R; Crawford, Fred A

    2006-02-01

    For nearly 20 years, the Medical University's Heart Transplant Program has been providing the citizens of South Carolina with excellent results with a minimum of delay. We present here the results of our first 300 heart transplants, spanning the first 18 years of the Cardiac Transplant Program at the Medical University. Overall survival has been very good, with one, five and ten year survival rates in the adults being 92 +/- 2%, 78 +/- 3%, and 58 +/- 4%. The children's group showed survival rates of 94 +/- 5%, 79 +/- 11%, and 79 +/- 11% over the same lengths of time. Most recently, the federally sponsored Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (www.ustransplant.org, July 2005) reports for MUSC a one-year survival of 97.67% and three-year survival of 90.74%; both leading the Southeast. We attribute this success to the dedicated work of health care workers at all levels who believe in attention to detail and that the patient always comes first. It is our hope that we will be able to continue to provide expert, state-of-the-art, cardiac transplant services long into the future, while continuing to expand our heart failure management program as dictated by further developments in this rapidly evolving specialty.

  17. Heart transplantation on the first day of life from an anencephalic donor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parisi, F; Squitieri, C; Carotti, A; Di Carlo, D; Gagliardi, M G

    1999-05-01

    Heart transplantation on the first day of life, and graft harvesting from anencephalic donors, have been very rare events in the history of transplantation. At Bambino Gesù Hospital (Rome), heart transplantation was performed on a newborn 9 h after birth, using a graft harvested from an anencephalic donor. This graft achieved a good cardiocirculatory function, but the recipient died of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) on post-operative day (POD) 10. Despite failure, this case and other reports support the concept that hearts from anencephalic donors can work normally, and indicate that heart transplantation on the first day of life may have a favorable outcome if postoperative maintenance of multi-organ balance and function is successful.

  18. Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation: A Historical and Scientific Overview.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Anurag K; McGuirk, Joseph P

    2016-11-15

    The field of hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) has made ground-breaking progress in the treatment of many malignant and nonmalignant conditions. It has also pioneered the concepts of stem cell therapy and immunotherapy as a tool against cancer. The success of transplant for hematologic malignancies derives both from the ability to treat patients with intensive chemoradiotherapy and from potent graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) effects mediated by donor immunity. Additionally, HSCT has been a curative therapy for several nonmalignant hematologic disorders through the provision of donor-derived hematopoiesis and immunity. Preclinical and clinical research in the field has contributed to an advanced understanding of histocompatibility, graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), GVL effect, and immune reconstitution after transplant. Improved donor selection, tailored conditioning regimens, and better supportive care have helped reduce transplant-related morbidity and mortality and expanded access. The development of unrelated donor registries and increased utilization of cord blood and partially matched related donor transplants have ensured a donor for essentially everyone who needs a transplant. However, significant barriers still remain in the form of disease relapse, GVHD infectious complications, and regimen-related toxicities. Recent developments in the field of cellular therapy are expected to further improve the efficacy of transplant. In this review, we discuss the current science of HSCT from a historical perspective, highlighting major discoveries. We also speculate on future directions in this field. Cancer Res; 76(22); 6445-51. ©2016 AACR. ©2016 American Association for Cancer Research.

  19. Carinal transplantation.

    OpenAIRE

    Ueda, H; Shirakusa, T

    1992-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Current techniques of management of carinal lesions are not always satisfactory. Carinal transplantation, if feasible, would be valuable in certain circumstances. METHODS AND RESULTS: Carinal transplantation experiments were performed in dogs. In early cross transplant experiments there were problems in controlling ventilation and in obtaining satisfactory anastomoses, and the animals failed to live for even a few days. In seven subsequent experiments the carinal graft was removed...

  20. Improved survival with renal transplantation for end-stage renal disease due to granulomatosis with polyangiitis: data from the United States Renal Data System.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wallace, Zachary S; Wallwork, Rachel; Zhang, Yuqing; Lu, Na; Cortazar, Frank; Niles, John L; Heher, Eliot; Stone, John H; Choi, Hyon K

    2018-05-14

    Renal transplantation is the optimal treatment for selected patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). However, the survival benefit of renal transplantation among patients with ESRD attributed to granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) is unknown. We identified patients from the United States Renal Data System with ESRD due to GPA (ESRD-GPA) between 1995 and 2014. We restricted our analysis to waitlisted subjects to evaluate the impact of transplantation on mortality. We followed patients until death or the end of follow-up. We compared the relative risk (RR) of all-cause and cause-specific mortality in patients who received a transplant versus non-transplanted patients using a pooled logistic regression model with transplantation as a time-varying exposure. During the study period, 1525 patients were waitlisted and 946 received a renal transplant. Receiving a renal transplant was associated with a 70% reduction in the risk of all-cause mortality in multivariable-adjusted analyses (RR=0.30, 95% CI 0.25 to 0.37), largely attributed to a 90% reduction in the risk of death due to cardiovascular disease (CVD) (RR=0.10, 95% 0.06-0.16). Renal transplantation is associated with a significant decrease in all-cause mortality among patients with ESRD attributed to GPA, largely due to a decrease in the risk of death to CVD. Prompt referral for transplantation is critical to optimise outcomes for this patient population. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  1. Kidney Transplantation: The Challenge of Human Leukocyte Antigen and Its Therapeutic Strategies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tilahun Alelign

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Kidney transplantation remains the treatment of choice for end-stage renal failure. When the immune system of the recipient recognizes the transplanted kidney as a foreign object, graft rejection occurs. As part of the host immune defense mechanism, human leukocyte antigen (HLA is a major challenge for graft rejection in transplantation therapy. The impact of HLA mismatches between the donor and the potential recipient prolongs the time for renal transplantation therapy, tethered to dialysis, latter reduces graft survival, and increases mortality. The formation of pretransplant alloantibodies against HLA class I and II molecules can be sensitized through exposures to blood transfusions, prior transplants, and pregnancy. These preformed HLA antibodies are associated with rejection in kidney transplantation. On the other hand, the development of de novo antibodies may increase the risk for acute and chronic rejections. Allograft rejection results from a complex interplay involving both the innate and the adaptive immune systems. Thus, further insights into the mechanisms of tissue rejection and the risk of HLA sensitization is crucial in developing new therapies that may blunt the immune system against transplanted organs. Therefore, the purpose of this review is to highlight facts about HLA and its sensitization, various mechanisms of allograft rejection, the current immunosuppressive approaches, and the directions for future therapy.

  2. Kidney Transplantation: The Challenge of Human Leukocyte Antigen and Its Therapeutic Strategies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahmed, Momina M.; Bobosha, Kidist; Tadesse, Yewondwossen; Howe, Rawleigh; Petros, Beyene

    2018-01-01

    Kidney transplantation remains the treatment of choice for end-stage renal failure. When the immune system of the recipient recognizes the transplanted kidney as a foreign object, graft rejection occurs. As part of the host immune defense mechanism, human leukocyte antigen (HLA) is a major challenge for graft rejection in transplantation therapy. The impact of HLA mismatches between the donor and the potential recipient prolongs the time for renal transplantation therapy, tethered to dialysis, latter reduces graft survival, and increases mortality. The formation of pretransplant alloantibodies against HLA class I and II molecules can be sensitized through exposures to blood transfusions, prior transplants, and pregnancy. These preformed HLA antibodies are associated with rejection in kidney transplantation. On the other hand, the development of de novo antibodies may increase the risk for acute and chronic rejections. Allograft rejection results from a complex interplay involving both the innate and the adaptive immune systems. Thus, further insights into the mechanisms of tissue rejection and the risk of HLA sensitization is crucial in developing new therapies that may blunt the immune system against transplanted organs. Therefore, the purpose of this review is to highlight facts about HLA and its sensitization, various mechanisms of allograft rejection, the current immunosuppressive approaches, and the directions for future therapy. PMID:29693023

  3. [Transplant Surgeon Meets Nephrologist: Important Nephrological Aspects Before and After Kidney or Liver Transplantation].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vondran, F W R; Wintterle, S; Bräsen, J H; Haller, H; Klempnauer, J; Richter, N; Lehner, F; Schiffer, M

    2017-04-01

    In cases of chronic renal insufficiency, successful kidney transplantation is the method of choice to restore patients' health, well-being and physical fitness. The interdisciplinary collaboration of nephrologists and transplant surgeons has always been a prerequisite for the successful pre-, peri- and post-transplant care of renal transplant patients. The same holds true for liver transplant patients. Here the nephrologist is often involved in cases requiring pre- or post-transplant dialysis as well as in decision making for combined liver-kidney transplantation. This review focuses on nephrological aspects in patient care before and after kidney and liver transplantation. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  4. Primate Primordial Germ Cells Acquire Transplantation Potential by Carnegie Stage 23.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clark, Amander T; Gkountela, Sofia; Chen, Di; Liu, Wanlu; Sosa, Enrique; Sukhwani, Meena; Hennebold, Jon D; Orwig, Kyle E

    2017-07-11

    Primordial germ cells (PGCs) are the earliest embryonic progenitors in the germline. Correct formation of PGCs is critical to reproductive health as an adult. Recent work has shown that primate PGCs can be differentiated from pluripotent stem cells; however, a bioassay that supports their identity as transplantable germ cells has not been reported. Here, we adopted a xenotransplantation assay by transplanting single-cell suspensions of human and nonhuman primate embryonic Macaca mulatta (rhesus macaque) testes containing PGCs into the seminiferous tubules of adult busulfan-treated nude mice. We discovered that both human and nonhuman primate embryonic testis are xenotransplantable, generating colonies while not generating tumors. Taken together, this work provides two critical references (molecular and functional) for defining transplantable primate PGCs. These results provide a blueprint for differentiating pluripotent stem cells to transplantable PGC-like cells in a species that is amenable to transplantation and fertility studies. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. History of Lung Transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dabak, Gül; Şenbaklavacı, Ömer

    2016-04-01

    History of lung transplantation in the world can be traced back to the early years of the 20 th century when experimental vascular anastomotic techniques were developed by Carrel and Guthrie, followed by transplantation of thoracic organs on animal models by Demikhov and finally it was James Hardy who did the first lung transplantation attempt on human. But it was not until the discovery of cyclosporine and development of better surgical techniques that success could be achieved in that field by the Toronto Lung Transplant Group led by Joel Cooper. Up to the present day, over 51.000 lung transplants were performed in the world at different centers. The start of lung transplantation in Turkey has been delayed for various reasons. From 1998 on, there were several attempts but the first successful lung transplant was performed at Sureyyapasa Hospital in 2009. Today there are four lung transplant centers in Turkey; two in Istanbul, one in Ankara and another one in Izmir. Three lung transplant centers from Istanbul which belong to private sector have newly applied for licence from the Ministry of Health.

  6. Organ transplantation: Legal, ethical and Islamic perspective in Nigeria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abubakar A Bakari

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Organ transplantation dates back to the ancient times and since then it has become one of the important developments in modern medicine; saving the lives, as well as improving the quality of life of many patients. As the demand for organ transplantation far exceeds the organ availability, the transplant program is often saddled with complex legal and ethical issues. This review article highlights the legal and ethical issues that might arise regarding organ transplantation and appraises the existing legal frame work governing organ transplantation in Nigeria. Information on legal, cultural, religious and medical ethical issues regarding organ transplantation in Nigeria was obtained by searching the PubMed and Google Scholar, conference proceedings, seminar paper presentations, law library and other related publications were collated and analyzed. In decision making for organ transplantation, the bioethical principles like autonomy, beneficence and justice must be employed. It was believed by Catholic theologians that to mutilate one living person to benefit another violates the principle of Totality. Among Muslim scholars and researchers, there are those who throw legal support as to its permissibility while the other group sees it as illegal. Organ/tissues transplantation is considered a medical intervention that touches on the fundamental rights of the donor or the recipient. Where there is an unlawful infringement of the right of such persons in any way may be regarded as against Section 34 of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution dealing with right to dignity of the human person. Worldwide, the researchers and government bodies have agreed on informed consent for organ/tissue donation and for recipient should be obtained without coercion before embarking on such medical treatment Worldwide organ transplantation has become the best medical treatment for patients with end stage organ failure. However, there is no law/legislation backing organ

  7. Kidney Exchange to Overcome Financial Barriers to Kidney Transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rees, M A; Dunn, T B; Kuhr, C S; Marsh, C L; Rogers, J; Rees, S E; Cicero, A; Reece, L J; Roth, A E; Ekwenna, O; Fumo, D E; Krawiec, K D; Kopke, J E; Jain, S; Tan, M; Paloyo, S R

    2017-03-01

    Organ shortage is the major limitation to kidney transplantation in the developed world. Conversely, millions of patients in the developing world with end-stage renal disease die because they cannot afford renal replacement therapy-even when willing living kidney donors exist. This juxtaposition between countries with funds but no available kidneys and those with available kidneys but no funds prompts us to propose an exchange program using each nation's unique assets. Our proposal leverages the cost savings achieved through earlier transplantation over dialysis to fund the cost of kidney exchange between developed-world patient-donor pairs with immunological barriers and developing-world patient-donor pairs with financial barriers. By making developed-world health care available to impoverished patients in the developing world, we replace unethical transplant tourism with global kidney exchange-a modality equally benefitting rich and poor. We report the 1-year experience of an initial Filipino pair, whose recipient was transplanted in the United states with an American donor's kidney at no cost to him. The Filipino donor donated to an American in the United States through a kidney exchange chain. Follow-up care and medications in the Philippines were supported by funds from the United States. We show that the logistical obstacles in this approach, although considerable, are surmountable. © 2016 The American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.

  8. Measuring and monitoring equity in access to deceased donor kidney transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stewart, D E; Wilk, A R; Toll, A E; Harper, A M; Lehman, R R; Robinson, A M; Noreen, S A; Edwards, E B; Klassen, D K

    2018-05-07

    The Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network monitors progress toward strategic goals such as increasing the number of transplants and improving waitlisted patient, living donor, and transplant recipient outcomes. However, a methodology for assessing system performance in providing equity in access to transplants was lacking. We present a novel approach for quantifying the degree of disparity in access to deceased donor kidney transplants among waitlisted patients and determine which factors are most associated with disparities. A Poisson rate regression model was built for each of 29 quarterly, period-prevalent cohorts (January 1, 2010-March 31, 2017; 5 years pre-kidney allocation system [KAS], 2 years post-KAS) of active kidney waiting list registrations. Inequity was quantified as the outlier-robust standard deviation (SD w ) of predicted transplant rates (log scale) among registrations, after "discounting" for intentional, policy-induced disparities (eg, pediatric priority) by holding such factors constant. The overall SD w declined by 40% after KAS implementation, suggesting substantially increased equity. Risk-adjusted, factor-specific disparities were measured with the SD w after holding all other factors constant. Disparities associated with calculated panel-reactive antibodies decreased sharply. Donor service area was the factor most associated with access disparities post-KAS. This methodology will help the transplant community evaluate tradeoffs between equity and utility-centric goals when considering new policies and help monitor equity in access as policies change. © 2018 The American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.

  9. Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Disease Is Not a Contraindication to Lung Transplantation in Patients With Cystic Fibrosis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Qvist, Tavs; Pressler, Tanja; Thomsen, V O

    2013-01-01

    of these died of non-NTM-related causes whereas two developed deep Mycobacterium abscessus wound infections and one was transiently culture negative until M abscessus was reactivated. One patient was subsequently cured; the other two remained on therapy with good performance status. The study supports...... infection poses a contraindication to lung transplantation. All CF patients with current or prior NTM who had undergone lung transplantation were identified. Out of 52 lung transplant patients with CF 9 (17%) had NTM disease. Five patients had known infection at the time of transplantation. Two...

  10. Transplantation of Neural Precursor Cells Attenuates Chronic Immune Environment in Cervical Spinal Cord Injury

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lennart Riemann

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available Inflammation after traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI is non-resolving and thus still present in chronic injury stages. It plays a key role in the pathophysiology of SCI and has been associated with further neurodegeneration and development of neuropathic pain. Neural precursor cells (NPCs have been shown to reduce the acute and sub-acute inflammatory response after SCI. In the present study, we examined effects of NPC transplantation on the immune environment in chronic stages of SCI. SCI was induced in rats by clip-compression of the cervical spinal cord at the level C6-C7. NPCs were transplanted 10 days post-injury. The functional outcome was assessed weekly for 8 weeks using the Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan scale, the CatWalk system, and the grid walk test. Afterwards, the rats were sacrificed, and spinal cord sections were examined for M1/M2 macrophages, T lymphocytes, astrogliosis, and apoptosis using immunofluorescence staining. Rats treated with NPCs had compared to the control group significantly fewer pro-inflammatory M1 macrophages and reduced immunodensity for inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS, their marker enzyme. Anti-inflammatory M2 macrophages were rarely present 8 weeks after the SCI. In this model, the sub-acute transplantation of NPCs did not support survival and proliferation of M2 macrophages. Post-traumatic apoptosis, however, was significantly reduced in the NPC group, which might be explained by the altered microenvironment following NPC transplantation. Corresponding to these findings, reactive astrogliosis was significantly reduced in NPC-transplanted animals. Furthermore, we could observe a trend toward smaller cavity sizes and functional improvement following NPC transplantation. Our data suggest that transplantation of NPCs following SCI might attenuate inflammation even in chronic injury stages. This might prevent further neurodegeneration and could also set a stage for improved neuroregeneration after SCI.

  11. Propylthiouracil-induced liver failure and artificial liver support systems: a case report and review of the literature

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wu DB

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Dong-Bo Wu,1,2 En-Qiang Chen,1,2 Lang Bai,1,2 Hong Tang1,2 1Center of Infectious Diseases, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, 2Division of Molecular Biology of Infectious Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, People’s Republic of China Background: Antithyroid drugs carry a potential risk of hepatotoxicity. Propylthiouracil (PTU is commonly prescribed for patients with hyperthyroidism. PTU, however, can induce liver injury, ranging from mild asymptomatic elevation of aminotransferases to acute liver failure (ALF.Case presentation: This case reports on a 16-year-old Chinese girl with hyperthyroidism, who was admitted to our hospital for jaundice, nausea, and fatigue associated with severe hyperbilirubinemia and coagulopathy. She had been prescribed PTU 5 months earlier. There was no history of hypersensitivity to drugs, viral liver diseases, blood transfusion, or surgery. On the basis of her symptoms and the clinical data, she was diagnosed with PTU-induced ALF. Due to the limited number of available donor organs for liver transplantation, she was started on treatment with artificial liver support system (ALSS. After four sessions of ALSS, her clinical signs and symptoms were found to be markedly improved, and she was discharged 25 days after admission. Four months later, her liver function normalized.Conclusion: Although PTU-induced liver failure is rare in clinical practice, liver function should be appropriately monitored during treatment with PTU. PTU-induced ALF in this patient was successfully managed with an ALSS, suggesting that the latter may be an alternative to liver transplantation. Keywords: propylthiouracil, liver injury, acute liver failure, artificial liver support systems 

  12. Blood and Bone Marrow Transplant?

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Topics / Blood and Bone Marrow Transplant Blood and Bone Marrow Transplant Also known as Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant , Hematopoietic ... person, called a donor, it is an allogeneic transplant. Blood or bone marrow transplants most commonly are used to treat ...

  13. Kaposi's sarcoma in organ transplant recipients. The Collaborative Transplantation Research Group of Ile de France.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farge, D

    1993-01-01

    Kaposi's Sarcoma (KS) is a tumour of multicentric origin with increased frequency after organ transplantation. To date, only North American data from the Cincinnati Transplant Tumor Registry have given some information about this disease in organ transplant recipients, but its true prevalence still has to be determined. In order to analyze Kaposi's sarcoma after kidney, liver and heart transplantation, we performed a retrospective study using the oldest registry of organ transplant recipients in Europe. Among all 7923 organ transplant recipients recorded in the Groupe Collaboratif de Recherche en Transplantation de l'Ile de France (GCIF) registry from 1968 to 1990, we analyzed the prevalence and the clinical characteristics of Kaposi's sarcoma in 6229 kidney, 727 liver and 967 heart transplant recipients. In the subgroup of kidney transplant recipients, we assessed the role of cyclosporine on disease evolution. Overall prevalence of Kaposi's sarcoma after organ transplantation was 0.52%, but it was significantly higher among liver (1.24%) than among kidney (0.45%) and heart (0.41%) transplant recipients. Chronic hepatitis B surface antigen carriers were more frequent in liver than in kidney transplant recipients who developed Kaposi's sarcoma (66% vs 21%, p < 0.03). Following kidney transplantation, Kaposi's sarcoma was more severe in patients receiving cyclosporine (n = 16) when compared with those under conventional immunosuppression (n = 12). True prevalence of Kaposi's sarcoma among European transplant recipients is high (0.52%) and appeared significantly higher in liver compared with other organ transplant recipients. Cyclosporine seems to increase severity of the disease among kidney transplant recipient.

  14. Opportunities to deter transplant tourism exist before referral for transplantation and during the workup and management of transplant candidates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gill, Jagbir; Diec, Olivier; Landsberg, David N; Rose, Caren; Johnston, Olwyn; Keown, Paul A; Gill, John S

    2011-05-01

    Transplant tourism is a global issue, and physicians in the developed world may be in a position to actively deter this practice. To examine such opportunities, we identified 93 residents of British Columbia, Canada who had a kidney graft through tourism and determined their previous interactions with our transplant programs. These patients were mainly ethnic minorities (90%) who traveled to their country of origin for transplantation. Many tourists were transplanted early in their disease course, with 27 having a preemptive transplant. Among the 65 tourists referred for transplant, 33 failed to complete the evaluation. All tourists who completed an evaluation were placed on a waiting list in British Columbia and, after waiting a median of 2 years, pursued tourism. Most of these patients (62%) had a potential living donor, but none had an approved donor, with 13 donors found medically unsuitable, 8 ABO incompatible, and 12 who did not complete their evaluation. Thus, strategies to deter tourism should start before the development of end-stage renal disease and should be part of pretransplant workup and wait-list management, focusing on patients not progressing through their evaluation, those with a declined living donor, and those facing longer wait times, as these groups appear to be at higher risks for transplant tourism. Further studies are needed to identify individuals at risk for transplant tourism and to define effective strategies to deter these individuals.

  15. Systemic and Nonrenal Adverse Effects Occurring in Renal Transplant Patients Treated with mTOR Inhibitors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gianluigi Zaza

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors (mTOR-I, sirolimus and everolimus, are immunosuppressive drugs largely used in renal transplantation. The main mechanism of action of these drugs is the inhibition of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR, a regulatory protein kinase involved in lymphocyte proliferation. Additionally, the inhibition of the crosstalk among mTORC1, mTORC2, and PI3K confers the antineoplastic activities of these drugs. Because of their specific pharmacological characteristics and their relative lack of nephrotoxicity, these inhibitors are valid option to calcineurine inhibitors (CNIs for maintenance immunosuppression in renal transplant recipients with chronic allograft nephropathy. However, as other immunosuppressive drugs, mTOR-I may induce the development of several adverse effects that need to be early recognized and treated to avoid severe illness in renal transplant patients. In particular, mTOR-I may induce systemic nonnephrological side effects including pulmonary toxicity, hematological disorders, dysmetabolism, lymphedema, stomatitis, cutaneous adverse effects, and fertility/gonadic toxicity. Although most of the adverse effects are dose related, it is extremely important for clinicians to early recognize them in order to reduce dosage or discontinue mTOR-I treatment avoiding the onset and development of severe clinical complications.

  16. Imaging spectrum of central nervous system complications of hematopoietic stem cell and solid organ transplantation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Server, Andres [Oslo University Hospital-Rikshospitalet, Section of Neuroradiology, Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Oslo (Norway); Bargallo, Nuria [Universitat de Barcelona, Section of Neuroradiology, Department of Radiology, Hospital Clinic, Barcelona (Spain); Institut d' investigacions Biomediques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBARS), Resonance Magnetic Image Core Facility, Barcelona (Spain); Floeisand, Yngvar [Oslo University Hospital-Rikshospitalet, Department of Hematology, Oslo (Norway); Sponheim, Jon [Oslo University Hospital-Rikshospitalet, Section of Gastroenterology, Department of Transplantation Medicine, Oslo (Norway); Graus, Francesc [Universitat de Barcelona, Department of Neurology, Hospital Clinic, Barcelona (Spain); Institut d' investigacions Biomediques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBARS), Neuroimmunology Program, Barcelona (Spain); Hald, John K. [Oslo University Hospital-Rikshospitalet, Section of Neuroradiology, Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Oslo (Norway); University of Oslo, Faculty of Medicine, Oslo (Norway)

    2017-02-15

    Neurologic complications are common after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and solid organ transplantation (SOT) and affect 30-60% of transplant recipients. The aim of this article is to provide a practical imaging approach based on the timeline and etiology of CNS abnormalities, and neurologic complications related to transplantation of specific organs. The lesions will be classified based upon the interval from HSCT procedure: pre-engraftment period <30 days, early post-engraftment period 30-100 days, late post-engraftment period >100 days, and the interval from SOT procedure: postoperative phase 1-4 weeks, early posttransplant syndromes 1-6 months, late posttransplant syndromes >6 months. Further differentiation will be based on etiology: infections, drug toxicity, metabolic derangements, cerebrovascular complications, and posttransplantation malignancies. In addition, differentiation will be based on complications specific to the type of transplantation: allogeneic and autologous hematopoietic stem cells (HSC), heart, lung, kidney, pancreas, and liver. Thus, in this article we emphasize the strategic role of neuroradiology in the diagnosis and response to treatment by utilizing a methodical approach in the work up of patients with neurologic complications after transplantation. (orig.)

  17. Imaging spectrum of central nervous system complications of hematopoietic stem cell and solid organ transplantation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Server, Andres; Bargallo, Nuria; Floeisand, Yngvar; Sponheim, Jon; Graus, Francesc; Hald, John K.

    2017-01-01

    Neurologic complications are common after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and solid organ transplantation (SOT) and affect 30-60% of transplant recipients. The aim of this article is to provide a practical imaging approach based on the timeline and etiology of CNS abnormalities, and neurologic complications related to transplantation of specific organs. The lesions will be classified based upon the interval from HSCT procedure: pre-engraftment period <30 days, early post-engraftment period 30-100 days, late post-engraftment period >100 days, and the interval from SOT procedure: postoperative phase 1-4 weeks, early posttransplant syndromes 1-6 months, late posttransplant syndromes >6 months. Further differentiation will be based on etiology: infections, drug toxicity, metabolic derangements, cerebrovascular complications, and posttransplantation malignancies. In addition, differentiation will be based on complications specific to the type of transplantation: allogeneic and autologous hematopoietic stem cells (HSC), heart, lung, kidney, pancreas, and liver. Thus, in this article we emphasize the strategic role of neuroradiology in the diagnosis and response to treatment by utilizing a methodical approach in the work up of patients with neurologic complications after transplantation. (orig.)

  18. Epstein-Barr virus associated central nervous system leiomyosarcoma occurring after renal transplantation: case report and review of the literature

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tahri, A.; Noel, G.; Feuvret, L.; Jauffret, E.; Brun, B.; Mazeron, J.J.; Baillet, F.; Noel, G.; Mazeron, J.J.; Feuvret, L.; Figuerella-Branger, D.; Goncalves, A.

    2003-01-01

    Central nervous system leiomyosarcomas are extremely rare, however, they became more frequent among immuno-deficient patients, either in a patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), or after organ transplantation. The data of the literature indicate that the infection by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) plays a causal role in the development of these tumours but its precise role in the onco-genesis remains unresolved. We report a new case of EBV associated leiomyosarcoma of the left cavernous sinus occurring after renal transplantation. The epidemiological, clinical, pathological and therapeutic characteristics of these tumours are discussed. (authors)

  19. Transplant tourism: Outcomes of United States residents who undergo kidney transplantation overseas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Canales, Muna T; Kasiske, Bertram L; Rosenberg, Mark E

    2006-12-27

    Although international commerce in kidney transplantation is a reality, little is known about U.S. residents who travel abroad for kidney transplantation. We retrospectively reviewed the clinical outcomes of patients who were evaluated at the University of Minnesota Medical Center or Hennepin County Medical Center, but then surreptitiously underwent kidney transplantation overseas. We identified 10 patients who underwent kidney transplantation outside the United States between September 16, 2002 and June 30, 2006 and then returned for care in our programs. Eight were transplanted in Pakistan (all Somali), one was transplanted in China (Chinese), and one was transplanted in Iran (Iranian). All but one had a living donor. Mean age was 36.8+/-12.5 years with median follow-up of 2.0 years (range 0.4-3.7). Three patients communicated their intent to travel abroad before transplantation. Induction immunosuppressive therapy (if any) was available in 3/10, and initial maintenance immunosuppression was known in 5/10. Complications were primarily infectious, with six potentially life-threatening infections in four patients. At last follow-up, mean serum creatinine was 1.13+/-0.34 mg/dL, acute rejection occurred in 2/10, 1/10 grafts failed due to acute rejection, and 9/10 patients were alive. Kidney function and graft survival were generally good after surreptitious overseas kidney transplantation. Major problems included incomplete perioperative information communicated to the posttransplant care facility and a high incidence of posttransplant infections. Longer follow-up and detailed cost analysis are needed to better understand the implications of the growing phenomenon of transplant tourism.

  20. Evaluation of contributing factors of post transplant erythrocytosis in renal transplant patients

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ahmed, S.; Ahmed, E.; Naqvi, R.; Qureshi, S.

    2012-01-01

    Objective: To evaluate the prevalence and contributing factors causing post transplant erythrocytosis in renal transplant patients. Methods: This retrospective study was conducted on live related renal transplant patients at SIUT. The records of all transplant recipients transplanted between April 2008 and December 2008 and who had at least 24 months follow up were studied. Patients in whom haematocrit exceeded 51% and those who received treatment for it were classified into post transplant erythrocytosis group. Results: Out of 200 renal transplant patients who had functioning graft at the time of analysis, 40 (20%) developed post transplant erythrocytosis (HCT >51%) after a mean interval of 9.5+- 2.5 months. Patients with erythrocytosis were mostly males (95% in PTE group vs 73.75% in non PTE group) ,had a shorter period on dialysis before undergoing renal transplantation (9.28 months in PTE group vs 14.56 months in non PTE group) and had relatively better graft function at the onset of erythrocytosis as judged by serum creatinine (S. Creatinine of 1.06+-0.29 mg/dl in PTE group vs 1.37 +- 0.51 mg/dl in non PTE group). No thrombotic complications were observed. All patients with erythrocytosis were treated with enalapril (ACE inhibitors) and 28 out of 40 required phlebotomy in addition to ACE inhibitors. The mean HCT at the time of last follow up in treated patients was 48.61+-1.85%. Conclusion: Post transplant erythrocytosis generally occurs in male patients with good graft function, thrombotic complications are of rare occurrence and response to ACE inhibitors is good. (author)

  1. Syngeneic transplantation in aplastic anemia

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gerull, Sabine; Stern, Martin; Apperley, Jane

    2013-01-01

    Aplastic anemia is usually treated with immunosuppression or allogeneic transplant, depending on patient and disease characteristics. Syngeneic transplant offers a rare treatment opportunity with minimal transplant-related mortality, and offers an insight into disease mechanisms. We present here...... a retrospective analysis of all syngeneic transplants for aplastic anemia reported to the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. Between 1976 and 2009, 88 patients received 113 transplants. Most transplants (n=85) were preceded by a conditioning regimen, 22 of these including anti-thymocyte globulin...

  2. Educational level, coping, and psychological and physical aspects of quality of life in heart transplant candidates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burker, Eileen J; Madan, Alok; Evon, Donna; Finkel, Jerry B; Mill, Michael R

    2009-01-01

    To determine whether demographic factors and coping strategies are related to quality of life in heart transplant candidates. Participants were 50 inpatients being evaluated for heart transplant. Coping was measured using the COPE Inventory (1) (J Pers Soc Psychol, 56, 1989, 267). Quality of life was assessed using the SF-36 (2) (Health Survey: Manual and Interpretation Guide, Quality Metric Inc, Lincoln, RI, 2000). Higher education and less seeking of social support were independently associated with better physical functioning. Higher use of denial was associated with poorer mental health functioning. In patients with significant physical limitations, years of education appears to be protective. Less seeking of social support was associated with better physical functioning perhaps because individuals who feel better physically do not feel the need to elicit support. Alternatively, the tendency to not seek assistance could stem from personality characteristics such as avoidance or optimism. Denial was associated with worse mental health functioning. Denying the existence of a stressor may be a high risk coping strategy for patients who are pre-transplant and even more dangerous for those who are post-transplant given the need to be alert to symptoms. Proactive identification of patients at risk for poorer quality of life will allow for more timely psychosocial interventions, which could impact post-transplant outcomes.

  3. Evolution of Islet Transplantation for the Last 30 Years.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farney, Alan C; Sutherland, David E R; Opara, Emmanuel C

    2016-01-01

    In this article, we will review the changes that have occurred in islet transplantation at the birth of Pancreas 30 years ago. The first attempts at β-cell replacement in humans, pancreas and islet transplantation, were performed in the 1960s and 1970s. Although pancreas transplantation has been an accepted treatment for severe labile diabetes predating the emergence of the journal, allogeneic islet transplantation remains experimental. Current investigations within islet transplantation focus to improve islet function after transplantation. Improving islet viability during isolation, exploring ways to increase engraftment, and protection from the host immune system are some of the goals of these investigative efforts. The major barriers to clinical islet transplantation are shortage of human pancreas, the need for immunosuppression, and the inadequacy of the islet isolation process. It is generally accepted that islet encapsulation is an immunoisolation tool with good potential to address the first 2 of those barriers. We have therefore devoted a major part of this review to the critical factors needed to make it a clinical reality. With improved islet isolation techniques and determination of the best site of engraftment as well as improved encapsulation techniques, we hope that islet transplantation could someday achieve routine clinical use.

  4. Defective pulmonary innate immune responses post-stem cell transplantation; review and results from one model system

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Racquel eDomingo-Gonzalez

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available Infectious pulmonary complications limit the success of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT as a therapy for malignant and nonmalignant disorders. Susceptibility to pathogens in both autologous and allogeneic HSCT recipients persists despite successful immune reconstitution. As studying the causal effects of these immune defects in the human population can be limiting, a bone marrow transplant (BMT mouse model can be used to understand the defect in mounting a productive innate immune response post-transplantation. When syngeneic BMT is performed, this system allows the study of BMT-induced alterations in innate immune cell function that are independent of the confounding effects of immunosuppressive therapy and graft-versus-host disease. Studies from several laboratories, including our own show that pulmonary susceptibility to bacterial infections post-BMT are largely due to alterations in the lung alveolar macrophages. Changes in these cells post-BMT include cytokine and eicosanoid dysregulations, scavenger receptor alterations, changes in micro RNA profiles, and alterations in intracellular signaling molecules that limit bacterial phagocytosis and killing. The changes that occur highlight mechanisms that promote susceptibility to infections commonly afflicting HSCT recipients and provide insight into therapeutic targets that may improve patient outcomes post-HSCT.

  5. What can happen after lung transplantation and the importance of the time since transplantation: radiological review of post-transplantation complications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Daimiel Naranjo, I; Alonso Charterina, S

    2016-01-01

    Lung transplantation is the best treatment option in the final stages of diseases such as cystic fibrosis, pulmonary hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Better surgical techniques and advances in immunosuppressor treatments have increased survival in lung transplant recipients, making longer follow-up necessary because complications can occur at any time after transplantation. For practical purposes, complications can be classified as early (those that normally occur within two months after transplantation), late (those that normally occur more than two months after transplantation), or time-independent (those that can occur at any time after transplantation). Many complications have nonspecific clinical and radiological manifestations, so the time factor is key to narrow the differential diagnosis. Imaging can guide interventional procedures and can detect complications early. This article aims to describe and illustrate the complications that can occur after lung transplantation from the clinical and radiological viewpoints so that they can be detected as early as possible. Copyright © 2016 SERAM. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  6. Internet and social network users' profiles in Renal Transplant Recipients in France.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mouelhi, Yosra; Alessandrini, Marine; Pauly, Vanessa; Dussol, Bertrand; Gentile, Stéphanie

    2017-08-03

    The use of the Internet for searching and sharing health information and for health care interactions may have a great potential for Renal Transplant Recipients (RTR). This study aims to determine the characteristics associated with Internet and social network use in a representative sample of RTR at the time of their inclusion in the study. Data of this cross-sectional design is retrieved from a longitudinal study conducted in five French kidney transplant centers in 2011, and included Renal Transplant Recipients aged 18 years with a functioning graft for at least 1 year. Measures include demographic characteristics (age, gender, level of education, employment status, living arrangement, having children, invalidity and monthly incomes in the household), psycho-social characteristics measured by the perceived social support questionnaire, and medical characteristics (previous dialysis treatment, duration since transplantation, graft rejection episodes, chronic graft dysfunction, health status and comorbidities: neoplasia for the current transplant, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, smoking status, BMI > 30 kg/m 2 and Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI)). Polytomous linear regression analysis was performed to describe the Internet and social network users' profiles, using lack of Internet access as the comparison category. Among the 1416 RTR participating in the study, 20.1% had no Internet access in the household, 29.4% connected to social networks and 50.5% were not connected to social networks. Patients who connected the most to the Internet and social networks were younger, male, without children, employed, with high monthly incomes in the household, without hypertension and having felt a need for an informative or an esteem support. In our study, the majority of RTR were actively using Internet and social networks. Renal transplant units should develop flexible and Web-based sources related to transplant information, which will allow a rapid adaptation to

  7. Preemptive Renal Transplantation-The Best Treatment Option for Terminal Chronic Renal Failure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arze Aimaretti, L; Arze, S

    2016-03-01

    Renal transplantation is the best therapeutic option for end-stage chronic renal disease. Assuming that it is more advisable if performed early, we aimed to show the clinical, social, and economic advantages in 70% of our patients who were dialyzed only for a short period. For this purpose, we retrospectively collected data over 28 years in 142 kidney transplants performed in patients with renal transplantation with renal failure, especially in developing countries such as Bolivia, where until last year, full public support for renal replacement therapy was unavailable. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Organ procurement: Spanish transplant procurement management.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manyalich, Martí; Mestres, Carlos A; Ballesté, Chloë; Páez, Gloria; Valero, Ricard; Gómez, María Paula

    2011-06-01

    Transplantation is an accepted therapeutic option to save or improve the quality of life when organ failure occurs or tissue replacements are needed. However, the lack of organs is the major limitation. The deceased organ procurement organization and professionals provide the solution to this international problem. In this review, we identify the elements involved in the organ procurement management process to analyze the possibility of implementation of deceased organ procurement for a transplantation program. While the donation rates are subject to several negative factors including religious, economic, cultural, and legal issues, the existence of well-trained professionals may considerably increase them. Professional training in organ donation along with the establishment of a solid organizational system has been identified as the crucial factor in developing efficient organ donation and transplantation programs.

  9. Social world of organ transplantation, trafficking, and policies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yousaf, Farhan Navid; Purkayastha, Bandana

    2016-05-01

    Although success of organ transplants reflects advances in medical procedures, the success has generated debates about the ethical standards and policies that govern transplants, especially the acquisition of organs for transplants. We focus on laws, policies, and organ trafficking to highlight the interdisciplinary perspectives that can shape our understanding of transplantation as a social phenomenon. We discuss international policies and country-specific legislation from Pakistan to point to gaps and their implications for protecting vulnerable people who are exploited for organ removal. International collaboration and the legal framework need to be strengthened to fight the menace globally and to deal with the cases of organ trafficking within the legal ambit of human trafficking so that the rights of victims are upheld by states, justice systems, and ultimately medical establishments and practitioners.

  10. Downstaging therapy followed by liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma beyond Milan criteria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Young; Stahl, Christopher C; Makramalla, Abouelmagd; Olowokure, Olugbenga O; Ristagno, Ross L; Dhar, Vikrom K; Schoech, Michael R; Chadalavada, Seetharam; Latif, Tahir; Kharofa, Jordan; Bari, Khurram; Shah, Shimul A

    2017-12-01

    Orthotopic liver transplantation is a curative treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma within Milan criteria, but these criteria preclude many patients from transplant candidacy. Recent studies have demonstrated that downstaging therapy can reduce tumor burden to meet conventional criteria. The present study reports a single-center experience with tumor downstaging and its effects on post-orthotopic liver transplantation outcomes. All patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who were evaluated by our multidisciplinary liver services team from 2012 to 2016 were identified (N = 214). Orthotopic liver transplantation candidates presenting outside of Milan criteria at initial radiographic diagnosis and/or an initial alpha-fetoprotein >400 ng/mL were categorized as at high risk for tumor recurrence and post-transplant mortality. Of the 214 patients newly diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma, 73 (34.1%) eventually underwent orthotopic liver transplantation. The majority of patients who did not undergo orthotopic liver transplantation were deceased or lost to follow-up (47.5%), with 14 of 141 (9.9%) currently listed for transplantation. Among transplanted patients, 21 of 73 (28.8%) were considered high-risk candidates. All 21 patients were downstaged to within Milan criteria with an alpha-fetoprotein hepatocellular carcinoma was higher but acceptable between downstaged high-risk and traditional candidates (9.5% vs 1.9%; P > .05) at a median follow-up period of 17 months. Downstaged high-risk candidates had a similar overall survival compared with those transplanted within Milan criteria (log-rank P > .05). In highly selected cases, patients with hepatocellular carcinoma outside of traditional criteria for orthotopic liver transplantation may undergo downstaging therapy in a multidisciplinary fashion with excellent post-transplant outcomes. These data support an aggressive downstaging approach for selected patients who would otherwise be deemed ineligible for

  11. Impact of HLA Diversity on Donor Selection in Organ and Stem Cell Transplantation

    OpenAIRE

    Tiercy Jean-Marie; Claas Frans

    2013-01-01

    The human major histocompatibility complex is a multigene system encoding polymorphic human leucocyte antigens (HLA) that present peptides derived from pathogens to the immune system. The high diversity of HLA alleles and haplotypes in the worldwide populations represents a major barrier to organ and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation because HLA incompatibilities are efficiently recognized by T and B lymphocytes. In organ transplantation pre transplant anti HLA antibodies nee...

  12. Everolimus Initiation With Early Calcineurin Inhibitor Withdrawal in De Novo Heart Transplant Recipients

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andreassen, A K; Andersson, B; Gustafsson, F

    2016-01-01

    In a randomized, open-label trial, de novo heart transplant recipients were randomized to everolimus (3-6 ng/mL) with reduced-exposure calcineurin inhibitor (CNI; cyclosporine) to weeks 7-11 after transplant, followed by increased everolimus exposure (target 6-10 ng/mL) with cyclosporine withdrawal...... events occurred in 37.3% and 19.6% of everolimus- and CNI-treated patients, respectively (p = 0.078). These results suggest that early CNI withdrawal after heart transplantation supported by everolimus, mycophenolic acid and steroids with lymphocyte-depleting induction is safe at intermediate follow...

  13. Intraportal islet transplantation: the impact of the liver microenvironment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Delaune, Vaihere; Berney, Thierry; Lacotte, Stéphanie; Toso, Christian

    2017-03-01

    The portal vein remains the preferred site for pancreatic islet transplantation due to its easy access and low morbidity. However, despite great progress in isolation and transplantation protocols over the past few years, it is still associated with the early loss of some 50-70% of transplanted islets. The complex liver microenvironment itself presumably plays an important role in this loss. The present review focuses on the specifics of the liver microenvironment, notably the localized hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury following transplantation, the low oxygenation of the portal vein, the instant blood-mediated inflammatory reaction, the endogenous liver immune system, and the gut-liver axis, and how they can each have an impact on the transplanted islets. It identifies the potential, or already applied, clinical interventions for improving intraportal islet survival, and pinpoints those promising areas still lacking preclinical research. Future interventions on clinical intraportal islet transplantation need to take into account the global context of the liver microenvironment, with multi-point interventions being most likely to improve early islet survival and engraftment. © 2017 The Authors. Transplant International published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Steunstichting ESOT.

  14. Radiation nephritis following total-body irradiation and cyclophosphamide in preparation for bone marrow transplantation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bergstein, J.; Andreoli, S.P.; Provisor, A.J.; Yum, M.

    1986-01-01

    Two children prepared for bone marrow transplantation with total-body irradiation and cyclophosphamide developed hypertension, microscopic hematuria, proteinuria, diminished renal function, and anemia six months after transplantation. Light microscopy of the kidneys revealed mesangial expansion, glomerular capillary wall thickening, and lumenal thrombosis. Electron microscopy demonstrated widening of the subendothelial space due to the deposition of amorphous fluffy material. In one patient, immunofluorescence microscopy revealed glomerular capillary wall deposition of fibrin and immunoglobulins. The clinical and histologic findings support the diagnosis of radiation nephritis. Patients prepared for bone marrow transplantation with total-body irradiation and cyclophosphamide should be followed closely after transplantation for the development of hypertension, proteinuria, and renal insufficiency

  15. Bioethics of organ transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caplan, Arthur

    2014-03-01

    As the ability to transplant organs and tissues has grown, the demand for these procedures has increased as well--to the point at which it far exceeds the available supply creating the core ethical challenge for transplantation--rationing. The gap between supply and demand, although large, is worse than it appears to be. There are two key steps to gaining access to a transplant. First, one must gain access to a transplant center. Then, those waiting need to be selected for a transplant. Many potential recipients do not get admitted to a program. They are deemed too old, not of the right nationality, not appropriate for transplant as a result of severe mental impairment, criminal history, drug abuse, or simply because they do not have access to a competent primary care physician who can refer them to a transplant program. There are also financial obstacles to access to transplant waiting lists in the United States and other nations. In many poor nations, those needing transplants simply die because there is no capacity or a very limited capacity to perform transplants. Although the demand for organs now exceeds the supply, resulting in rationing, the size of waiting lists would quickly expand were there to suddenly be an equally large expansion in the number of organs available for transplantation. Still, even with the reality of unavoidable rationing, saving more lives by increasing organ supply is a moral good. Current public policies for obtaining organs from cadavers are not adequate in that they do not produce the number of organs that public polls of persons in the United States indicate people are willing to donate.

  16. Effectiveness of Multimedia for Transplant Preparation for Kidney Transplant Waiting List Patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Charoenthanakit, C; Junchotikul, P; Sittiudomsuk, R; Saiyud, A; Pratumphai, P

    2016-04-01

    A multimedia program could effectively advise patients about preparing for transplantation while on the waiting list for a kidney transplant. This study aimed to compare knowledge about transplant preparation for patients on a kidney transplant waiting list before and after participating in a multimedia program, and to evaluate patient satisfaction with the multimedia program. Research design was quasiexperimental with the use of 1 group. Subjects were 186 patients on the kidney transplant waiting list after HLA matching in Ramathibodi Hospital. The questionnaires were developed by the researchers. The statistical tools used were basic statistics, percentage, average, standard deviation, and the difference of score between before and after participation in the multimedia program (t test). The evaluation knowledge for transplant preparation for kidney transplant waiting list patients after participating in the multimedia program averaged 85.40%, and there was an increased improvement of score by an average 3.27 out of a possible full score of 20 (P multimedia program had good average, 4.58. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Key issues in transplant tourism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akoh, Jacob A

    2012-02-24

    Access to organ transplantation depends on national circumstances, and is partly determined by the cost of health care, availability of transplant services, the level of technical capacity and the availability of organs. Commercial transplantation is estimated to account for 5%-10% (3500-7000) of kidney transplants performed annually throughout the world. This review is to determine the state and outcome of renal transplantation associated with transplant tourism (TT) and the key challenges with such transplantation. The stakeholders of commercial transplantation include: patients on the waiting lists in developed countries or not on any list in developing countries; dialysis funding bodies; middlemen, hosting transplant centres; organ-exporting countries; and organ vendors. TT and commercial kidney transplants are associated with a high incidence of surgical complications, acute rejection and invasive infection which cause major morbidity and mortality. There are ethical and medical concerns regarding the management of recipients of organs from vendors. The growing demand for transplantation, the perceived failure of altruistic donation in providing enough organs has led to calls for a legalised market in organ procurement or regulated trial in incentives for donation. Developing transplant services worldwide has many benefits - improving results of transplantation as they would be performed legally, increasing the donor pool and making TT unnecessary. Meanwhile there is a need to re-examine intrinsic attitudes to TT bearing in mind the cultural and economic realities of globalisation. Perhaps the World Health Organization in conjunction with The Transplantation Society would set up a working party of stakeholders to study this matter in greater detail and make recommendations.

  18. Infectious complications in living-donor kidney transplant recipients undergoing multi-modal desensitization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Turza, Kristin C; Shafique, Michael; Lobo, Peter I; Sawyer, Robert G; Keith, Douglas S; Brayman, Kenneth L; Agarwal, Avinash

    2014-06-01

    Pre-existing humoral barriers challenge the transplantation of living donor kidneys (LDK) into highly sensitized ABO- and human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-incompatible recipients. Conditioning these LDK recipients' immune systems is required before they undergo transplantation. We hypothesized that medical desensitization would yield higher post-transplantation rates of infection. We conducted a study in which matched controls consisting of non-desensitized (NDS) LDK recipients were compared with desensitized (DS) receipients. Pre-transplantation desensitization included treatment with rituximab and mycophenolate mofetil followed by intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) and plasmapheresis. All participants in the study underwent induction therapy and maintenance immunosuppression. Primary outcomes included infection (opportunistic, local, systemic) within 12 mo after transplantation. Twenty-five patients underwent desensitization and LDK transplantation. Graft survival in the DS and NDS groups of patients was 96% and 98%, respectively. The mean 3- and 12-mo serum creatinine concentrations in the DS and NDS groups were 1.1±0.2 mg/dL and 1.2±0.3 mg/dL and 0.95±0.4 mg/dL and 0.73±0.8 mg/dL (p=0.3 and p=0.01), respectively. Thirty-six percent of the patients in the DS group had one or more infections, vs. 28% of those in the NDS group (p=0.1). No difference was observed in the frequency of opportunistic or systemic infections in the two groups. Local infections were statistically significantly more frequent in the DS group (60% vs. 30%, respectively; p=0.02). Pre-operative desensitization in highly sensitized LDK recipients is followed by a similar incidence of opportunistic and systemic infections as in NDS patients. Local infections were significantly more frequent in the DS than in the NDS patients in the study. With careful monitoring of infectious complications, pre-transplant desensitization permits LDK transplantation into highly sensitized patients.

  19. Transplantation in the elderly: a review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jassal, S V; Opelz, G; Cole, E

    1997-01-01

    1. To review current knowledge about patient and graft survival, complication rates, patient selection and management protocols in patients aged 60 years or more with a renal transplant. 2. To review the advantages and disadvantages of cadaveric organ retrieval from older donors. Evidence was obtained from published articles identified using a MEDLINE search from 1976 to 1996; expert opinion and citations from previous review articles. Survival rates have improved with time and now range from 54 to 75% 5-year patient survival and 52-74% 5-year graft survival. The most common reason for graft loss is patient death as both acute and chronic rejection is less commonly seen in older patients. Censored graft survival (if death with a functioning graft is treated as censored data) is higher in elderly patients compared to younger ESRD patients. Based on cohort data from an administrative database a survival advantage is seen in older dialysis patients accepted for transplantation even after matching for comorbidity. Post-transplant morbidity is mainly attributable to infectious complications and an increased prevalence of malignancy. There is insufficient data about the most optimal immunosuppression regime and further research is required in this direction. The evidence currently supports the use of kidneys from older donors because of a relative lack of cadaveric organs from younger donors although a worse patient and graft outcome is recognized in the long term. Insufficient evidence exists to support a firm conclusion regarding age matching or targeting of older organs to special groups.

  20. Decision support systems

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jørgensen, L.N.; Noe, E.; Langvad, A.M.

    2007-01-01

    system Crop Protection Online is widely used by advisors and as a learning tool for students. Although the system has been validated in many field trials over the years and has shown reliable results, the number of end-users among farmers has been relatively low during the last 10 years (approximately...... 1000 farmers). A sociological investigation of farmers' decision-making styles in the area of crop protection has shown that arable farmers can be divided into three major groups: (a) system-orientated farmers, (b) experience-based farmers and (c) advisory-orientated farmers. The information required...... by these three groups to make their decisions varies and therefore different ways of using decision support systems need to be provided. Decision support systems need to be developed in close dialogue and collaboration with user groups....

  1. Organ Donation and Transplantation Statistics

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... You are here Home » Organ Donation and Transplantation Statistics There are currently 121,678 people waiting for ... org/2015/view/v2_07.aspx Facts and statistics provided by the United States Renal Data System , ...

  2. Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network/Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients 2014 Data Report: Intestine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cai, Junchao; Wu, Guosheng; Qing, Annie; Everly, Matthew; Cheng, Elaine; Terasaki, Paul

    2014-01-01

    As of September 19, 2014, 2441 cases of intestinal transplantation have been performed in 46 centers (2400 deceased, 41 living). Eight centers did more than 100 transplants. Annual case numbers peaked in 2007 (N = 198) and steadily decreased to 109 cases in 2013. Short gut syndrome (68%) and functional bowel problems (15%) are two major indications for intestinal transplantation. The 3 major types of transplants involving the intestine include: isolated intestine transplant (I); simultaneous intestine, liver, and pancreas transplant (I+L+P); and, combined intestine and liver (I+L) transplant. Graft survival has significantly improved in recent years, mainly due to improved first year graft survival. The 1-, 5-, and 10-year graft survivals were: 74%, 42%,and 26%, respectively (I); 70%, 50%, and 40%, respectively (I+L+P); and 61%, 46%, and 40%, respectively (I+L). The longest graft survivals for I, l+L+P, and l+L were 19 years, 16 years, and 23 years, respectively. Steroids, Thymoglobulin, and rituximab are 3 major induction agents used in recent years. Prograf, steroids, and Cellcept are 3 major maintenance agents. Induction recipients (68% of all patients) had a significantly lower acute rejection rate than nonrecipients before discharge (60% versus 75%, p compatible transplants. ABO identical transplant recipients had a significantly higher 5-year graft survival rate than ABO compatible recipients (39% versus 21%, p compatible (N = 188, 11%) than in the early decade (p compatible transplants were lower than those of ABO identical transplants. However, the difference did not reach statistical significance (46% versus 49%, p = 0.07). The effect of ABO compatibility on graft outcome was further confirmed by Cox Analysis. ABO incompatible transplants are still rarely performed (N = 4) in intestine. In conclusion, annual case numbers of intestinal transplants have been decreasing, regardless of improved graft survival. ABO compatible intestinal transplants previously

  3. Bone metabolism dynamics in the early post-transplant period following kidney and liver transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schreiber, Peter W; Bischoff-Ferrari, Heike A; Boggian, Katia; Bonani, Marco; van Delden, Christian; Enriquez, Natalia; Fehr, Thomas; Garzoni, Christian; Hirsch, Hans H; Hirzel, Cédric; Manuel, Oriol; Meylan, Pascal; Saleh, Lanja; Weisser, Maja; Mueller, Nicolas J

    2018-01-01

    Bone disease contributes to relevant morbidity after solid organ transplantation. Vitamin D has a crucial role for bone metabolism. Activation of vitamin D depends on the endocrine function of both, liver and kidney. Our study assessed key markers of bone metabolism at time of transplantation and 6 months after transplantation among 70 kidney and 70 liver recipients. In 70 kidney recipients 25-OH vitamin D levels did not differ significantly between peri-transplant (median 32.5nmol/l) and 6 months post-transplant (median 41.9nmol/l; P = 0.272). Six months post-transplant median 1, 25-(OH)2 vitamin D levels increased by >300% (from 9.1 to 36.5ng/l; Ptransplantation and of intact parathyroid hormone 6 months post-transplant. Among 70 liver recipients, 25-OH vitamin D, 1, 25-(OH)2 vitamin D and intact parathyroid hormone levels were not significantly altered between peri-transplant and 6 months post-transplant. Contrary to kidney recipients, median CTx increased by 60.0% (from 0.45 to 0.72 ng/ml; P = 0.002) and P1NP by 49.3% (from 84.0 to 125.4ng/ml; P = 0.001) in the longitudinal course. Assessed biomarkers didn't differ between liver recipients with and without fractures. To conclude, the assessed panel of biomarkers proved highly dynamic after liver as well as kidney transplantation in the early post-transplant period. After kidney transplantation a significant gain in 1, 25-(OH)2 vitamin D combined with a decline in iPTH, CTx and P1NP, whereas after liver transplantation an increase in CTx and P1NP were characteristic.

  4. Pancreatic Islet Cell Transplantation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Warnock, Garth L.; Rajotte, Ray V.

    1992-01-01

    Transplantation of insulin-producing tissue offers a physiologic approach to restoration of glycemic control. Whereas transplantation of vascularized pancreatic grafts has recently achieved encouraging results, pancreatic islet cell transplantation holds the promise of low morbidity and reduced requirements for agressive immunosuppression for recipients. Islet cell transplantation was recently demonstrated to induce euglycemia with insulin independence. Imagesp1656-a PMID:21221366

  5. Cardiac transplant due to metal toxicity associated with hip arthroplasty

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sheldon Moniz, MBBS (UWA

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Concerns regarding metal-on-metal (MoM bearing couples in total hip arthroplasty are well documented in the literature with cobalt (Co and chromium (Cr toxicity causing a range of both local and systemic adverse reactions. We describe the case of a patient undergoing cardiac transplantation as a direct result of Co and Cr toxicity following a MoM hip replacement. Poor implant positioning led to catastrophic wear generating abundant wear particles leading to Co and Cr toxicity, metallosis, bony destruction, elevated metal ion levels, and adverse biological responses. Systemic symptoms continued for 3 years following cardiac transplantation with resolution only after revision hip arthroplasty. There was no realization in the initial cardiac assessment and subsequent transplant workup that the hip replacement was the likely cause of the cardiac failure, and the hip replacement was not recognized as the cause until years after the heart transplant. This case highlights the need for clinicians to be aware of systemic MoM complications as well as the importance of positioning when using these prostheses.

  6. Changing Patterns of Foreigner Transplants in Korea and Overseas Organ Transplants Among Koreans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahn, Hyung Joon; Kim, Hwi Won; Han, Miyeun; Jeon, Hee Jung; Kwon, Oh Jung; Ahn, Curie

    2018-02-01

    This study aimed to estimate the numbers of foreign patients seeking organ transplantation (OT) in Korea and to examine the relationship between the trend of deceased donors in Korea and number of Korean patients seeking OT overseas since 2000. Data on foreigners who received a transplant in Korea were obtained from the Korean Network for Organ Sharing. Data on overseas transplants were obtained from 42 transplant centers surveyed through transplant coordinators. A total of 336 foreigners underwent OT (kidney transplantation [KT], 174; liver transplantation [LT], 162) in Korea between 2006 and 2016. The Mongolians were the most common foreigners who undergo KTs (32%), followed by the Chinese (18%), Americans (9%), and Emiratis (7%). Among foreigners undergoing LTs, the most common country of origin was Mongolia (39%), followed by United Arab Emirates (23%), China (13%), and the United States (6%). A total of 2206 Korean patients underwent overseas OT (KT, 977; LT, 1229) between 2000 and 2016. In 97% of overseas KT cases (n = 942) and 98% (n = 1205) of overseas LT cases, the transplantations were performed in China. The relationship between the number of deceased donors in Korea and the number of overseas transplants after 2006 indicates a highly negative correlation. (ρ = -0.988, P tourism.

  7. Heart transplantation from older donors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V. N. Poptsov

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available In the current situation of the shortage of suitable donor organs, heart transplantation from older donors is one of the ways to increase the performance of more heart transplants, particularly, in patients with urgent need of transplantation. While planning a heart transplantation from older donor one should consider increased risk of early cardiac allograft dysfunction, preexisting coronary artery disease, accelerated transplant vasculopathy which may adversely affect early and long-term survival of recipients. Subject to careful selection of donor–recipient pairs, effective prevention and treatment of early cardiac allograft dysfunction, pre-existing atherosclerosis and transplant vasculopathy the early and long-term survival of heart transplant recipients from older donors is comparable to heart transplantation from young donors.

  8. Genetic modification of cells for transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lai, Yi; Drobinskaya, Irina; Kolossov, Eugen; Chen, Chunguang; Linn, Thomas

    2008-01-14

    Progress in gene therapy has produced promising results that translate experimental research into clinical treatment. Gene modification has been extensively employed in cell transplantation. The main barrier is an effective gene delivery system. Several viral vectors were utilized in end-stage differentiated cells. Recently, successful applications were described with adenovirus-associated vectors. As an alternative, embryonic stem cell- and stem cell-like systems were established for generation of tissue-specified gene-modified cells. Owing to the feasibility for genetic manipulations and the self-renewing potency of these cells they can be used in a way enabling large-scale in vitro production. This approach offers the establishment of in vitro cell culture systems that will deliver sufficient amounts of highly purified, immunoautologous cells suitable for application in regenerative medicine. In this review, the current technology of gene delivery systems to cells is recapitulated and the latest developments for cell transplantation are discussed.

  9. Leucemia Mielóide Crônica: transplante de medula óssea Cronic Myeloid Leukemia: bone marrow transplantation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Francisco J. P. Aranha

    2008-04-01

    Full Text Available A única terapia curativa para Leucemia Mielóide Crônica ainda é o transplante de células hematopoéticas progenitoras (TCHP; os atuais resultados com uso do imatinibe são suficientes para indicarmos o TCHP como um tratamento de segunda ou terceira linha. A decisão de realizar TCHP existe em uma variedade de momentos: falha em se conseguir remissão hemtológica, citogenética ou molecular, ou quando se perde a melhor resposta conseguida ou por progressão da doença para uma fase avançada. Há decisão também de como transplantar. Nesta revisão apontamos algumas destas decisões e as atuais controvérsias.Although the only curative therapy for chronic myeloid leukemia remains allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT, the results of imatinib in newly diagnosed patients are sufficiently impressive to have displaced allo-SCT to second or third-line treatment. Patients now arrive at a decision for transplantation in a variety of disease situations: failing to achieve certain hematological, cytogenetic and molecular remission by some pre-determined timepoint, having lost a previous best response or due to progression to an advanced phase. The decision is also how to transplant. In this review article, the evidence supporting some of these decisions and current controversies are discussed.

  10. Personality predictors of mortality in cardiac transplant candidates and recipients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brandwin, M; Trask, P C; Schwartz, S M; Clifford, M

    2000-08-01

    Emotional factors are generally recognized as impacting the care of end-stage heart disease and mortality following cardiac transplants. Equally important, however, are predictors of pretransplant mortality. The current study examined the utility of the Millon Behavioral Health Inventory (MBHI) as a predictor of pre- and posttransplant mortality. A total of 103 cardiac transplant candidates were assessed with the MBHI as part of a pretransplant evaluation that included baseline demographic variables and cardiac status. Time to transplant and mortality status at 1 and 5 years was also obtained. Cluster analysis of MBHI response scores elicited two clusters characterized by high and low distress. Cluster membership predicted survival status at 1-year and 5-year follow-up, with high distress cluster patients having significantly higher mortality in both the total sample and a subgroup of patients who did receive a heart transplant. These results support the value of the MBHI for assessing personality attributes that may dispose toward unfavorable outcome in heart transplant candidates. Further understanding of psychosocial contributions to illness course and outcome may enable more effective selection of treatment interventions with cardiac patients.

  11. Adaptation of copper community tolerance levels after biofilm transplantation in an urban river.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fechner, Lise C; Versace, François; Gourlay-Francé, Catherine; Tusseau-Vuillemin, Marie-Hélène

    2012-01-15

    The Water Framework Directive requires the development of biological tools which can act as early-warning indicators of a sudden increase (accidental pollution) or decrease (recovery due to prevention) of the chemical status of aquatic systems. River biofilms, which respond quickly to modifications of environmental parameters and also play a key part in the functioning of aquatic ecosystems, are therefore good candidates to monitor an increase or a decrease of water pollution. In the present study, we investigated the biological response of biofilms transplanted either upstream (recovery) or downstream (deterioration of exposure levels) the urban area of Paris (France). Both modifications of Cu community tolerance levels and of global bacterial and eukaryotic community structure using automated ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis (ARISA) fingerprints were examined 15 and 30 days after the transplantation. Cu tolerance levels of the heterotrophic component of biofilms were assessed using a short-term toxicity test based on β-glucosidase (heterotrophic) activity. Cu tolerance increased for biofilms transplanted upstream to downstream Paris (5-fold increase on day 30) and conversely decreased for biofilms transplanted downstream to upstream (8-fold decrease on day 30). ARISA fingerprints revealed that bacterial and eukaryotic community structures of transplanted biofilms were closer to the structures of biofilms from the transplantation sites (or sites with similar contamination levels) than to biofilms from their sites of origin. Statistical analysis of the data confirmed that the key factor explaining biofilm Cu tolerance levels is the sampling site and not the site of origin. It also showed that Cu tolerance levels are related to the global urban contamination (both metals and nutrients). The study shows that biofilms adapt fast to modifications of their surroundings. In particular, community tolerance varies quickly and reflects the new exposure levels only 15

  12. [Impact of Emotion Regulation and Emotional Arousal on Quality of Life and Adherence of Couples after Kidney Transplantation].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peters, Luisa; Franke, Laura; Tkachenko, Daria; Schiffer, Mario; Zimmermann, Tanja

    2018-05-01

    Nonadherence to immunosuppressive medication increases the risk of graft failure. Maladaptive emotion regulation strategies (ERS) seem to be a risk factor for nonadherence, whereas for patients in relationships spousal support appears as a protective resource. Emotional arousal, objectively measured by the fundamental frequency (f 0 ) during spousal supportive communication is associated with supportive behavior. This study examined the relationship between beliefs about immunosuppressive medication, quality of life, ERS, emotions and emotional arousal, assessed during social support interactions of both spouses of N=50 couples after kidney transplantation. Maladaptive ERS of the transplant recipient were associated with lower mental quality of life of the partner, marginally higher own negative affect and lower beliefs about medication. Maladaptive ERS of the partner showed negative correlations with own mental quality of life. Regarding f 0 , gender differences were found. Higher f 0 of the male transplant recipient were associated with more maladaptive ERS of the female partner. Marginally significate correlations were found with lower own beliefs about medication. Higher f 0 of the wife of the male transplant recipient showed correlations with lower own positive affect, more negative affect of the male patient and lower beliefs about medication. Higher f 0 of female transplant recipients were associated with lower own maladaptive ERS and lower maladaptive ERS of the husband. The findings support the relevance of early interventions focusing on identifying and modifying maladaptive ERS for both the patient and partner. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  13. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation as a bridge to lung transplantation: A single-center experience in the present era.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Todd, Emily M; Biswas Roy, Sreeja; Hashimi, A Samad; Serrone, Rosemarie; Panchanathan, Roshan; Kang, Paul; Varsch, Katherine E; Steinbock, Barry E; Huang, Jasmine; Omar, Ashraf; Patel, Vipul; Walia, Rajat; Smith, Michael A; Bremner, Ross M

    2017-11-01

    Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation has been used as a bridge to lung transplantation in patients with rapid pulmonary function deterioration. The reported success of this modality and perioperative and functional outcomes are varied. We retrospectively reviewed all patients who underwent lung transplantation at our institution over 1 year (January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2015). Patients were divided into 2 groups depending on whether they required extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support as a bridge to transplant; preoperative characteristics, lung transplantation outcomes, and survival were compared between groups. Of the 93 patients, 12 (13%) received bridge to transplant, and 81 (87%) did not. Patients receiving bridge to transplant were younger, had higher lung allocation scores, had lower functional status, and were more often on mechanical ventilation at listing. Most patients who received bridge to transplant (n = 10, 83.3%) had pulmonary fibrosis. Mean pretransplant extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support was 103.6 hours in duration (range, 16-395 hours). All patients who received bridge to transplant were decannulated immediately after lung transplantation but were more likely to return to the operating room for secondary chest closure or rethoracotomy. Grade 3 primary graft dysfunction within 72 hours was similar between groups. Lung transplantation success and hospital discharge were 100% in the bridge to transplant group; however, these patients experienced longer hospital stays and higher rates of discharge to acute rehabilitation. The 1-year survival was 100% in the bridge to transplant group and 91% in the non-bridge to transplant group (log-rank, P = .24). The 1-year functional status was excellent in both groups. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation can be used to safely bridge high-acuity patients with end-stage lung disease to lung transplantation with good 30-day, 90-day, and 1-year survival and excellent 1-year functional status

  14. Dual Kidney Transplantation: Is It Worth It?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Snanoudj, Renaud; Timsit, Marc-Olivier; Rabant, Marion; Tinel, Claire; Lazareth, Hélène; Lamhaut, Lionel; Martinez, Frank; Legendre, Christophe

    2017-03-01

    Use of expanded criteria donor (ECD) kidneys, which are associated with a reduced graft survival rate, has become widely adopted in elderly recipients in an old-to-old allocation system. However, the results are frequently unsatisfactory, and a high proportion of these ECD kidneys are discarded. Dual kidney transplantation (DKT) is an underused way to expand the pool of ECD kidneys and to rapidly transplant elderly patients with satisfactory results because of the transplantation of double the nephronic mass. In this overview, we summarize the results of the main studies on DKT. DKT suffers from a prejudice of heaviness and is considered to be useless by transplant centers that do not perform it. The literature is often biased by the heterogeneity of the criteria leading to a DKT and the common refusal of kidneys that are judged too marginal. In fact, we show that when strictly allocated according to reliable clinical or histological scores, dual and single ECD transplantations yield similar results in terms of patient and graft survival rates despite significant differences in donors' characteristics. DKTs are not associated with a higher proportion of surgical complications, except in some studies showing thrombosis of 1 of the 2 grafts. The benefits of dual transplantation are particularly evident for kidneys coming from most ECDs. There is still a need for more studies to find the best allocation criteria that would permit transplantation to the highest number of patients with similar outcomes in recipients of single and dual ECD kidneys.

  15. Data mining in bone marrow transplant records to identify patients with high odds of survival.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taati, Babak; Snoek, Jasper; Aleman, Dionne; Ghavamzadeh, Ardeshir

    2014-01-01

    Patients undergoing a bone marrow stem cell transplant (BMT) face various risk factors. Analyzing data from past transplants could enhance the understanding of the factors influencing success. Records up to 120 measurements per transplant procedure from 1751 patients undergoing BMT were collected (Shariati Hospital). Collaborative filtering techniques allowed the processing of highly sparse records with 22.3% missing values. Ten-fold cross-validation was used to evaluate the performance of various classification algorithms trained on predicting the survival status. Modest accuracy levels were obtained in predicting the survival status (AUC = 0.69). More importantly, however, operations that had the highest chances of success were shown to be identifiable with high accuracy, e.g., 92% or 97% when identifying 74 or 31 recipients, respectively. Identifying the patients with the highest chances of survival has direct application in the prioritization of resources and in donor matching. For patients where high-confidence prediction is not achieved, assigning a probability to their survival odds has potential applications in probabilistic decision support systems and in combination with other sources of information.

  16. CD30, a marker to detect the high-risk kidney transplant recipients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spiridon, Camelia; Nikaein, Afzal; Lerman, Mark; Hunt, Judson; Dickerman, Richard; Mack, Michael

    2008-01-01

    Sensitization of potential renal transplant recipients may impact the selection of donors and the outcome of transplant. Another element of the potential kidney transplant recipient immune system that provides useful information regarding the transplant outcome is the immunologic CD30 molecule. This study shows a significant correlation between the pre-transplant high level of soluble CD30 and increased incidence of post-transplant infection. Only 7/34 (20.6%) of the patients who had a low level of sCD30 ( 90 U/mL) of sCD30 (p sCD30 pre-transplant was also correlated with the increased level of serum creatinine (p transplant malignancy (p sCD30 was also noted among females (74%), as compared with males (50%) with p antigen (HLA) mismatches on rejection was seen. These results show that higher pre-transplant immunologic reactivity measured by sCD30 level was associated with post-transplant outcome. The high level of sCD30 among females may indicate an active immunologic status, perhaps because of previous pregnancies.

  17. Neuromyelitis optica in an adolescent after bone marrow transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baumer, Fiona M; Kamihara, Junne; Gorman, Mark P

    2015-01-01

    Central nervous system complications of bone marrow transplant are a common occurrence and the differential diagnosis is quite broad, including opportunistic infections, medications toxicities, graft versus host disease, and other autoimmune processes. We summarize previously reported cases of autoimmune myelitis in post-transplant patients and discuss a 17-year-old boy who presented with seronegative neuromyelitis optica after a bone marrow transplant for acute myeloid leukemia. Our patient had a marked improvement in symptoms after plasmapheresis. Including our patient, there have been at least eight cases of post-transplant autoimmune myelitis presented in the literature, and at least three of these are suspicious for neuromyelitis optica. Several of these patients had poor outcomes with persistent symptoms after the myelitis. Autoimmune processes such as neuromyelitis optica should be carefully considered in patients after transplant as aggressive treatment like early plasmapheresis may improve outcomes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Fine needle aspiration cytology of ALK1(-), CD30+ anaplastic large cell lymphoma post renal transplantation: a case report and literature review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Balachandran, Indra; Walker, Joe W; Broman, Jerry

    2010-03-01

    Post transplant lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLD) complicates the course of 0.3 to 3% of renal transplant patients receiving immunosuppression. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) related non-Hodgkin's lymphomas of B-cell type is more common than those of T-cell origin. CD30 positive Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (ALCL) is a Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (B or T cell type) that accounts for a small percentage of PTLD's. ALCL of T-cell type are a spectrum of disease ranging from primary cutaneous to systemic nodal ALCL. The systemic nodal ALCL is further subdivided into anaplastic lymphoma kinase-1 (ALK-1) positive or negative. ALK-1 protein is a gene fusion product of translocation (2;5) and carries prognostic implications. We present an unusual manifestation of ALK-1 negative CD30 positive ALCL in a post renal transplant patient in FNA cytology with all supportive adjuvant studies and differential diagnoses and review the cytology literature on this topic.

  19. The impact of repeated mismatches in kidney transplantations performed after nonrenal solid organ transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Côté, J M; Zhang, X; Dahhou, M; Sapir-Pichhadze, R; Foster, B; Cardinal, H

    2018-01-01

    The aim of this study was to determine whether kidney transplantations performed after previous nonrenal solid organ transplants are associated with worse graft survival when there are repeated HLA mismatches (RMM) with the previous donor(s). We performed a retrospective cohort study using data from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients. Our cohort comprised 6624 kidney transplantations performed between January 1, 1990 and January 1, 2015. All patients had previously received 1 or more nonrenal solid organ transplants. RMM were observed in 35.3% of kidney transplantations and 3012 grafts were lost over a median follow-up of 5.4 years. In multivariate Cox regression analyses, we found no association between overall graft survival and either RMM in class 1 (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.97, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.89-1.07) or class 2 (HR: 0.95, 95% CI 0.85-1.06). Results were similar for the associations between RMM, death-censored graft survival, and patient survival. Our results suggest that the presence of RMM with previous donor(s) does not have an important impact on allograft survival in kidney transplant recipients who have previously received a nonrenal solid organ transplant. © 2017 The American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.

  20. Intractable urinary tract infection in a renal transplant recipient

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gokulnath, Renuka Satish

    2009-01-01

    Urinary tract infections (UTI) are the most common bacterial infections after renal transplantation and are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Recurrent or relapsing infections are not uncommon in the early post-transplant period and superadded fungal UTI can occur in these patients, posing a difficult therapeutic problem. Literature on recurrent UTI after transplant as well as the ideal approach to such patients is scanty. We present the case of a renal allograft recipient who presented with relapsing bacterial UTI complicated by systemic fungemia; also, a brief review of fungal UTI is attempted. (author)

  1. Imaging in pancreatic transplants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Heller, Matthew T; Bhargava, Puneet

    2014-01-01

    Pancreatic transplantation, performed alone or in conjunction with kidney transplantation, is an effective treatment for advanced type I diabetes mellitus and select patients with type II diabetes mellitus. Following advancements in surgical technique, postoperative management, and immunosuppression, pancreatic transplantation has significantly improved the length and quality of life for patients suffering from pancreatic dysfunction. While computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have more limited utility, ultrasound is the preferred initial imaging modality to evaluate the transplanted pancreas; gray-scale assesses the parenchyma and fluid collections, while Doppler interrogation assesses vascular flow and viability. Ultrasound is also useful to guide percutaneous interventions for the transplanted pancreas. With knowledge of the surgical anatomy and common complications, the abdominal radiologist plays a central role in the perioperative and postoperative evaluation of the transplanted pancreas

  2. Breast Reconstruction After Solid Organ Transplant.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koonce, Stephanie L; Giles, Brian; McLaughlin, Sarah A; Perdikis, Galen; Waldorf, James; Lemaine, Valerie; TerKonda, Sarvam

    2015-09-01

    Solid organ transplant patients frequently develop posttransplant malignancies including breast cancer. They may desire breast reconstruction after mastectomy, which could potentially be complicated by their transplant status, immunosuppressive regimen, and previous operations. We review our experience with patients who have undergone solid organ transplant and subsequent breast reconstruction after mastectomy After institutional review board approval, we queried our prospective breast reconstruction and solid organ transplant databases for corresponding patients. Inclusion criteria comprised breast reconstruction after solid organ transplant. A chart review was conducted of identified patients. Seventeen patients were identified: 1 pulmonary transplant, 4 cardiac transplants, 2 liver transplants, 1 pancreas transplant, 2 combined kidney/pancreas transplants, and 7 kidney transplants. Indications for mastectomy included posttransplant malignancy and prophylaxis. Median time from transplant to completion of reconstruction was 186 months (range, 11-336 months). Median age at transplant was 34.5 years (range, 21-65 years) with the median age of the patients at reconstructive surgery 51.5 years (range, 34-71 years). Median body mass index was 25.3 (range, 21.3-46.5). No significant complications were noted after reconstructive surgery. All patients were on full immunosuppression at time of reconstruction. Breast reconstruction is a viable option for transplant patients after mastectomy and should not be refused based on their transplant status. Close coordination with the transplant team and careful preoperative planning is essential for optimal outcomes.

  3. Choosing a Transplant Center

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... however you can Daughter's dying wish became mother's motivation Be The Match Blog Stories Anna, transplant recipient ... for transplant costs. Location – You might have to travel to receive a transplant. Consider how far the ...

  4. Appraisal of transplant-related stressors, coping strategies, and psychosocial adjustment following kidney transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pisanti, Renato; Lombardo, Caterina; Luszczynska, Aleksandra; Poli, Luca; Bennardi, Linda; Giordanengo, Luca; Berloco, Pasquale Bartolomeo; Violani, Cristiano

    2017-10-01

    This study examined the relations between appraisal of transplant-related stressors, coping, and adjustment dimensions following kidney transplantation (KT). Two models were tested: (1) the main effects model proposing that stress appraisal and coping strategies are directly associated with adjustment dimensions; and (2) the moderating model of stress proposing that each coping strategy interacts with stress appraisal. Importantly, there is a lack of research examining the two models simultaneously among recipients of solid organ transplantation. A total of 174 KT recipients completed the questionnaires. Predictors of post-transplant adjustment included appraisal of transplant-related stressors and coping strategies (task-, emotion-, and avoidance-focused). Adjustment dimensions were psychological distress, worries about the transplant, feelings of guilt, fear of disclosure of transplant, adherence, and responsibility for the functioning of the new organ. The main and moderating effects were tested with regression analyses. Appraisal of transplant-related stressors and emotion-oriented coping were related to all adjustment dimensions, except of adherence and responsibility. Task-oriented coping was positively related to responsibility. Avoidance-oriented coping was negatively correlated with adherence. Only 1 out of 18 hypothesized interactive terms was significant, yielding a synergistic interaction between appraisal of transplant-related stressors and emotion-oriented coping on the sense of guilt. The findings have the potential to inform interventions promoting psychosocial adjustment among KT recipients. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  5. Split-liver transplantation : An underused resource in liver transplantation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Rogiers, Xavier; Sieders, Egbert

    2008-01-01

    Split-liver transplantation is an efficient tool to increase the number of liver grafts available for transplantation. More than 15 years after its introduction only the classical splitting technique has reached broad application. Consequently children are benefiting most from this possibility.

  6. The lived experience of autologous stem cell-transplanted patients: Post-transplantation and before discharge.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alnasser, Qasem; Abu Kharmah, Salahel Deen; Attia, Manal; Aljafari, Akram; Agyekum, Felicia; Ahmed, Falak Aftab

    2018-04-01

    To explore the lived experience of the patients post-haematopoietic stem cell transplantation and specifically after engraftment and before discharge. Patients post-stem cell transplantation experience significant changes in all life aspects. Previous studies carried out by other researchers focused mainly on the postdischarge experience, where patients reported their perceptions that have always been affected by the life post-transplantation and influenced by their surroundings. The lived experience of patients, specifically after engraftment and prior to discharge (the "transition" phase), has not been adequately explored in the literature. Doing so might provide greater insight into the cause of change post-haematopoietic stem cell transplantation. This study is a phenomenological description of the participants' perception about their lived experience post-haematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The study used Giorgi's method of analysis. Through purposive sampling, 15 post-haematopoietic stem cell transplantation patients were recruited. Data were collected by individual interviews. Data were then analysed based on Giorgi's method of analysis to reveal the meaning of a phenomenon as experienced through the identification of essential themes. The analysis process revealed 12 core themes covered by four categories that detailed patients lived experience post-haematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The four categories were general transplant experience, effects of transplantation, factors of stress alleviation and finally life post-transplantation. This study showed how the haematopoietic stem cell transplantation affected the patients' physical, psychological and spiritual well-being. Transplantation also impacted on the patients' way of thinking and perception of life. Attending to patients' needs during transplantation might help to alleviate the severity of the effects and therefore improve experience. Comprehensive information about transplantation needs

  7. Outcome of Renal Transplant in Recipients With Vasculitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barbouch, Samia; Hajji, Meriam; Aoudia, Raja; Ounissi, Monther; Zammouri, Asma; Goucha, Rym; Ben Hamida, Fathi; Bacha, Mohammed Mongi; Abderrahim, Ezzedine; Ben Abdallah, Taieb

    2017-02-01

    End-stage renal disease develops in a high percentage of patients with vasculitis, in whom kidney transplant has become a therapeutic option. However, limited data are available on the prognosis and outcomes after kidney transplant in these patients. We aimed to compare the long-term graft survival and graft function in 8 renal transplant recipients with vasculitis (granulomatosis with polyangiitis, microscopic polyangiitis, Goodpasture syndrome, and Henoch-Schonlein purpura) with the other kidney recipients at a single center. We conducted a retrospective study of patients followed for chronic renal failure associated with vasculitis before renal transplant. We excluded patients with no biopsy-proven nephropathy. There was no difference in the occurrence of metabolic and cardiovascular complications in our case group compared with the other graft recipients. Infections were frequent and included cytomegalovirus and urinary tract infection. The rates of bacterial and viral infection were equivalent in our population. The incidence of allograft loss was estimated at 1.8%, less than that seen in our entire transplant population. The presence of vasculitis was not significantly related to renal failure (P = .07). Extrarenal relapse occurred in 1 patient with microscopic polyangiitis. Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody levels in patients with granulomatosis with polyangiitis and microscopic polyangiitis did not seem to influence the renal outcome (P = .08). Circulating antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies were associated with the development of vascular lesions in the graft but were not significantly correlated with graft survival (P = .07). This study supports the theory that renal transplant is an effective treatment option for patients with end-stage renal disease secondary to vasculitis. These patients fare similarly to, if not better than, other patients.

  8. Childhood Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation (PDQ®)—Health Professional Version

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hematopoietic cell transplantation involves the infusion of blood stem cells (peripheral/umbilical cord blood, bone marrow) into a patient to reconstitute the blood system. Get detailed information about autologous and allogeneic transplant, including cell selection, HLA matching, and preparative regimens, and the acute complications and late effects of treatment in this summary for clinicians.

  9. Cholethorax (bilothorax) - a rare complication of liver transplantation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yankova, D.; Hadjidekov, G.

    2017-01-01

    Bile leakage from anastomotic insufficiency is one of the commonest complications following liver transplantation. In contrast, bilothorax (cholethorax) - appearance of bile in a pleural effusion after diaphragmatic injury in patient with bile leakage and ascites, is extremely rare condition. Diaphragmatic defect can be iatrogenic as a result of surgery of the hepato-biliary system or it can be secondary to a traumatic incidence. In our case, we represent a bilothorax appeared two months after liver transplantation with bile leakage leading to bile passing from the abdominal cavity to the pleural space through a post-surgery diaphragmatic defect. Key words: Cholethorax (Bilothorax). Liver Transplantation [bg

  10. Perfusion device for liver preservation ex vivo before transplantation: first experimental study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    O. N. Reznik

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction. Successful liver transplantation including from donors with a sudden irreversible cardiac arrest requires the use of modern hardware and technical support to maintain, select and sustain organ viability for the period from harvesting to transplantation to the recipient.Materials and methods. Hardware-software system (HSS developed by the Russian State Scientific Center for Robotics and Technical Cybernetics (RTC was used for testing of normothermic perfusion of donor’s liver ex vivo. The experiment was conducted on the isolated pig liver (Duroc breed in accordance with the ethical principles.Result. During perfusion spontaneous recovery of bile outflow through the cannula installed in the common bile duct (volume of bile released – 240 ml was observed, and the color and uniformity of the perfused liver did not differ from the normal parameters. Biochemical indicators were stabilized at the physiological values after 40 minutes of perfusion procedure.Conclusion. Isolated liver transplant was completely restored after 30 minutes of warm ischemia and was functioning well due to ex vivo perfusion procedure on the new perfusion device. The first case of the new device usage for normothermic liver ex vivo demonstrated hopeful results to be further investigated.

  11. EBV-positive B cell cerebral lymphoma 12 years after sex-mismatched kidney transplantation: post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder or donor-derived lymphoma?

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Phelan, Paul J

    2010-06-01

    We present a follow-up case report of possible transmission of lymphoma 12 years after deceased-donor renal transplantation from a male donor who was found at autopsy to have had an occult lymphoma. The female recipient underwent prompt transplant nephrectomy. However, 12 years later, she presented with cerebral B cell lymphoma. A donor origin for the cerebral lymphoma was supported by in situ hybridization demonstration of a Y chromosome in the lymphoma. There was a dramatic resolution of the cerebral lesions with tapering of immunosuppression and introduction of rituximab treatment. The finding of a Y chromosome in the cerebral lymphoma does not exclude a host contribution to lymphoma development.

  12. Regional and international integrated telemedicine network for organ transplant (HC 4028 & IN 4028 European Commission DGXIII).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vari, S G; Brugal, G; Godo, F; Bercic, B; Nagy, G; Avar, G; Adelh, D; Lagouarde, P

    2000-01-01

    A substantial portion of future medical practice will depend greatly on improved collaboration between the providers throughout the healthcare sector, and effective sharing of data and expertise by different healthcare professionals. In organ transplant it is a rule, donor organs are matched to recipients via national or multinational organ-sharing organizations. Only through close co-operation between transplant surgeons, immunologists, nephrologists, pathologists, radiologists and other physicians could one increase the efficiency of organ transplantation. Information technology (IT) has become an inevitable and inherent part of transplantation medicine. The RETRANSPLANT project interfaces and integrates IT from the European Union Fourth Framework projects to support the development of regional organ transplant information networks in Central Europe.

  13. Japanese-style intensive medical care improves prognosis for acute liver failure and the perioperative management of liver transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Inoue, K; Watanabe, T; Maruoka, N; Kuroki, Y; Takahashi, H; Yoshiba, M

    2010-12-01

    The Japanese style of intensive medical care for acute liver failure has yielded high survival rates. The care system comprises artificial liver support (ALS) together with treatment for the underlying disease. Plasma exchange in combination with high-volume hemodiafiltration using an high performance membrane has become the standard ALS system. It is safe, efficiently removing more low and middle molecular weight toxic substances than other methods because of the large volumes of buffer (more than 200 L per session), resulting in recovery from coma in patients with severe fulminant hepatitis, a status comparable with the ahepatic state. This ALS is therefore an effective tool to sustain patients with fulminant hepatitis in a favorable condition until liver function recovers or liver transplantation becomes available. The accompanying treatment for underlying disease serves to limit the liver destruction that hampers regeneration. The treatment has remarkably improved the prognosis for patients with subacute types of fulminant hepatitis, which generally carry a less favorable prognosis than the acute type. This treatment system thus provides more time for physicians to assess the indications for liver transplantation as well as giving the patient a greater chance of undergoing transplantation. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. [Role of long-term follow-up in management of late-onset post-hematopoietic stem cell transplant complications].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Asano-Mori, Yuki

    As the number of long-term survivors after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) has increased owing to advances in transplantation and supportive care techniques, the health and welfare of these survivors have come into focus. However, they are still at risks for various complications, including chronic graft-versus-host disease, infectious diseases, and secondary cancers even in the late period, which can not only interfere with the patient's quality of life (QOL) but also lead to death. The importance of long-term follow-up (LTFU) and management have been recently recognized, and nationwide systems to promote LTFU care in patients receiving HSCT, such as medical fee revision, publication of a LTFU guideline unique to Japan, and preparation of patient pocketbook, is under consideration. The number of medical facilities at LTFU outpatient clinic is also increasing; therefore, an optimal comprehensive support system may be established sooner or later. However, self-management by patients is essential to overcome late complications as well as to improve QOL after HSCT. Healthcare professionals should collaborate and continue to make the greatest possible efforts to educate patients regarding the risks of late complications and their prevention.

  15. Monitoring embryonic stem cell transplantation into rat corpus cavernosum using optical imaging system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Min, Jung Joon; Moon, Sung Min; Le, Uyenchi N.; Park, Kwang Sung; Lee, Hyun Suk; Song, Ho Cheon; Bom, Hee Seung; Han, Ha Jae

    2005-01-01

    The conventional method for the analysis of stem cell transplantation depends on postmortem histology. Here, we have sought to demonstrate the feasibility of a longitudinal monitoring of transplanted cell survival in living animals, by employing optical imaging techniques. Mouse embryonic stem cells (ESC) were obtained from American Type Culture Collection (ES-E14TG2a). Mouse ES cells were cultured in the DMEM (Gibco-BRL, Gaithersburg, MD) supplemented with 3.7 g/L sodium bicarbonate, 1 % penicillin and streptomycin, 1.7 mM L-glutamine, 0.1mM β-mercaptoethanol 5 ng/mL mouse leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), and 15% fetal bovine serum (FBS) with or without a feeder layer and cultured for five days in standard medium plus LIF. ESCs were then transfected (MOI=100) overnight with Ad-CMV-Fluc. Our experimental Sprague-Dawley rats (n=7) were given with different numbers of ESCs 6) expressing Fluc into corpus cavernosum. In cell cultures, firefly luciferase activity correlated linearly with cell numbers from 10 5 to 5x10 6 (r2=0.95). In living animal imaging, imaging signal activity correlated linearly with cell numbers injected from 10 5 to 5x10 6 at each time point (r2=0.62 ∼ 0.98), In all three groups of rats, imaging signal was detected in rat genital area from the 2nd day to the 47th day after cellular injection. Adenovirus mediated transient expression of firefly luciferase reporter gene in ESCs was feasible to monitor cell survival over a month after transplantation. The locations, magnitude, and survival duration of the ESCs were noninvasively monitored with a bioluminescence optical imaging system

  16. Trials and tribulations with electronic medication adherence monitoring in kidney transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Williams, Allison; Low, Jac Kee; Manias, Elizabeth; Dooley, Michael; Crawford, Kimberley

    2016-01-01

    Medication adherence in kidney transplantation is critical to prevent graft rejection. Testing interventions designed to support patients to take their prescribed medications following a kidney transplant require an accurate measure of medication adherence. In research, the available methods for measuring medication adherence include self-report, pill counts, prescription refill records, surrogate measures of medication adherence and medication bottles with a microchip-embedded cap to record bottle openings. Medication bottles with a microchip-embedded cap are currently regarded as the gold standard measure. This commentary outlines the challenges in measuring medication adherence using electronic medication monitoring of kidney transplant patients recruited from five sites. The challenges included obtaining unanimous stakeholder support for using this method, agreement on an index medication to measure, adequate preparation of the patient and training of pharmacy staff, and how to analyze data when periods of time were not recorded using the electronic adherence measure. Provision of this information will enable hospital and community pharmacists to implement approaches that promote the effective use of this adherence measure for optimal patient outcomes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Photoacoustic imaging of angiogenesis in subdermal islet transplant sites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, Wei; Pawlick, Rena; Bruni, Antonio; Rafiei, Yasmin; Pepper, Andrew R.; Gala-Lopez, Boris; Choi, Min; Malcolm, Andrew; Zemp, Roger J.; Shapiro, A. M. James

    2016-03-01

    Exogenous insulin administration is the mainstay treatment therapy for patients with Type-1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). However, for select patients, clinical islet transplantation is an alternative therapeutic treatment. In this procedure, islets are transplanted into the hepatic portal vein, and despite improved success within the last decade, obstacles are still associated with this approach. It has been discovered that the subcutaneous space may be an effective alternative site for islet transplantation, and may provide advantages of easy access and potential for simple monitoring. The ability to monitor islet viability and the transplant microenvironment may be key to future success in islet transplantation. A subcutaneous device-less technique has been developed to facilitate angiogenesis in the islet transplant site, however, a method for monitoring the potential engraftment site have yet to be explored fully. Here we demonstrate the ability to track angiogenesis in mice with 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks post-catheter implant on both sides of the abdomen using a FujiFilm VisualSonics Vevo-LAZR system. Quantitative analysis on vessel densities exhibited gradual vessel growth successfully induced by catheter implantation. Our study demonstrates the ability of employing photoacoustic and micro-ultrasound imaging to track angiogenesis around the catheter site prior to islet transplantation.

  18. Pulmonary rehabilitation in lung transplant candidates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Melinda; Mathur, Sunita; Chowdhury, Noori A; Helm, Denise; Singer, Lianne G

    2013-06-01

    While awaiting lung transplantation, candidates may participate in pulmonary rehabilitation to improve their fitness for surgery. However, pulmonary rehabilitation outcomes have not been systematically evaluated in lung transplant candidates. This investigation was a retrospective cohort study of 345 pre-transplant pulmonary rehabilitation participants who received a lung transplant between January 2004 and June 2009 and had available pre-transplant exercise data. Data extracted included: 6-minute walk tests at standard intervals; exercise training details; health-related quality-of-life (HRQL) measures; and early post-transplant outcomes. Paired t-tests were used to examine changes in the 6MW distance (6MWD), exercise training volume and HRQL during the pre-transplant period. We evaluated the association between pre-transplant 6MWD and transplant hospitalization outcomes. The final 6MWD prior to transplantation was only 15 m less than the listing 6MWD (n = 200; p = 0.002). Exercise training volumes increased slightly from the start of the pulmonary rehabilitation program until transplant: treadmill, increase 0.69 ml/kg/min (n = 238; p volumes are well preserved among lung transplant candidates participating in pulmonary rehabilitation, even in the setting of severe, progressive lung disease. Participants with greater exercise capacity prior to transplantation have more favorable early post-transplant outcomes. Copyright © 2013 International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Prevalence and correlates of medication non-adherence among kidney transplant recipients more than 6 months post-transplant: a cross-sectional study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weng, Francis L; Chandwani, Sheenu; Kurtyka, Karen M; Zacker, Christopher; Chisholm-Burns, Marie A; Demissie, Kitaw

    2013-12-01

    Among kidney transplant recipients, non-adherence with immunosuppressive medications frequently precedes allograft loss. We sought to determine the prevalence and correlates of medication non-adherence among kidney transplant recipients. We performed a single-center, cross-sectional study of kidney transplant recipients who were at least 6 months post-transplant. We measured self-reported adherence using the Immunosuppressive Therapy Adherence Scale (ITAS, which is scored from 0 to 12, where higher scores indicate increased adherence) and barriers to adherence using the Immunosuppressive Therapy Barriers Scale (ITBS). We also used validated scales to measure perceived stress, health literacy, anxiety, depression, and interpersonal support. The 252 patients included in the study were 59.9% male, 27.0% Black, and at a median of 2.9 years post-transplant (interquartile range [IQR] 1.4-5.8). On the ITAS, 59.1% scored a perfect 12, 26.6% scored 10-11, and 14.3% scored 0-9. In univariate models, non-adherence (defined as ITAS score ≤9) was significantly associated with increased scores on scales for perceived stress (OR 1.12, 95% CI 1.01-1.25) and depression (OR 1.14, 95% CI 1.02-1.28), and with more self-reported barriers to adherence on the ITBS (OR 1.15, 95% CI 1.08-1.22). After adjusting for sociodemographic factors, stress and depression were not associated with non-adherence. Higher scores on the ITBS (corresponding to more self-described barriers to adherence) were associated with lower scores on the ITAS (P adherence. Among prevalent kidney transplant recipients, a minority is non-adherent. Practical barriers to adherence may serve as promising targets for future interventions.

  20. [Habitability and life support systems].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nefedov, Iu G; Adamovich, B A

    1988-01-01

    This paper discusses various aspects of space vehicle habitability and life support systems. It describes variations in the chemical and microbial composition of an enclosed atmosphere during prolonged real and simulated flights. The paper gives a detailed description of life support systems and environmental investigations onboard the Mir station. It also outlines the development of space vehicle habitability and life support systems as related to future flights.

  1. Perceived Workforce Challenges among Clinical Social Workers in Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Programs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stickney Ferguson, Stacy; Randall, Jill; Dabney, Jane; Kalbacker, Marion E; Boyle, Nancy; Thao, Viengneesee; Murphy, Elizabeth A; Denzen, Ellen M

    2018-05-01

    Clinical social workers are psychosocial care experts who provide interventions that aim to address the emotional, relational, financial, and logistical challenges that arise throughout the hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) treatment and recovery process. Interventions that contribute to better patient outcomes can include cognitive behavioral therapy and counseling for adaptation to illness, family planning for 24/7 caregiver availability and strategies to support patient activities of daily living, instruction on guided imagery and relaxation techniques for symptom management and to decrease anxiety, psychoeducation on the treatment trajectory, and linkage with financial resources. A Social Work Workforce Group (SWG) was established through the System Capacity Initiative, led by the National Marrow Donor Program/Be The Match, to characterize the current social work workforce capacity and challenges. The SWG conducted a web-based survey of HCT clinical social workers in the United States. The response rate was 57% (n = 90), representing 76 transplant centers. Survey results indicated that the clinical social worker role and scope of practice varies significantly between centers; less than half of respondents reported that their clinical social work expertise was used to its fullest potential. With an estimated 3-fold increase in HCT patient volume by 2020, the need for specialized psychosocial health services will increase. The SWG makes recommendations to build capacity for the psychosocial care of HCT patients and to more fully integrate the social worker as a core member of the HCT team. The SWG created a Blood and Marrow Transplant (BMT) Clinical Social Worker role description that can be used by transplant centers to educate healthcare professionals, benchmark utilization of clinical social workers, and improve comprehensive psychosocial health programs. Copyright © 2018 The American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. Published by

  2. Pre-transplantation glucose testing for predicting new-onset diabetes mellitus after renal transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramesh Prasad, G V; Huang, M; Bandukwala, F; Nash, M M; Rapi, L; Montada-Atin, T; Meliton, G; Zaltzman, J S

    2009-02-01

    New-onset diabetes after renal transplantation (NODAT) adversely affects graft and patient survival. However, NODAT risk based on pre-transplant blood glucose (BG) levels has not been defined. Our goal was to identify the best pre-transplant testing method and cut-off values. We performed a case-control analysis of non-diabetic recipients who received a live donor allograft with at least 6 months post-transplant survival. Pre-transplant glucose abnormalities were excluded through 75 g oral glucose tolerance testing (OGTT) and random BG (RBG) measurement. NODAT was defined based on 2003 Canadian Diabetes Association criteria. Multivariate logistic and Cox regression analysis was performed to determine independent predictor variables for NODAT. Receiver-operating-characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed to determine threshold BG values for diabetes risk. 151 recipients met initial entry criteria. 12 had pre-transplant impaired fasting glucose and/or impaired glucose tolerance, among who 7 (58%) developed NODAT. In the remaining 139, 24 (17%) developed NODAT. NODAT risk exceeded 25% for those with pre-transplant RBG > 6.0 mmol/l and 50% if > 7.2 mmol/l. Pre-transplant RBG provided the highest AUC (0.69, p = 0.002) by ROC analysis. Increasing age (p = 0.025), acute rejection (p = 0.011), and RBG > 6.0 mmol/l (p = 0.001) were independent predictors of NODAT. Pre-transplant glucose testing is a specific marker for NODAT. Patients can be counseled of their incremental risk even within the normal BG range if the OGTT is normal.

  3. Stem-cell-activated organ following ultrasound exposure: better transplant option for organ transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Sen; Li, Yu; Ji, Ying-Chang; Lin, Chang-Min; Man, Cheng; Zheng, Xiao-Xuan

    2010-01-01

    Although doctors try their best to protect transplants during surgery, there remain great challenges for the higher survival rate and less rejection of transplants after organ transplantation. Growing evidence indicates that the stem cells could function after injury rather than aging, implying that suitable injury may activate the stem cells of damaged organs. Furthermore, it has been revealed that stem cells can be used to induce tolerance in transplantation and the ultrasound has great biological effects on organs. Basing on these facts, we hypothesize that the stem cells within the transplants can be activated by ultrasound with high-frequency and medium-intensity. Therefore, the stem-cell-activated organs (SCAO) can be derived, and the SCAO will be better transplant option for organ transplantation. We postulate the ultrasound can change the molecular activity and/or quantity of the stem cells, the membrane permeability, the cell-cell junctions, and their surrounding microenvironments. As a result, the stem cells are activated, and the SCAO will acquire more regenerative capacity and less rejection. In the paper, we also discuss the process, methods and models for verifying the theory, and the consequences. We believe the theory may provide a practical method for the clinical application of the ultrasound and stem cells in organ transplantation.

  4. Spanish Adaptation and Validation of the Transplant Effects Questionnaire (TxEQ-Spanish in Liver Transplant Recipients and Its Relationship to Posttraumatic Growth and Quality of Life

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    María Á. Pérez-San-Gregorio

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available The valid assessment of the impact of transplantation on psychological well-being is highly relevant to optimize treatment. However, to date there is no standardized instrument available in Spain. The Transplant Effects Questionnaire (TxEQ evaluates the specific problems associated with organ transplantation, such as worry about transplant, guilt regarding the donor, disclosure of having undergone transplantation, adherence to medical treatment and responsibility toward the donor, family, friends, or medical staff. Against this backdrop the English original version of the TxEQ was translated into Spanish and validated in a sample of 240 liver transplant recipients. Participants also filled in the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI, and the 12-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12v.2. Confirmatory factor analysis of the TxEQ-Spanish revealed a five-factor structure equivalent to the English original version, and satisfactory internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha: worry α = 0.82, guilt α = 0.77, disclosure α = 0.91, adherence α = 0.82, responsibility α = 0.83. Results showed that better mental quality of life was associated with higher adherence and disclosure, as well as less worry and guilt. Higher posttraumatic growth was significantly associated with worry, guilt, and responsibility. Interestingly, the most powerful predictor of posttraumatic growth was worry. Analysis of variance showed an interaction effect of PTG and mental quality of life on adherence, with medium PTG being associated with significantly stronger adherence in participants with better mental quality of life. In conclusion our study could successfully adapt and validate the Spanish version of the TxEQ in a large sample of liver transplant recipients. Our findings show a complex relationship between emotional reactions to transplantation, mental quality of life, and posttraumatic growth, which give further insight into inner processes supporting psychological well

  5. Socioeconomic rehabilitation of successful renal transplant patients and impact of funding source: Indian scenario.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kapoor, Rakesh; Sharma, Raj Kumar; Srivastava, Aneesh; Kapoor, Rohit; Arora, Sohrab; Sureka, Sanjoy Kumar

    2015-01-01

    Socio-economic rehabilitation is an important outcome parameter in successful renal transplant recipients, particularly in developing countries with low income patients who often depend on extraneous sources to fund their surgery costs. We studied the socioeconomic rehabilitation and changes in socioeconomic status (SES) of successful renal allograft recipients among Indian patients and its correlation with their source of funding for the surgery. A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study was conducted on 183 patients between January 2010 to January 2013. Patients with follow up of at least 1 year after successful renal transplant were included. During interview, two questionnaires were administered, one related to the SES including source of funding before transplantation and another one relating to the same at time of interview. Changes in SES were categorized as improvement, stable and deterioration if post-transplant SES score increased >5%, increased or decreased by 5% of pre-transplant value, respectively. In this cohort, 97 (52.7%), 67 (36.4%) and 19 (10.3%) patients were non-funded (self-funded), one-time funded and continuous funded, respectively. Fifty-six (30.4%) recipients had improvement in SES, whereas 89 (48.4%) and 38 (20.7%) recipients had deterioration and stable SES. Improvement in SES was seen in 68% patients with continuous funding support whereas, in only 36% and 12% patients with non-funded and onetime funding support (P = 0.001) respectively. Significant correlation was found (R = 0.715) between baseline socioeconomic strata and changes in SES after transplant. 70% of the patients with upper and upper middle class status had improving SES. Patients with middle class, lower middle and lower class had deterioration of SES after transplant in 47.4%, 79.6% and 66.7% patients, respectively. Most of the recipients from middle and lower social strata, which included more than 65% of our patient's population, had deteriorating SES even after a

  6. Computer-aided training sensorimotor cortex functions in humans before the upper limb transplantation using virtual reality and sensory feedback.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kurzynski, Marek; Jaskolska, Anna; Marusiak, Jaroslaw; Wolczowski, Andrzej; Bierut, Przemyslaw; Szumowski, Lukasz; Witkowski, Jerzy; Kisiel-Sajewicz, Katarzyna

    2017-08-01

    One of the biggest problems of upper limb transplantation is lack of certainty as to whether a patient will be able to control voluntary movements of transplanted hands. Based on findings of the recent research on brain cortex plasticity, a premise can be drawn that mental training supported with visual and sensory feedback can cause structural and functional reorganization of the sensorimotor cortex, which leads to recovery of function associated with the control of movements performed by the upper limbs. In this study, authors - based on the above observations - propose the computer-aided training (CAT) system, which generating visual and sensory stimuli, should enhance the effectiveness of mental training applied to humans before upper limb transplantation. The basis for the concept of computer-aided training system is a virtual hand whose reaching and grasping movements the trained patient can observe on the VR headset screen (visual feedback) and whose contact with virtual objects the patient can feel as a touch (sensory feedback). The computer training system is composed of three main components: (1) the system generating 3D virtual world in which the patient sees the virtual limb from the perspective as if it were his/her own hand; (2) sensory feedback transforming information about the interaction of the virtual hand with the grasped object into mechanical vibration; (3) the therapist's panel for controlling the training course. Results of the case study demonstrate that mental training supported with visual and sensory stimuli generated by the computer system leads to a beneficial change of the brain activity related to motor control of the reaching in the patient with bilateral upper limb congenital transverse deficiency. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. [Serum soluble HLA-G, soluble CD30 is correlated to the time after transplantation in renal transplant recipients].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jin, Zhankui; Xu, Cuixiang; Duan, Wanli; Yang, Jiangcun; Tian, Puxun

    2017-07-01

    Objective To investigate the expressions of serum soluble human leukocyte antigen G (sHLA-G) and soluble CD30 (sCD30) in renal transplant recipients at different time after transplantation, and explore the relationship between the expressions of serum sHLA-G, sCD30 and the time after renal transplantation. Methods Eleven kidney transplant recipients and 10 healthy donors were selected, in which the dynamic changes of serum sHLA-G and sCD30 were detected by ELISA before transplantation and 1 year after transplantation; 33 kidney transplant recipients with normal renal graft were selected and divided into three groups: 1-5 years, 5-10 years and 10 years post-transplantation. The expressions of serum sHLA-G and sCD30 in the recipients were tested over one year after transplantation. Results The level of serum sHLA-G before transplantation was not significantly different from that of the control group. There was no significant difference between pre-transplantation, 1 week and 1 month after transplantation. Serum sHLA-G level of renal transplant recipients at 3 months after transplantation was higher than that 1 month after transplantation. There was no significant change in serum sHLA-G level among 3, 6 and 12 months after transplantation. The level of serum sHLA-G in the group of transplant time >10 years was significantly higher than that in the group of transplant time ≤5 years. The serum sHLA-G level was significantly associated with the time after renal transplantation. The level of serum sCD30 before transplantation was higher than that in the control group and decreased in 1 week after transplantation. There were no significant differences in sCD30 level between 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after transplantation, and similarly, there were also no significant differences between the groups of transplant time ≤5 years, 5-10 years and 10 years after transplantation. The level of sCD30 was significantly associated with the time within 1 month after renal

  8. Microsurgical techniques for experimental kidney transplantation and general guidelines to establish studies about transplantation immunology Técnicas microcirúrgicas para transplante renal experimental e condutas para estabelecer experimentos sobre imunologia do transplante

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paulo Ney Aguiar Martins

    2003-08-01

    Full Text Available Experimental models of organ transplantation played a crucial role to establish the principles of transplantation immunology. The renal transplantation in rodents became the most used model to study the mechanisms of allograft rejection. To perform it, it is necessary to master the microsurgery techniques and the research group should cooperate with other specialists in the field. In this article we review the surgical techniques employed in rats, and we draw guidelines to establish studies about transplantation immunology.Os princípios da imunologia do transplante estabeleceram-se após o surgimento de modelos experimentais. Esses modelos foram fundamentais para descoberta de mecanismos de tolerância imunológica e as bases genéticas da reação de rejeição. Transplante renal em roedores utilizando técnicas de microcirurgia tornou-se o modelo ideal, e abriu um novo horizonte para condução de pesquisas sobre imunologia e fisiologia de transplantes. Neste artigo revisamos as técnicas de transplante renal, e esboçamos diretrizes para elaboração de estudos imunológicos em modelos de rejeição.

  9. Symptoms after hospital discharge following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gamze Oguz

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Aims: The purposes of this study were to assess the symptoms of hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients after hospital discharge, and to determine the needs of transplant patients for symptom management. Materials and Methods: The study adopted a descriptive design. The study sample comprised of 66 hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients. The study was conducted in Istanbul. Data were collected using Patient Information Form and Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale (MSAS. Results: The frequency of psychological symptoms in hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients after discharge period (PSYCH subscale score 2.11 (standard deviation (SD = 0.69, range: 0.93-3.80 was higher in hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients than frequency of physical symptoms (PHYS subscale score: 1.59 (SD = 0.49, range: 1.00-3.38. Symptom distress caused by psychological and physical symptoms were at moderate level (Mean = 1.91, SD = 0.60, range: 0.95-3.63 and most distressing symptoms were problems with sexual interest or activity, difficulty sleeping, and diarrhea. Patients who did not have an additional chronic disease obtained higher MSAS scores. University graduates obtained higher Global Distress Index (GDI subscale and total MSAS scores with comparison to primary school graduates. Total MSAS, MSAS-PHYS subscale, and MSAS-PSYCH subscale scores were higher in patients with low level of income (P < 0.05. The patients (98.5% reported to receive education about symptom management after hospital discharge. Conclusions: Hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients continue to experience many distressing physical or psychological symptoms after discharge and need to be supported and educated for the symptom management.

  10. Medical crowdfunding for organ transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Durand, Wesley M; Peters, Jillian L; Eltorai, Adam E M; Kalagara, Saisanjana; Osband, Adena J; Daniels, Alan H

    2018-04-23

    An increasing number of patients and families are utilizing online crowdfunding to support their medical expenses related to organ transplantation. The factors influencing the success of crowdfunding campaigns are poorly understood. Crowdfunding campaigns were abstracted from a popular crowdfunding web site. Campaigns were included if they were actively accepting donations to fund medical expenses related to transplantation of selected organs. The primary outcome measure was total amount raised among successful campaigns receiving at least one donation. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed on various campaign characteristics. A total of 850 campaigns were analyzed. Kidney transplant campaigns were most common (40.5%), followed by liver (33.3%), lung (12.2%), heart (11.3%), and multiorgan (2.7%). 69.1% of campaigns received any donation, and among these, the mean amount raised was $3664 (median $1175). The following factors were significantly associated with amount raised: more positive emotional sentiment in the campaign description (+2.6% per AFINN unit, P < .001), longer campaign description length (+2.4% per 100 characters, P = .001), higher goal amount (+0.6% per $1000 of goal amount, P = .004), and third-person description perspective (+131% vs first person, P < .001). Physicians will likely encounter medical crowdfunding with increasing frequency as it continues to grow in popularity among their patients. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  11. 14 CFR 417.307 - Support systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 14 Aeronautics and Space 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Support systems. 417.307 Section 417.307... TRANSPORTATION LICENSING LAUNCH SAFETY Flight Safety System § 417.307 Support systems. (a) General. (1) A flight safety system must include the systems required by this section to support the functions of the flight...

  12. Life after a lung transplant: a balance of joy and challenges.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Graarup, Jytte; Mogensen, Elin Lindberg; Missel, Malene; Berg, Selina Kikkenborg

    2017-11-01

    To describe patients' experiences throughout the first four months post-lung transplant. Health professionals are familiar with the fact that patients' average survival after a lung transplant is about seven years and that 74% of these patients reject new organs within the first two years. By contrast, knowledge of these patients' perspectives after lung transplantation is scant. A qualitative study was conducted between May 2013-May 2014 in which 26 interviewees participated - four months post-transplant - based on a semistructured interview guide. The data were inductively analysed using a content thematic approach within a phenomenological and hermeneutic frame. The main findings in the study reveal that (1) having a lung transplant is an overwhelming experience, which for some patients includes (2) troubling physical and psychological challenges. The interviewees were happy to get another chance to live, although some of them suffered from medical side effects, postoperative complications and psychological problems. When asked about the future, interviewees stated that life could be described as (3) a balance of joy and challenges. They had received a new chance in life and were eager to fulfil their life hopes and dreams. At the same time, they were worried about the future. Having a lung transplant implies rules that have to be followed. What are the healthy choices they are supposed to make? And will there be a tomorrow? Having a lung transplant is described as an overwhelming experience because of the improvement in the physical function of the body. Patients were grateful to family, friends and healthcare professionals for supporting them. The first four months post-transplantation were described as both physically and psychologically challenging. Interviewees were aware of the prognosis for patients following lung transplantation. They expressed feelings of worry and insecurity but still had hopes and dreams. The patients are troubled by both physical and

  13. Pediatric Liver Transplantation: Our Experiences.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Basturk, Ahmet; Yılmaz, Aygen; Sayar, Ersin; Dinçhan, Ayhan; Aliosmanoğlu, İbrahim; Erbiş, Halil; Aydınlı, Bülent; Artan, Reha

    2016-10-01

    The aim of our study was to evaluate our liver transplant pediatric patients and to report our experience in the complications and the long-term follow-up results. Patients between the ages of 0 and 18 years, who had liver transplantation in the organ transplantation center of our university hospital between 1997 and 2016, were included in the study. The age, sex, indications for the liver transplantation, complications after the transplantation, and long-term follow-up findings were retrospectively evaluated. The obtained results were analyzed with statistical methods. In our organ transplantation center, 62 pediatric liver transplantations were carried out since 1997. The mean age of our patients was 7.3 years (6.5 months-17 years). The 4 most common reasons for liver transplantation were: Wilson's disease (n=10; 16.3%), biliary atresia (n=9; 14.5%), progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis (n=8; 12.9%), and cryptogenic cirrhosis (n=7; 11.3%). The mortality rate after transplantation was 19.6% (12 of the total 62 patients). The observed acute and chronic rejection rates were 34% and 4.9%, respectively. Thrombosis (9.6%) was observed in the hepatic artery (4.8%) and portal vein (4.8%). Bile leakage and biliary stricture rates were 31% and 11%, respectively. 1-year and 5-year survival rates of our patients were 87% and 84%, respectively. The morbidity and mortality rates in our organ transplantation center, regarding pediatric liver transplantations, are consistent with the literature.

  14. Stem Cells as a Tool to Improve Outcomes of Islet Transplantation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emily Sims

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available The publication of the promising results of the Edmonton protocol in 2000 generated optimism for islet transplantation as a potential cure for Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus. Unfortunately, follow-up data revealed that less than 10% of patients achieved long-term insulin independence. More recent data from other large trials like the Collaborative Islet Transplant Registry show incremental improvement with 44% of islet transplant recipients maintaining insulin independence at three years of follow-up. Multiple underlying issues have been identified that contribute to islet graft failure, and newer research has attempted to address these problems. Stem cells have been utilized not only as a functional replacement for β cells, but also as companion or supportive cells to address a variety of different obstacles that prevent ideal graft viability and function. In this paper, we outline the manners in which stem cells have been applied to address barriers to the achievement of long-term insulin independence following islet transplantation.

  15. Combined heart-kidney transplantation after total artificial heart insertion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruzza, A; Czer, L S C; Ihnken, K A; Sasevich, M; Trento, A; Ramzy, D; Esmailian, F; Moriguchi, J; Kobashigawa, J; Arabia, F

    2015-01-01

    We present the first single-center report of 2 consecutive cases of combined heart and kidney transplantation after insertion of a total artificial heart (TAH). Both patients had advanced heart failure and developed dialysis-dependent renal failure after implantation of the TAH. The 2 patients underwent successful heart and kidney transplantation, with restoration of normal heart and kidney function. On the basis of this limited experience, we consider TAH a safe and feasible option for bridging carefully selected patients with heart and kidney failure to combined heart and kidney transplantation. Recent FDA approval of the Freedom driver may allow outpatient management at substantial cost savings. The TAH, by virtue of its capability of providing pulsatile flow at 6 to 10 L/min, may be the mechanical circulatory support device most likely to recover patients with marginal renal function and advanced heart failure. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Development and Psychometric Testing of a Sexual Concerns Questionnaire for Kidney Transplant Recipients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muehrer, Rebecca J; Lanuza, Dorothy M; Brown, Roger L; Djamali, Arjang

    2015-01-01

    This study describes the development and psychometric testing of the Sexual Concerns Questionnaire (SCQ) in kidney transplant (KTx) recipients. Construct validity was assessed using the Kroonenberg and Lewis exploratory/confirmatory procedure and testing hypothesized relationships with established questionnaires. Configural and weak invariance were examined across gender, dialysis history, relationship status, and transplant type. Reliability was assessed with Cronbach's alpha, composite reliability, and test-retest reliability. Factor analysis resulted in a 7-factor solution and suggests good model fit. Construct validity was also supported by the tests of hypothesized relationships. Configural and weak invariance were supported for all subgroups. Reliability of the SCQ was also supported. Findings indicate the SCQ is a valid and reliable measure of KTx recipients' sexual concerns.

  17. Psychosocial Variables Associated with Immunosuppressive Medication Non-Adherence after Renal Transplantation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jennifer Felicia Scheel

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available IntroductionNon-adherence to immunosuppressive medication is regarded as an important factor for graft rejection and loss after successful renal transplantation. Yet, results on prevalence and relationship with psychosocial parameters are heterogeneous. The main aim of this study was to investigate the association of immunosuppressive medication non-adherence and psychosocial factors.MethodsIn 330 adult renal transplant recipients (≥12 months posttransplantation, health-related quality of life, depression, anxiety, social support, and subjective medication experiences were assessed, and their associations with patient-reported non-adherence was evaluated.Results33.6% of the patients admitted to be partially non-adherent. Non-adherence was associated with younger age, poorer social support, lower mental, but higher physical health-related quality of life. There was no association with depression and anxiety. However, high proportions of clinically relevant depression and anxiety symptoms were apparent in both adherent and non-adherent patients.ConclusionIn the posttransplant follow-up, kidney recipients with lower perceived social support, lower mental and higher physical health-related quality of life, and younger age can be regarded as a risk group for immunosuppressive medication non-adherence. In follow-up contacts with kidney transplant patients, physicians may pay attention to these factors. Furthermore, psychosocial interventions to optimize immunosuppressive medication adherence can be designed on the basis of this information, especially including subjectively perceived physical health-related quality of life and fostering social support seems to be of importance.

  18. Current status of transplantation and organ donation in the Balkans--could it be improved through the South-eastern Europe Health Network (SEEHN) initiative?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spasovski, Goce; Busic, Mirela; Pipero, Pellumb; Sarajlić, Lada; Popović, Andreja Subotić; Dzhaleva, Theodora; Codreanu, Igor; Ratković, Marina Mugosa; Popescu, Irinel; Lausević, Mirjana; Avsec, Danica; Raley, Lydia; Ekberg, Henrik; Ploeg, Rutger; Delmonico, Francis

    2012-04-01

    Organ donation and transplantation activity in the majority of Balkan countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia, Romania and Bulgaria) are lagging far behind international averages. Inadequate financial resources, unclear regional data and lack of government infrastructure are some of the issues which should be recognized to draw attention and lead to problem-solving decisions. The Regional Health Development Centre (RHDC) Croatia, a technical body of the South-eastern Europe Health Network (SEEHN), was created in 2011 after Croatia's great success in the field over the last 10 years. The aim of the RHDC is to network the region and provide individualized country support to increase donation and transplantation activity in collaboration with professional societies (European Society of Organ Transplantation, European Transplant Coordinators Organization, The Transplantation Society and International Society of Organ Donation and Procurement). Such an improvement would in turn likely prevent transplant tourism. The regional data from 2010 show large discrepancies in donation and transplantation activities within geographically neighbouring countries. Thus, proposed actions to improve regional donation and transplantation rates include advancing living and deceased donation through regular public education, creating current and accurate waiting lists and increasing the number of educated transplant nephrologists and hospital coordinators. In addition to the effort from the professionals, government support with allocated funds per deceased donation, updated legislation and an established national coordinating body is ultimately recognized as essential for the successful donation and transplantation programmes. By continuous RHDC communication and support asked from the health authorities and motivated professionals from the SEEHN initiative, an increased number of deceased as well as living donor kidney

  19. Spill operation system decision support system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Clark, R.

    1992-01-01

    The MSRC Spill Operation System (SOS) is a tool for the support of decision-making at the time of a catastrophic oil spill. SOS provides MSRC decision-makers with access to information about the source of the spill, the spill environment, and the availability of spill response resources. This system is designed to meet the information needs of a Response Supervisor, an Environmental Advisor, Logistics/Maintenance Supervisor, Operations Supervisor, and the MSRC Regional General Manager. The SOS project Objectives are: (1) integrate currently available data, systems, and technologies; (2) develop an application that effectively supports mobilized operations and can be adapted to support normal operations; (3) ensure that the development of computer applications is driven by user needs and not by technology; and (4) coordinate with government and other industry organizations to avoid duplication of effort. Design Objectives for SOS are: (1) centralize management information storage while decentralizing decision making capabilities; (2) boost User confidence by providing a system that is easy to learn, easy to use, and is open-quotes Sailor Proofclose quotes; and (3) use visualization technology in providing spill related information. This approach includes the use of Geographic Information System (GIS) technology for maps and geographically associated resource; and support MSRC's concept of operation which includes - a swift notification of response personnel; fast mobilization of response resources; and accurate tracking of resources during a spill. MSRC is organized into five responsibility regions

  20. Preliminary Study on Testicular Germ Cell Transplantation of Endemic Species Oryzias celebensis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andriani, I.; Agustiani, F.; Hassan, M.; Parenrengi, A.; Inoue, K.

    2018-03-01

    The research has been conducted to study some technical steps for male germ-plasm from endemic fish species such as some species of Oryzias fish in Indonesia to preserve and propagate through germ cell transplantation technology. For preliminary research, the study was started with germ cell characterization of testes, cryopreservation of TGC and the transplantation of Oryzias celebensis as candidates for surrogate broodstock of Oryzias fish male germ plasm. The data analized included the potential number of TGC as donor, the viability of cryopreserved TGC in two types of cryoprotectans and the survival rate of O.celebensis larvae as recipient after transplantation. The result showed that the average amount of TGC yielded after dissociation was 131000 ± 31349 with 74.2 % viability of TGC each. Cryoprotectan10% DMSO +glucose yielded higher viable of TGC. More than 80 % of O.celebensis larvae survived after transplantation. In conclusion, these preliminary data of O.celebensis as surrogate broodstock candidate will support the application of TGC transplantation technology in Oryzias endemic species.

  1. Psychiatric disorders in bone marrow transplant patients

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khan, A.G.; Irfan, M.; Shamsi, T.S.; Hussain, M.

    2007-01-01

    To identify the psychiatric illnesses in patients with hematological/oncological disorders encountered during blood and bone marrow transplantation. All consecutive patients, aged 15 years and above, who fulfilled inclusion and exclusion criteria and underwent blood and bone marrow transplantation, were enrolled in this study. Psychiatric assessment comprised of a semi-structured interview based on Present Status Examination (PSE). The psychiatric diagnosis was made on the basis of International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) system of classification devised by W.H.O. Eighty patients, who fulfilled the inclusion criteria, were inducted in this study. Thirty (37.5%) cases were found to have psychiatric disorders. Out of the total, 60 (75%) were males and 20 (25%) females. Adjustment disorder was the most frequent diagnosis (n=12), followed by major depression (n=7). Rest of the diagnoses made were generalized anxiety disorder, acute psychotic disorder, delirium and depressive psychosis. High psychiatric morbidity associated with blood and bone marrow transplantation was observed. It indicates the importance of psychiatric intervention during the isolation period of BMT as well as pre-transplant psychiatric assessment and counseling regarding procedure. (author)

  2. Clinical pancreatic islet transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shapiro, A M James; Pokrywczynska, Marta; Ricordi, Camillo

    2017-05-01

    Clinical pancreatic islet transplantation can be considered one of the safest and least invasive transplant procedures. Remarkable progress has occurred in both the technical aspects of islet cell processing and the outcomes of clinical islet transplantation. With >1,500 patients treated since 2000, this therapeutic strategy has moved from a curiosity to a realistic treatment option for selected patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (that is, those with hypoglycaemia unawareness, severe hypoglycaemic episodes and glycaemic lability). This Review outlines the techniques required for human islet isolation, in vitro culture before the transplant and clinical islet transplantation, and discusses indications, optimization of recipient immunosuppression and management of adjunctive immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory strategies. The potential risks, long-term outcomes and advances in treatment after the transplant are also discussed to further move this treatment towards becoming a more widely available option for patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus and eventually a potential cure.

  3. Successful cardiac transplantation outcomes in patients with adult congenital heart disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Menachem, Jonathan N; Golbus, Jessica R; Molina, Maria; Mazurek, Jeremy A; Hornsby, Nicole; Atluri, Pavan; Fuller, Stephanie; Birati, Edo Y; Kim, Yuli Y; Goldberg, Lee R; Wald, Joyce W

    2017-09-01

    The purpose of our study is (1) to characterise patients with congenital heart disease undergoing heart transplantation by adult cardiac surgeons in a large academic medical centre and (2) to describe successful outcomes associated with our multidisciplinary approach to the evaluation and treatment of adults with congenital heart disease (ACHD) undergoing orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT). Heart failure is the leading cause of death in patients with ACHD leading to increasing referrals for OHT. The Penn Congenital Transplant Database comprises a cohort of patients with ACHD who underwent OHT between March 2010 and April 2016. We performed a retrospective cohort study of the 20 consecutive patients. Original cardiac diagnoses include single ventricle palliated with Fontan (n=8), dextro-transposition of the great arteries after atrial switch (n=4), tetralogy of Fallot (n=4), pulmonary atresia (n=1), Ebstein anomaly (n=1), unrepaired ventricular septal defect (n=1) and Noonan syndrome with coarctation of the aorta (n=1). Eight patients required pretransplant inotropes and two required pretransplant mechanical support. Nine patients underwent heart-liver transplant and three underwent heart-lung transplant. Three patients required postoperative mechanical circulatory support. Patients were followed for an average of 38 months as of April 2016, with 100% survival at 30 days and 1 year and 94% overall survival (19/20 patients). ACHD-OHT patients require highly specialised, complex and multidisciplinary healthcare. The success of our programme is attributed to using team-based, patient-centred care including our multidisciplinary staff and specialists across programmes and departments. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  4. Socially disadvantaged parents of children treated with allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Larsen, Hanne Bækgaard; Heilmann, Carsten; Johansen, Christoffer

    2013-01-01

    PURPOSE: This study was undertaken to test a daily Family Navigator Nurse (FNN) conducted intervention program, to support parents during the distressful experience of their child's Allogeneic Haematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT). METHODS: A qualitative analysis of the supportive...

  5. Waiting for a kidney transplant: the experience of patients with end-stage renal disease in South Korea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chong, Hye Jin; Kim, Hyun Kyung; Kim, Sung Reul; Lee, Sik

    2016-04-01

    To explore the experiences of Korean patients with end-stage renal disease awaiting kidney transplantation. The need for kidney transplantation has increased worldwide, while the number of kidney donors has not increased commensurately. This mismatch is a serious issue in South Korea. Prolonged waits for transplantation may cause physical and psychosocial issues and lead to poor outcomes. Nevertheless, the experience of waiting for kidney transplantation in South Korea has never been explored in depth. A qualitative descriptive design was used. The participants were eight patients diagnosed with end-stage renal disease on the waiting list for kidney transplantation in South Korea. Data were collected through individual in-depth interviews. All conversations during interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Transcribed data were analysed using conventional content analysis. The experience of waiting for kidney transplantation consisted of six categories: (1) the light at the end of the tunnel, (2) being on call without any promise, (3) a tough tug of war between excitement and frustration, (4) doubts in the complexity, (5) A companion on the hard journey and (6) getting ready for D-day. Kidney transplantation candidates experience psychosocial difficulties and concerns while waiting for long periods of time without any assurance of resolution. Systematic education and psychosocial support from health care professionals and family members help patients get through what they describe as a difficult journey. Comprehensive management programs for kidney transplantation candidates are needed. Health care professionals need to recognise the psychosocial concerns of patients awaiting kidney transplantation. Clinicians should provide patients with information and support throughout the waiting period. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  6. ABO-incompatible kidney transplantation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Schousboe, Karoline; Titlestad, Kjell; Baudier, Francois

    2010-01-01

    INTRODUCTION: Kidney transplantation is the optimal treatment for many patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Due to shortage of donor kidneys in Denmark, there is a need to expand the possibilities for donation. At the Odense University Hospital (OUH), we have introduced ABO......-incompatible kidney transplantation. We used antigenspecific immunoadsorptions to remove blood group antibodies and anti-CD20 antibody (rituximab) to inhibit the antibody production. The aim of introducing the ABO-incompatible kidney transplantation at the OUH was to increase the rate of living donor kidney...... transplantation without increasing rejection or mortality rates. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective evaluation. Eleven patients received ABO-incompatible kidney transplantation. The patients were followed for 3-26 months. RESULTS: One patient had an antibody-mediated rejection, one patient suffered T...

  7. NASA Advanced Exploration Systems: Advancements in Life Support Systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shull, Sarah A.; Schneider, Walter F.

    2016-01-01

    The NASA Advanced Exploration Systems (AES) Life Support Systems (LSS) project strives to develop reliable, energy-efficient, and low-mass spacecraft systems to provide environmental control and life support systems (ECLSS) critical to enabling long duration human missions beyond low Earth orbit (LEO). Highly reliable, closed-loop life support systems are among the capabilities required for the longer duration human space exploration missions assessed by NASA’s Habitability Architecture Team.

  8. Hospital-onset Clostridium difficile infection among solid organ transplant recipients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Donnelly, J P; Wang, H E; Locke, J E; Mannon, R B; Safford, M M; Baddley, J W

    2015-11-01

    Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is a considerable health issue in the United States and represents the most common healthcare-associated infection. Solid organ transplant recipients are at increased risk of CDI, which can affect both graft and patient survival. However, little is known about the impact of CDI on health services utilization posttransplantation. We examined hospital-onset CDI from 2012 to 2014 among transplant recipients in the University HealthSystem Consortium, which includes academic medical center-affiliated hospitals in the United States. Infection was five times more common among transplant recipients than among general medicine inpatients (209 vs 40 per 10 000 discharges), and factors associated with CDI among transplant recipients included transplant type, risk of mortality, comorbidities, and inpatient complications. Institutional risk-standardized CDI varied more than 3-fold across high-volume hospitals (infection ratio 0.54-1.82, median 1.04, interquartile range 0.78-1.28). CDI was associated with increased 30-day readmission, transplant organ complications, cytomegalovirus infection, inpatient costs, and lengths of stay. Total observed inpatient days and direct costs for those with CDI were substantially higher than risk-standardized expected values (40 094 vs 22 843 days, costs $198 728 368 vs $154 020 528). Further efforts to detect, prevent, and manage CDI among solid organ transplant recipients are warranted. © Copyright 2015 The American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.

  9. De novo autoimmune hepatitis after liver transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lohse, Ansgar W; Weiler-Norman, Christina; Burdelski, Martin

    2007-10-01

    The Kings College group was the first to describe a clinical syndrome similar to autoimmune hepatitis in children and young adults transplanted for non-immune mediated liver diseases. They coined the term "de novo autoimmune hepatitis". Several other liver transplant centres confirmed this observation. Even though the condition is uncommon, patients with de novo AIH are now seen in most of the major transplant centres. The disease is usually characterized by features of acute hepatitis in otherwise stable transplant recipients. The most characteristic laboratory hallmark is a marked hypergammaglobulinaemia. Autoantibodies are common, mostly ANA. We described also a case of LKM1-positivity in a patients transplanted for Wilson's disease, however this patients did not develop clinical or histological features of AIH. Development of SLA/LP-autoantibodies is also not described. Therefore, serologically de novo AIH appears to correspond to type 1 AIH. Like classical AIH patients respond promptly to treatment with increased doses of prednisolone and azathioprine, while the calcineurin inhibitors cyclosporine or tacrolimus areof very limited value - which is not surprising, as almost all patients develop de novo AIH while receiving these drugs. Despite the good response to treatment, most patients remain a clinical challenge as complete stable remissions are uncommon and flares, relapses and chronic disease activity can often occur. Pathogenetically this syndrome is intriguing. It is not clear, if the immune response is directed against allo-antigens, neo-antigens in the liver, or self-antigens, possibly shared by donor and host cells. It is very likely that the inflammatory milieu due to alloreactive cells in the transplanted organ contribute to the disease process. Either leading to aberrant antigen presentation, or providing co-stimulatory signals leading to the breaking of self-tolerance. The development of this disease in the presence of treatment with calcineurin

  10. Lung transplant recipients holding companion animals: impact on physical health and quality of life.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Irani, S; Mahler, C; Goetzmann, L; Russi, E W; Boehler, A

    2006-02-01

    Since lung transplant recipients are susceptible to infections and inhaled pollution, many centers warn against pets. However, data supporting this recommendation are lacking. Our program is less restrictive regarding pets. This study, for the first time, investigates the association of pets with physiological and psychological parameters in these patients. A questionnaire concerning pets was sent to 104 lung transplant recipients. Lung function tests, levels of exhaled nitric oxide (FE(NO)), need for antibiotic treatments and hospitalizations, creatinine clearance, body mass index (BMI) and demographic data were assessed. Additionally, the questionnaire of life satisfaction (FLZ), a question on summarized life satisfaction (LS), the life orientation test (LOT), the hospital anxiety depression scale (HADS) and the social support questionnaire (F-SozU) were assessed. Response rate was 86%. Fifty-two percent defined themselves as pet owners, whereas 48% did not. The two groups did not differ in demographic or physiological data. Significant differences in FLZ (79/65, p = 0.04), in LS (4.3/3.9, p = 0.01), LOT (32/29, p = 0.006) and F-SozU (4.5/4.2, p = 0.04) were found in favor of pet owners. In lung transplant recipients keeping pets the frequency of somatic complications is not higher compared to lung transplant recipients without pets. After lung transplantation, pets are associated with a better quality of life.

  11. Pre-transplant reversible pulmonary hypertension predicts higher risk for mortality after cardiac transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Butler, Javed; Stankewicz, Mark A; Wu, Jack; Chomsky, Don B; Howser, Renee L; Khadim, Ghazanfar; Davis, Stacy F; Pierson, Richard N; Wilson, John R

    2005-02-01

    Pre-transplant fixed pulmonary hypertension is associated with higher post-transplant mortality. In this study, we assessed the significance of pre-transplant reversible pulmonary hypertension in patients undergoing cardiac transplantation. Overall, we studied 182 patients with baseline normal pulmonary pressures or reversible pulmonary hypertension, defined as a decrease in pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) to 50 mm Hg had a higher risk of death (odds ratio [OR] 5.96, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.46 to 19.84 as compared with PAS 4.0 WU, but patients with TPG > or =16 had a higher risk of mortality (OR 4.93, 95% CI 1.84 to 13.17). PAS pressure was an independent predictor of mortality (OR 1.04, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.06). Recipient body mass index, history of sternotomy; and donor ischemic time were the other independent predictors of mortality. Pre-transplant pulmonary hypertension, even when reversible to a PVR of < or =2.5 WU, is associated with a higher mortality post-transplant.

  12. Fecal microbiota transplant

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/article/007703.htm Fecal microbiota transplant To use the sharing features on this page, please enable JavaScript. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) helps to replace some of the " ...

  13. Islet and Stem Cell Encapsulation for Clinical Transplantation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krishnan, Rahul; Alexander, Michael; Robles, Lourdes; Foster 3rd, Clarence E.; Lakey, Jonathan R.T.

    2014-01-01

    Over the last decade, improvements in islet isolation techniques have made islet transplantation an option for a certain subset of patients with long-standing diabetes. Although islet transplants have shown improved graft function, adequate function beyond the second year has not yet been demonstrated, and patients still require immunosuppression to prevent rejection. Since allogeneic islet transplants have experienced some success, the next step is to improve graft function while eliminating the need for systemic immunosuppressive therapy. Biomaterial encapsulation offers a strategy to avoid the need for toxic immunosuppression while increasing the chances of graft function and survival. Encapsulation entails coating cells or tissue in a semipermeable biocompatible material that allows for the passage of nutrients, oxygen, and hormones while blocking immune cells and regulatory substances from recognizing and destroying the cell, thus avoiding the need for systemic immunosuppressive therapy. Despite advances in encapsulation technology, these developments have not yet been meaningfully translated into clinical islet transplantation, for which several factors are to blame, including graft hypoxia, host inflammatory response, fibrosis, improper choice of biomaterial type, lack of standard guidelines, and post-transplantation device failure. Several new approaches, such as the use of porcine islets, stem cells, development of prevascularized implants, islet nanocoating, and multilayer encapsulation, continue to generate intense scientific interest in this rapidly expanding field. This review provides a comprehensive update on islet and stem cell encapsulation as a treatment modality in type 1 diabetes, including a historical outlook as well as current and future research avenues. PMID:25148368

  14. Liver transplantation in the Nordic countries - An intention to treat and post-transplant analysis from The Nordic Liver Transplant Registry 1982-2013

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fosby, Bjarte; Melum, Espen; Bjøro, Kristian

    2015-01-01

    AIM AND BACKGROUND: The Nordic Liver Transplant Registry (NLTR) accounts for all liver transplants performed in the Nordic countries since the start of the transplant program in 1982. Due to short waiting times, donor liver allocation has been made without considerations of the model of end-stage...

  15. Quality of life in caregivers providing care for lung transplant candidates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lefaiver, Cheryl A; Keough, Vicki A; Letizia, Marijo; Lanuza, Dorothy M

    2009-06-01

    Caregivers are essential members of the health care team who provide care, valued at more than $250 billion each year, to millions of persons who require assistance with health and daily care. Patients with respiratory diseases who are waiting for a lung transplant are required to have an identified caregiver. The caregivers are rarely studied. To explore the relationships among the health status of caregivers of lung transplant candidates, caregivers' reaction to caregiving, and caregivers' perceived quality of life. This descriptive study examined the quality of life of lung transplant caregivers from a multidimensional perspective. Twenty-nine dyads of lung transplant candidates and their caregivers were recruited from a Midwestern medical center. Data were collected by self-report: caregivers completed the Quality of Life Index, SF-12 health survey, Profile of Mood States-Short Form, and the Caregiver Reaction Assessment. Caregivers reported favorable levels of quality of life, physical health, and mood during the pretransplant waiting phase. However, problem areas for caregivers during this time included fatigue, depression, and the financial impact of the transplant. Data analyses indicated that depression, caregiver general health, impact on finances, and lack of family support had the greatest effect on caregivers' quality of life. Nurses are urged to recognize the role of caregivers in the transplant process, ask about and listen to caregivers' needs, and include caregivers in the plan of care.

  16. The Impact of Ventricular Assist Device Prior to Transplantation on Morphological Parameters in Cardiac Allografts

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wassilew, Katharina

    2017-01-01

    . The Cochran-Mantel-Haenzsel test was applied to assess significance of the differences in interactions between groups. To evaluate the impact of bridge- to- transplant mechanical circulatory support on development on transplant vasculopathy in cardiac allografts, the intramyocardial terminal arterial network...... allograft dysfunction, as MCS patients show a higher frequency of antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) episodes. We aimed to analyze the effects of MCS on cardiac AMR with regards to capillary C3d and C4d depositions. Regarding the functional parameters, both acute cellular rejection (ACR) and an increase...... of interstitial fibrosis (IF) often correlate with impaired ventricular function. The innate immune system, in particular macrophages, plays an important role in the resorptive process of ACR and is, on the other hand, known to promote IF. In this study we aimed to analyze the effect of ACR and specifically...

  17. Early Gastric Post-Transplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder and H pylori Detection after Kidney Transplantation: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    CL Nash

    2000-01-01

    Full Text Available The incidence of post-transplantation lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD in the adult renal transplant population ranges from 0.7% to 4%. The majority of cases involve a single site and arise, on average, seven months after transplantation. Histopathology usually reveals B-cell proliferative disease and has been standardized into its own classification. Treatment modalities consist of decreased immunosuppression, eradication of Epstein-Barr virus, surgical resection, systemic chemotherapy and monoclonal antibody therapy; however, mortality remains high, typically with a short survival time. In patients who have undergone renal transplantation, approximately 10% of those with PTLDs present with gastrointestinal symptomatology and disease. Reported sites include the stomach, and small and large bowel. Very few cases of Helicobacter pylori or mucosal-associated lymphoid tissue have been described in association with PTLD. In the era of cyclosporine immunosuppression, the incidence of PTLD affecting the gastrointestinal tract may be increasing in comparison with the incidence seen with the use of older immunosuppression regimens. A case of antral PTLD and H pylori infection occurring three months after renal transplantation is presented, and the natural history and management of gastric PTLD are reviewed.

  18. The development and transplants of XSYS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang Xiaoqing; Jia Guoxiang

    1997-01-01

    XSYS is a multi parameter data acquisition and analysis system which runs on VAX780. With the introduction of new hardware, the authors have transplanted the XSYS from VAX780 to ALPHA2100 for data analysis

  19. Transplant tourism: a growing phenomenon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cohen, David J

    2009-03-01

    Medical tourism is increasing owing to high costs of care, lack of availability or long waits for procedures, and improvements in technology and standards of care in many countries. Transplant tourism is one example of medical tourism that has been attracting increasing attention because of concerns over poor treatment and outcomes of both donors and recipients. Most such cases involve vended kidneys obtained from vulnerable populations, and both donors and recipients receive inferior care by US standards. This commentary discusses a paper by Gill et al. that compared outcomes of 33 transplant tourists with those of patients transplanted at a US center. Fewer complications and better outcomes were seen in patients transplanted in the US center than among transplant tourists. Large transplant centers with long waiting times are increasingly likely to see patients return newly transplanted from overseas; such patients require urgent attention, with particular consideration to infectious complications.

  20. 49 CFR 193.2609 - Support systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Support systems. 193.2609 Section 193.2609 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) PIPELINE AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SAFETY...: FEDERAL SAFETY STANDARDS Maintenance § 193.2609 Support systems. Each support system or foundation of each...

  1. Registered nurse intent to promote physical activity for hospitalised liver transplant recipients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pearson, Jocelyn A; Mangold, Kara; Kosiorek, Heidi E; Montez, Morgan; Smith, Diane M; Tyler, Brenda J

    2017-12-26

    To describe how registered nurse work motivation, attitudes, subjective norm and perceived behavioural control influence intention to promote physical activity in hospitalised adult liver transplant recipients. Descriptive study of clinical registered nurses caring for recipients of liver transplant at a tertiary medical centre. Intent to Mobilise Liver Transplant Recipient Scale, Work Extrinsic and Intrinsic Motivation Scale, and demographics were used to explore registered nurses' work motivation, attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control and intention to promote physical activity of hospitalised adult liver transplant recipients during the acute postoperative phase. Data analysis included demographics, comparison between scale items and analysis of factors predicting intent to mobilise. Factors predictive of intention to promote physical activity after liver transplant included appropriate knowledge to mobilise patients (R 2  = .40) and identification of physical activity as nursing staff priority (R 2  = .15) and responsibility (R 2  = .03). When implementing an early mobilisation protocol after the liver transplant, education on effects of physical activity in the immediate postoperative period are essential to promote implementation in practice. Nursing care environment and leadership must be supportive to ensure mobility is a registered nurse priority and responsibility. Nursing managers can leverage results to implement a mobility protocol. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  2. Risk factors for Epstein-Barr virus-related post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Uhlin, Michael; Wikell, Helena; Sundin, Mikael; Blennow, Ola; Maeurer, Markus; Ringden, Olle; Winiarski, Jacek; Ljungman, Per; Remberger, Mats; Mattsson, Jonas

    2014-02-01

    Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is a successful treatment for hematologic malignancies and a variety of genetic and metabolic disorders. In the period following stem cell transplantation, the immune-compromised milieu allows opportunistic pathogens to thrive. Epstein-Barr virus-associated post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease can be a life-threatening complication for transplanted patients because of suppressed T-cell-mediated immunity. We analyzed possible risk factors associated with post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease in a cohort of over 1,000 patients. The incidence of post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease was 4%. Significant risk factors identified by multivariate analysis were: human leukocyte antigen-mismatch (PEpstein-Barr virus mismatch recipient-/donor+ (Pdisease grade II to IV (P=0.006), pre-transplant splenectomy (P=0.008) and infusion of mesenchymal stromal cells (P=0.015). The risk of post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease has increased in more recent years, from less than 2% before 1998 to more than 6% after 2011. Additionally, we show that long-term survival of patients with post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease is poor despite initial successful treatment. The 3-year survival rate among the 40 patients with post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease was 20% as opposed to 62% among patients without post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease (Pdisease after transplantation in need of pre-emptive measures.

  3. The Changing Financial Landscape of Renal Transplant Practice: A National Cohort Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Axelrod, D A; Schnitzler, M A; Xiao, H; Naik, A S; Segev, D L; Dharnidharka, V R; Brennan, D C; Lentine, K L

    2017-02-01

    Kidney transplantation has become more resource intensive as recipient complexity has increased and average donor quality has diminished over time. A national retrospective cohort study was performed to assess the impact of kidney donor and recipient characteristics on transplant center cost (exclusive of organ acquisition) and Medicare reimbursement. Data from the national transplant registry, University HealthSystem Consortium hospital costs, and Medicare payments for deceased donor (N = 53 862) and living donor (N = 36 715) transplants from 2002 to 2013 were linked and analyzed using multivariate linear regression modeling. Deceased donor kidney transplant costs were correlated with recipient (Expected Post Transplant Survival Score, degree of allosensitization, obesity, cause of renal failure), donor (age, cause of death, donation after cardiac death, terminal creatinine), and transplant (histocompatibility matching) characteristics. Living donor costs rose sharply with higher degrees of allosensitization, and were also associated with obesity, cause of renal failure, recipient work status, and 0-ABDR mismatching. Analysis of Medicare payments for a subsample of 24 809 transplants demonstrated minimal correlation with patient and donor characteristics. In conclusion, the complexity in the landscape of kidney transplantation increases center costs, posing financial disincentives that may reduce organ utilization and limit access for higher-risk populations. © Copyright 2016 The American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.

  4. Transplante de fígado: indicação e sobrevida Liver transplantation: indication and survival

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Orlando de Castro-e-Silva Jr

    2002-01-01

    Full Text Available O sucesso dos transplantes de fígado certamente seria comprometido se a avaliação pré-operatória dos pacientes não fosse realizada de forma adequada. Isto se justifica devido ao reconhecimento de que o sucesso da cirurgia depende, em princípio, do diagnóstico da doença de base, da determinação de sua extensão e do grau de repercussão sistêmica. No final das décadas de setenta a noventa os progressos da hepatologia na identificação das hepatites virais e no manejo da ascite e da síndrome hepatorrenal melhoraram sobremaneira a expectativa de vida do doente portador de doença hepática crônica. Mas, sem dúvida o transplante ortotópico do fígado (TOF foi o espetacular avanço da hepatologia moderna. Atualmente o transplante é um tratamento eficaz das hepatopatias crônicas, e o índice de sobrevivência global aos 3 anos é ao redor de 80%. É, portanto, uma alternativa de tratamento indicada nos casos terminais, onde a mortalidade com tratamentos conservadores pode atingir até 70% ao final de 12 meses. Neste artigo, os autores comentam aspectos do TOF, relacionados à indicação e a sobrevida.The success of liver transplantation would be certainly compromised if the pre-operative evaluation was not adequately performed. The success of the liver transplantation depends on the diagnosis of the underlying hepatic disease, the determination of its extension and the degree of systemic repercussion. In the last 30 years, the progress in hepatology, the identification of viral hepatitis and the better management of ascitis and hepatorenal syndrome have increased the life expectancy of patients with chronic liver failure. Undoubtedly, orthotopic liver transplantation represents a great advance in modern hepatology. Nowadays, liver transplantation represents a valid therapeutic option for chronic liver diseases with (and presents a mean survival rate of about 80% in 3 years. Thus, it is an indicated treatment in situations where

  5. Highly efficient and compatible shampoo for use after hair transplant.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schweiger, Dorothea; Schoelermann, Andrea M; Filbry, Alexander; Hamann, Tina; Moser, Claudia; Rippke, Frank

    2015-01-01

    Sensitive or hyperreactive skin is a common condition defined by prickling, burning, pain, and pruritus. Although this skin problem was initially described on the face, the scalp is often affected. A sensitive scalp can react with irritation to harsh surfactants or other additives which are often present in shampoos. For this reason, we developed a new rinse-off hypertolerant shampoo specifically designed for the hypersensitive and problematic scalp. The shampoo formulation is based on an extremely mild surfactant system and contains bisabolol, an anti-irritant and anti-inflammatory ingredient of chamomile. The shampoo is free of additives such as perfumes, silicones, colorants, parabens, paraffins, and betaine. Since skin can remain in a hyperreactive state after wounding, the status after hair transplantation was chosen as a model system to test the shampoo. Scalp condition and compatibility of each volunteer were analyzed by a plastic surgeon directly after hair transplant and after stitch removal. The plastic surgeons also rated whether they would recommend the further use of the test shampoo. Additionally, volunteers completed a self-assessment questionnaire. Following hair transplantation, regular use of the shampoo resulted in a significant reduction in the extent of scabbing and erythema. This was confirmed by dermatological scalp examinations performed by the plastic surgeon as well as in volunteers' self-assessments. The plastic surgeon highly recommended the further use of the test shampoo after hair transplant to all study participants. Application of the test shampoo demonstrated excellent skin compatibility and product efficacy after hair transplant. The test shampoo significantly reduced the extent of scabs and erythema. Therefore, the shampoo is ideally suited for use after hair transplantation and for the treatment of sensitive scalp. The excellent skin compatibility is because of the mild surfactant system, the calming ingredient bisabolol, and

  6. The incidence of post-transplant cancer among kidney transplant recipients is associated with the level of tacrolimus exposure during the first year after transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lichtenberg, Shelly; Rahamimov, Ruth; Green, Hefziba; Fox, Benjamin D; Mor, Eytan; Gafter, Uzi; Chagnac, Avry; Rozen-Zvi, Benaya

    2017-07-01

    Immunosuppressive therapy plays a major role in the development of post-transplant cancer. In this nested case-control study of kidney transplant recipients (KTRs), we investigated whether the incidence of post-transplant cancer is associated with the level of tacrolimus exposure over time. We screened the Rabin Medical Center database for adults who received kidney transplants between 2001 and 2014 and developed post-transplant cancer (excluding basal and squamous cell skin cancers). They were matched against KTRs without cancer. All patients received a maintenance immunosuppressive treatment with tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil and corticosteroids. The degree of exposure to tacrolimus was estimated as the time-weighted average (tTWA) value of tacrolimus blood levels. The tTWA was calculated as the area under the curve divided by time at 1, 6, and 12 months after transplantation and at time of cancer diagnosis. Thirty-two cases were matched against 64 controls. tTWA values above 11 ng/mL at 6 and 12 months after transplantation were associated with odds ratio (OR) of 3.1 (95% CI 1.1-9) and 11.7 (95% CI = 1.3-106), respectively, for post-transplant cancer; and with OR of 5.2 (95% CI 1.3-20.5) and 14.1 (95% CI = 1.5-134.3), respectively, for cancer diagnosed more than 3 years after transplantation. Exposure to a tacrolimus time-weighted average level above 11 ng/mL at 6 or 12 months after kidney transplantation is associated with an increased risk of developing cancer.

  7. Effects of Dietary Sodium Restriction in Kidney Transplant Recipients Treated With Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System Blockade: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Vries, Laura V; Dobrowolski, Linn C; van den Bosch, Jacqueline J O N; Riphagen, Ineke J; Krediet, C T Paul; Bemelman, Frederike J; Bakker, Stephan J L; Navis, Gerjan

    2016-06-01

    In patients with chronic kidney disease receiving renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) blockade, dietary sodium restriction is an often-used treatment strategy to reduce blood pressure (BP) and albuminuria. Whether these effects extend to kidney transplant recipients is unknown. We therefore studied the effects of dietary sodium restriction on BP and urinary albumin excretion (UAE) in kidney transplant recipients receiving RAAS blockade. Two-center randomized crossover trial. Stable outpatient kidney transplant recipients with creatinine clearance > 30mL/min, BP ≥120/80mmHg, receiving stable RAAS blockade therapy. 6-week regular-sodium diet (target, 150mmol/24 h) and a 6-week low-sodium diet (target, 50mmol/24 h). Main outcome parameters were systolic and diastolic BP, UAE, and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) at the end of each diet period. Dietary adherence was assessed by 24-hour urinary sodium excretion. We randomly assigned 23 kidney transplant recipients, of whom 22 (mean age, 58±8 [SD] years; 50% men; mean eGFR, 51±21mL/min/1.73m(2)) completed the study. One patient withdrew from the study because of concerns regarding orthostatic hypotension on the low-sodium diet. Sodium excretion decreased from 164±50mmol/24 h during the regular-sodium diet to 87±55mmol/24 h during the low-sodium diet (mean difference, -77 [95% CI, -110 to -44] mmol/24 h; Padherence to sodium diet was achieved in 86% of patients. In stable kidney transplant recipients receiving RAAS blockade, dietary sodium restriction effectively reduces BP without affecting eGFR. Dietary sodium restriction is relevant to BP management in kidney transplant recipients receiving RAAS blockade. Copyright © 2016 National Kidney Foundation, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Development of decommissioning engineering support system for fugen. Development of support system during actual dismantlement works

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Masanori Izumi; Yukihiro Iguchi; Yoshiki Kannehira

    2005-01-01

    The Advanced Thermal Reactor, Fugen Nuclear Power Station was permanently shut down in March 2003, and is now preparing for decommissioning. We have been developing Decommissioning Engineering Support System (DEXUS) aimed at planning optimal dismantlement process and carrying out dismantlement work safely and precisely. DEXUS consists of 'decommissioning planning support system' and 'dismantling support system'. The dismantling support system is developed aiming at using during actual dismantling work. It consists of three subsystems such as 'Worksite Visualization System', 'Dismantling Data Collection System' and 'Generated Waste Management System'. 'Worksite Visualization System' is a support system designed to provide the necessary information to workers during actual dismantlement works. And this system adopts AR (Augmented Reality) technology, overlapping calculation information into real world. 'Dismantling Data Collection System' is to collect necessary data for improving accuracy of decommissioning planning by evaluating work content and worker equipage, work time for dismantlement works. 'Generated Waste Management system' is a system recording necessary information by attaching the barcode to dismantled wastes or the containers. We can get the information of generated waste by recording generation place, generated time, treatment method and the contents. These subsystems enable to carry out reasonable and safe decommissioning of Fugen. In addition, we expect that those systems will be used for decommissioning of other nuclear facilities in the future. (authors)

  9. What's hot, what's new in clinical organ transplantation: report from the American Transplant Congress 2015.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sung, R S

    2015-11-01

    Innovative and exciting advances in the clinical sciences in organ transplantation were presented at the American Transplant Congress 2015. The full spectrum of transplantation was covered, with important developments in many topics. Key areas covered by presentations included living donor outcomes, optimal utilization and allocation of deceased donors, new immunosuppression regimens, antibody-mediated rejection and tolerance induction. This review highlights some of the most interesting and noteworthy clinical presentations from the meeting. © Copyright 2015 The American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.

  10. Listeria monocytogenes following orthotopic liver transplantation: Central nervous system involvement and review of the literature

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    2007-01-01

    Listeria monocytogene is a well-recognized cause of bacteremia in immunocompromised individuals, including solid organ transplant recipients, but has been rarely reported following orthotopic liver transplantation. We describe a case of listeria meningitis that occurred within a week after liver transplantation. The patient developed a severe headache that mimicked tacrolimus encephalopathy, and was subsequently diagnosed with listeria meningitis by cerebrospinal fluid culture. The infection was successfully treated with three-week course of intravenous ampicillin. Recurrent hepatitis C followed and was successfully treated with interferon alfa and ribavirin. Fourteen cases of listeriosis after orthotopic liver transplantation have been reported in the English literature. Most reported cases were successfully treated with intravenous ampicillin. There were four cases of listeria meningitis, and the mortality of them was 50%.Early detection and treatment of listeria meningitis are the key to obtaining a better prognosis.

  11. Microvascular transplantation and replantation of the dog submandibular gland.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Su, Wan Fu; Jen, Yee Min; Chen, Shyi Gen; Nieh, Shin; Wang, Chih-Hung

    2006-05-01

    Transplantation and replantation of the submandibular gland with microvascular techniques were demonstrated in a previous study, with good gland survival. The application of radiation on the neck bed was attempted to address an actual clinical scenario in this study. Five canine submandibular glands were transplanted using microvascular techniques to the ipsilateral femoral system. Radiotherapy at a dosage level of 3,600 cGy using 600 cGy q.d was delivered to the nasopharyngeal and neck regions 2 weeks after transplantation. The transferred glands were then reintroduced into the original but radiated neck bed. The glands were harvested for histological examination 8 weeks later. Four of five canine submandibular glands can withstand microvascular transplantation and then replantation into a radiated neck bed for at least 8 weeks. However, the salivary function was depleted. The canine submandibular gland can survive the transplantation and replantation for at least 8 weeks in spite of precipitating radiation insult on the neck bed for 3 weeks. Neurorraphy is, however, essential to maintaining the glandular function.

  12. Exchange donor transplantation: ethical option for living renal transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gürkan, A; Kaçar, S; Varılsuha, C; Tilif, S; Turunç, V; Doǧan, M; Dheir, H; Sahin, S

    2011-04-01

    Taking in consideration the opinion of our team, which necessitates obligation of a relative relation between donors and recipients (genetic or matrimonial), we performed donor exchanges as an ethical alternative in living donor transplantations. We reviewed the outcomes of our exchange series. Between July 2003 and August 2010 we performed 110 exchange donor transplantations in four hospitals: one four-way, two three-way, and 100 two-way cases. Donors were mostly spouses (n = 71) or mothers (n = 15). The mean age of the donors was 48.8 (range = 23-69) and the recipients 41.4 years (range = 5-66). Two were transplanted preemptively and the others had a mean dialysis duration of 43 months (range = 1-120). Among 110 patients, three compatible pairs joined the group voluntarily; 71, due to ABO incompatibility and 36, due to crossmatch positivity. Induction therapy was used in 92 patients. HLA mismatches (MM) were: one MM in three; two MM in three; three MM in 18, four MM in 36; five MM in 34; and six MM in 18. Among 90 patients tested for panel-reactive antibodies PRA, five showed class I and 10, class II positivity. In 11 patients, B-cell positivity was detected by flow cytometry. Delayed graft function (n = 2), acute rejection (n = 11), BK virus infection (n = 1), and cytomegalovirus infection (n = 3) were seen postoperatively. Three (2.7%) patients died due to sepsis. Five patients returned to dialysis program due to interstitial fibrosis tubular atrophy (IFTA) (n = 2), renal vein thrombosis (n = 1), de novo glomerulopathy (n = 1), or primary nonfunction (n = 1). The 1- and 5-year patient and graft survival rates were 96% and 96%, 95% and 89%, respectively. We believe that exchange donor transplantation is as successful as direct transplants; it is a good, ethical alternative to unrelated living transplantations. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Support system of a structure on a support base

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Arene, G.; Renaux, C.; Minguet, J.L.; Chantot, H.

    1984-01-01

    Two series of strips are fixed to the structure to be supported and to the base to define each one a closed convex envelope; the strips are flexible in the radial direction with regard to the envelope. The two series of strips are connected by a treillis of rigid bars set to form juxtaposed V or X. A good transversal rigidity and a certain radial flexibility are obtained. The invention can be applied to a fast neutron nuclear reactor, the reactor comprising a vertical axis vessel filled with liquid metal; the vessel rests on a support foundation by means of the support system proposed by the invention. The support system allows the supported structure to resist the effects of an eventual earthquake and brutal temperature variations [fr

  14. ROLE OF PRE- AND POST-TRANSPLANT FACTORS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF CORONARY DISEASE OF THE TRANSPLANT HEART

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E. K. Kurlianskaya

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Aim: to assess the relationship between preand post-transplantation factors and degree of coronary artery lesion, reported by intravascular ultrasound study (IVUS in patients who underwent orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT surgery. Materials and methods. The study comprised of 27 patients who underwent OHT more than 2 years before. The age of patients was 46,8 ± 10,4 years old. All of them were preoperatively classified by HLA system. All patients received transthoracic echocardiography at terms of 1, 6, 12 and 24 months after OHT. Coronary angiography (CAG and IVUS were performed at 24 ± 6 months. Results. In CAG none of the patients showed angiographic signs of CA stenosis, but changes of various degrees were detected by IVUS. Results obtained by IVUS were clustered to select two groups with different degree of coronary artery lesion. The donor’s age in Group 2 was evidently higher compared to Group 1 (34,77 ± 1,03 and 40,00 ± 2,04 years, respectively, p = 0,043. Donor-recipient coincidence frequency was lower in group with significant CA lesion (by 2,36, р = 0,003. The number of cardiac surgeries performed prior to OHT was higher in Group 2 (by 2,8, р = 0,008. Post-transplant factor analysis showed that the number of diabetes mellitus (DM cases revealed after transplantation was more frequent in Group 2 (by 3,2 vs Group 1, р = 0,021. Conclusion. The degree of CA lesion according to IVUS at 24-month period after OTH was associated with several post-transplant factors, which were the presence of cardiac surgical interventions before transplantation, low HLA donor-recipient coincidence frequency, and donor’s age. The more significant CA lesion is, the more cases of DM after OHT occur. 

  15. Identifying Barriers to Preemptive Kidney Transplantation in a Living Donor Transplant Cohort

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ryan A. Helmick, MD

    2018-04-01

    Conclusions. Even among a patient population that is primarily white, educated, and has a spouse or first-degree relative donor, PreKTx rates remain concerningly low. Increased time between diagnosis or education and transplant are predictors of PreKTx. Greater emphasis on transplant education earlier in the stages of chronic kidney disease and community outreach from transplant centers may help to increase the rate of PreKTx.

  16. Carcinoma of the tongue in a renal transplant recipient: A rare post-transplant malignancy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jai Prakash

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Current immunosuppression improved long-term outcome of transplant patients, but it also increased the incidence of de novo malignancy. Organ transplant recipients have a threeto four-fold increased risk of developing carcinoma in comparison with the general population. Common malignancies encountered after transplantation include cancer of the skin, lips, post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease, ano-genital carcinoma and Kaposi sarcoma. Squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue is very rare. We report here a case of squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue in an adult male patient who developed it 11 years post-transplant. He underwent right hemiglossectomy and his graft function remained stable.

  17. Encapsulation of pancreatic islets for transplantation in diabetes : the untouchable islets

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Vos, P; Marchetti, P

    The aim of encapsulation of pancreatic islets is to transplant in the absence of immunosuppression. It is based on the principle that transplanted tissue is protected from the host immune system by an artificial membrane. Encapsulation allows for application of insulin-secreting cells of animal or

  18. A Pediatric Case of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Developed 10 Years after Cord Blood Transplantation for Juvenile Myelomonocytic Leukemia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Masayuki Nagasawa

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT is a most powerful immunotherapy for hematological malignancies. However, the impact of immunological disturbances as a result of allo-HSCT is not understood well. We experienced an 11-year-old boy who presented with systemic lupus erythemathosus (SLE 10 years after unrelated cord blood transplantation of male origin for juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML with monosomy 7. Bone marrow examination showed complete remission without monosomy 7. Genetic analysis of peripheral blood revealed mixed chimera with recipient cells consisting of <5% of T cells, 50–60% of B cells, 60–75% of NK cells, 70–80% of macrophages, and 50–60% of granulocytes. Significance of persistent mixed chimera as a cause of SLE is discussed.

  19. Diabetes Mellitus Following Renal Transplantation: Clinical and Pharmacological Considerations for the Elderly Patient.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Langsford, David; Steinberg, Adam; Dwyer, Karen M

    2017-08-01

    Post-transplant diabetes mellitus occurs in 30-50% of cases during the first year post-renal transplantation. It is associated with increased morbidity, mortality and healthcare costs. Risk factors include age and specific immunosuppression regimens. At the same time, renal transplantation is increasingly indicated in elderly (aged >65 years) patients as this proportion of older patients in the prevalent dialysis population has increased. The immune system and β cells undergo senescence and this impacts on the risk for developing post-transplant diabetes and our ability to prevent such development. It may, however, be possible to identify patients at risk of developing post-transplant diabetes, enabling treatment protocols that prevent or reduce the impact of post-transplant diabetes. Much work remains to be completed in this area and is facilitated by the growing base of knowledge regarding the pathophysiology of post-transplant diabetes. Should post-transplant diabetes develop, there are a range of treatment options available. There is increasing interest in using newer agents, although their safety and efficacy in transplant recipients remains to be conclusively established.

  20. Association between pre-transplant dialysis modality and patient and graft survival after kidney transplantation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kramer, Anneke; Jager, Kitty J; Fogarty, Damian G

    2012-01-01

    Previous studies have found inconsistent associations between pre-transplant dialysis modality and subsequent post-transplant survival. We aimed to examine this relationship using the instrumental variable method and to compare the results with standard Cox regression.......Previous studies have found inconsistent associations between pre-transplant dialysis modality and subsequent post-transplant survival. We aimed to examine this relationship using the instrumental variable method and to compare the results with standard Cox regression....

  1. Bridge to transplantation using paracorporeal biventricular assist devices or the syncardia temporary total artificial heart: is there a difference?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nguyen, A; Pozzi, M; Mastroianni, C; Léger, P; Loisance, D; Pavie, A; Leprince, P; Kirsch, M

    2015-06-01

    Biventricular support can be achieved using paracorporeal ventricular assist devices (p-BiVAD) or the Syncardia temporary total artificial heart (t-TAH). The purpose of the present study was to compare survival and morbidity between these devices. Data from 2 French neighboring hospitals were reviewed. Between 1996 and 2009, 148 patients (67 p-BiVADs and 81 t-TAH) underwent primary, planned biventricular support. There were 128 (86%) males aged 44±13 years. Preoperatively, p-BiVAD recipients had significantly lower systolic and diastolic blood pressures, more severe hepatic cytolysis and higher white blood cell counts than t-TAH recipients. In contrast, t-TAH patients had significantly higher rates of pre-implant ECLS and hemofiltration. Mean support duration was 79±100 days for the p-BiVAD group and 71±92 for t-TAH group (P=0.6). Forty two (63%) p-BiVAD recipients were bridged to transplantation (39, 58%) or recovery (3, 5%), whereas 51 (63%) patients underwent transplantation in the t-TAH group. Death on support was similar between groups (p-BiVAD, 26 (39%); t-TAH, 30 (37%); P=0.87). Survival while on device was not significantly different between patient groups and multivariate analysis showed that only preimplant diastolic blood pressure and alanine amino-transferase levels were significant predictors of death. Post-transplant survival in the p-BiVAD group was 76±7%, 70±8%, and 58±9% at 1, 3, and 5 years after transplantation, respectively, and was similar to that of the t-TAH group (77±6%, 72±6%, and 70±7%, P=0.60). Survival while on support and up to 5 years after heart transplantation was not significantly different in patients supported by p-BiVADs or t-TAH. Multivariate analysis revealed that survival while on transplantation was not affected by the type of device implanted.

  2. Employment 12 months after kidney transplantation: An in-depth bio-psycho-social analysis of the Swiss Transplant Cohort.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Brigitta Danuser

    Full Text Available Return to work with or after a chronic disease is a dynamic process influenced by a variety of interactions between personal, work, societal and medical resources or constraints. The aim of this study was to identify predictors for employment 12 months after transplantation in kidney patients, applying a bio-psycho-social model.All kidney patients followed in the Swiss Transplant Cohort between May 2008 and December 2012, aged 18 to 65 were assessed before, 6 and 12 months after transplantation.Of the 689 included patients, 56.2% worked 12 months post- transplantation compared to 58.9% pre-transplantation. Age, education, self-perceived health (6 months post- transplantation, pre- transplantation employment and receiving an organ from a living donor are significant predictors of employment post- transplantation. Moreover, while self-perceived health increased post- transplantation, depression score decreased only among those employed 12 months post- transplantation. Pre- transplantation employment status was the main predictor for post- transplantation employment (OR = 18.6 and was associated with sex, age, education, depression and duration of dialysis. An organ from a living donor (42.1% was more frequent in younger patients, with higher education, no diabetes and shorter waiting time to surgery.Transplantation did not increase employment in end-stage kidney disease patients but helped maintaining employment. Pre-transplantation employment has been confirmed to be the most important predictor of post-transplantation employment. Furthermore, socio-demographic and individual factors predicted directly and indirectly the post-transplantation employment status. With living donor, an additional predictor linked to social factors and the medical procedure has been identified.

  3. Development of the National Transplant Program Has Significantly Decreased but Not Ended Transplant Tourism in Montenegro.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ratkovic, M; Basic Jukic, N; Kastelan, Z; Radunovic, D; Kavaric, P; Brezak, J; Topalovic Grkovic, M; Hudolin, T; Prelevic, V

    2018-06-01

    Organ transplantation has prolonged and improved the lives of many patients around the world. However, a widespread shortage of donors remains the main factor that has led to organ trafficking and transplant tourism. To stop transplant tourism and to provide optimal treatment for its citizens with end-stage renal disease, Montenegro started performing renal transplantations in September 2012. Thirty-five transplantations have been performed since that time, 34 from living donors and only 1 from a deceased donor. This practice has significantly decreased but not ended transplant tourism in Montenegro. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Thoracic organ transplantation: laboratory methods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patel, Jignesh K; Kobashigawa, Jon A

    2013-01-01

    Although great progress has been achieved in thoracic organ transplantation through the development of effective immunosuppression, there is still significant risk of rejection during the early post-transplant period, creating a need for routine monitoring for both acute antibody and cellular mediated rejection. The currently available multiplexed, microbead assays utilizing solubilized HLA antigens afford the capability of sensitive detection and identification of HLA and non-HLA specific antibodies. These assays are being used to assess the relative strength of donor specific antibodies; to permit performance of virtual crossmatches which can reduce the waiting time to transplantation; to monitor antibody levels during desensitization; and for heart transplants to monitor antibodies post-transplant. For cell mediated immune responses, the recent development of gene expression profiling has allowed noninvasive monitoring of heart transplant recipients yielding predictive values for acute cellular rejection. T cell immune monitoring in heart and lung transplant recipients has allowed individual tailoring of immunosuppression, particularly to minimize risk of infection. While the current antibody and cellular laboratory techniques have enhanced the ability to manage thoracic organ transplant recipients, future developments from improved understanding of microchimerism and graft tolerance may allow more refined allograft monitoring techniques.

  5. A Multistep, Consensus-Based Approach to Organ Allocation in Liver Transplantation: Toward a "Blended Principle Model".

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cillo, U; Burra, P; Mazzaferro, V; Belli, L; Pinna, A D; Spada, M; Nanni Costa, A; Toniutto, P

    2015-10-01

    Since Italian liver allocation policy was last revised (in 2012), relevant critical issues and conceptual advances have emerged, calling for significant improvements. We report the results of a national consensus conference process, promoted by the Italian College of Liver Transplant Surgeons (for the Italian Society for Organ Transplantation) and the Italian Association for the Study of the Liver, to review the best indicators for orienting organ allocation policies based on principles of urgency, utility, and transplant benefit in the light of current scientific evidence. MELD exceptions and hepatocellular carcinoma were analyzed to construct a transplantation priority algorithm, given the inequity of a purely MELD-based system for governing organ allocation. Working groups of transplant surgeons and hepatologists prepared a list of statements for each topic, scoring their quality of evidence and strength of recommendation using the Centers for Disease Control grading system. A jury of Italian transplant surgeons, hepatologists, intensivists, infectious disease specialists, epidemiologists, representatives of patients' associations and organ-sharing organizations, transplant coordinators, and ethicists voted on and validated the proposed statements. After carefully reviewing the statements, a critical proposal for revising Italy's current liver allocation policy was prepared jointly by transplant surgeons and hepatologists. © Copyright 2015 The American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.

  6. Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation vs intravenous pulse cyclophosphamide in diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis: a randomized clinical trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Laar, Jacob M; Farge, Dominique; Sont, Jacob K; Naraghi, Kamran; Marjanovic, Zora; Larghero, Jérôme; Schuerwegh, Annemie J; Marijt, Erik W A; Vonk, Madelon C; Schattenberg, Anton V; Matucci-Cerinic, Marco; Voskuyl, Alexandre E; van de Loosdrecht, Arjan A; Daikeler, Thomas; Kötter, Ina; Schmalzing, Marc; Martin, Thierry; Lioure, Bruno; Weiner, Stefan M; Kreuter, Alexander; Deligny, Christophe; Durand, Jean-Marc; Emery, Paul; Machold, Klaus P; Sarrot-Reynauld, Francoise; Warnatz, Klaus; Adoue, Daniel F P; Constans, Joël; Tony, Hans-Peter; Del Papa, Nicoletta; Fassas, Athanasios; Himsel, Andrea; Launay, David; Lo Monaco, Andrea; Philippe, Pierre; Quéré, Isabelle; Rich, Éric; Westhovens, Rene; Griffiths, Bridget; Saccardi, Riccardo; van den Hoogen, Frank H; Fibbe, Willem E; Socié, Gérard; Gratwohl, Alois; Tyndall, Alan

    2014-06-25

    High-dose immunosuppressive therapy and autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) have shown efficacy in systemic sclerosis in phase 1 and small phase 2 trials. To compare efficacy and safety of HSCT vs 12 successive monthly intravenous pulses of cyclophosphamide. The Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation International Scleroderma (ASTIS) trial, a phase 3, multicenter, randomized (1:1), open-label, parallel-group, clinical trial conducted in 10 countries at 29 centers with access to a European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation-registered transplant facility. From March 2001 to October 2009, 156 patients with early diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis were recruited and followed up until October 31, 2013. HSCT vs intravenous pulse cyclophosphamide. The primary end point was event-free survival, defined as time from randomization until the occurrence of death or persistent major organ failure. A total of 156 patients were randomly assigned to receive HSCT (n = 79) or cyclophosphamide (n = 77). During a median follow-up of 5.8 years, 53 events occurred: 22 in the HSCT group (19 deaths and 3 irreversible organ failures) and 31 in the control group (23 deaths and 8 irreversible organ failures). During the first year, there were more events in the HSCT group (13 events [16.5%], including 8 treatment-related deaths) than in the control group (8 events [10.4%], with no treatment-related deaths). At 2 years, 14 events (17.7%) had occurred cumulatively in the HSCT group vs 14 events (18.2%) in the control group; at 4 years, 15 events (19%) had occurred cumulatively in the HSCT group vs 20 events (26%) in the control group. Time-varying hazard ratios (modeled with treatment × time interaction) for event-free survival were 0.35 (95% CI, 0.16-0.74) at 2 years and 0.34 (95% CI, 0.16-0.74) at 4 years. Among patients with early diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis, HSCT was associated with increased treatment-related mortality in the first year

  7. Lung transplantation in children. Specific aspects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moreno Galdó, Antonio; Solé Montserrat, Juan; Roman Broto, Antonio

    2013-12-01

    Lung transplantation has become in recent years a therapeutic option for infantswith terminal lung disease with similar results to transplantation in adults.In Spain, since 1996 114 children lung transplants have been performed; this corresponds to3.9% of the total transplant number.The most common indication in children is cystic fibrosis, which represents between 70-80% of the transplants performed in adolescents. In infants common indications areinterstitial lung disease and pulmonary hypertension.In most children a sequential double lung transplant is performed, generally with the help ofextracorporeal circulation. Lung transplantation in children presents special challenges in monitoring and follow-up, especially in infants, given the difficulty in assessing lung function and performing transbronchial biopsies.There are some more specific complications in children like postransplant lymphoproliferative syndrome or a greater severity of respiratory virus infections .After lung transplantation children usually experiment a very important improvement in their quality of life. Eighty eight per cent of children have no limitations in their activity after 3 years of transplantation.According to the registry of the International Society for Heart & Lung Transplantation (ISHLT) survival at 5 years of transplantation is 54% and at 10 years is around 35%. Copyright © 2013 SEPAR. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

  8. Transplantation Dose Alters the Differentiation Program of Hematopoietic Stem Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brewer, Casey; Chu, Elizabeth; Chin, Mike; Lu, Rong

    2016-05-24

    Hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplantation is the most prevalent stem cell therapy, but it remains a risky procedure. To improve this treatment, it is important to understand how transplanted stem cells rebuild the blood and immune systems and how this process is impacted by transplantation variables such as the HSC dose. Here, we find that, in the long term following transplantation, 70%-80% of donor-HSC-derived clones do not produce all measured blood cell types. High HSC doses lead to more clones that exhibit balanced lymphocyte production, whereas low doses produce more T-cell-specialized clones. High HSC doses also produce significantly higher proportions of early-differentiating clones compared to low doses. These complex differentiation behaviors uncover the clonal-level regeneration dynamics of hematopoietic regeneration and suggest that transplantation dose can be exploited to improve stem cell therapy. Copyright © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Supporting Multiple Cognitive Processing Styles Using Tailored Support Systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tuan Q. Tran; Karen M. Feigh; Amy R. Pritchett

    2007-01-01

    According to theories of cognitive processing style or cognitive control mode, human performance is more effective when an individual's cognitive state (e.g., intuition/scramble vs. deliberate/strategic) matches his/her ecological constraints or context (e.g., utilize intuition to strive for a 'good-enough' response instead of deliberating for the 'best' response under high time pressure). Ill-mapping between cognitive state and ecological constraints are believed to lead to degraded task performance. Consequently, incorporating support systems which are designed to specifically address multiple cognitive and functional states e.g., high workload, stress, boredom, and initiate appropriate mitigation strategies (e.g., reduce information load) is essential to reduce plant risk. Utilizing the concept of Cognitive Control Models, this paper will discuss the importance of tailoring support systems to match an operator's cognitive state, and will further discuss the importance of these ecological constraints in selecting and implementing mitigation strategies for safe and effective system performance. An example from the nuclear power plant industry illustrating how a support system might be tailored to support different cognitive states is included

  10. Cell transplantation for Parkinson's disease

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Jia Liu; Hongyun Huang

    2006-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: The motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD) can be improved by cell transplantation,which has caught general attention from the field of the therapy for PD recently. In this paper, we summarize the cell-based therapy for PD.DATA SOURCES: A search for English literature related to the cellular transplantation of PD from January 1979to July 2006 was conducted in Medline with the key words of "Parkinson's disease, cell transplantation,embryonic stem cells, neural stem cells".STUDY SELECTTON: Data were checked in the first trial, and literatures about PD and cell transplantation were selected. Inclusive criteria: ① PD; ② Cell transplantation. Exclusive criteria: repetitive researches.DATA EXTRACTTON: A total of 100 papers related to cellular transplant and PD were collected and 41literatures were in accordance with the inclusive criteria.DATA SYNTHESIS: PD is a neural degeneration disease that threatens the health of the aged people, and most traditional therapeusis cannot delay its pathological proceeding. Cell transplantation is becoming popular as a new therapeutic tool, and the cells used to transplant mainly included dopamine-secreting cells, fetal ventral mesencephalic cells, embryonic stem cells and neural stem cells up to now. Animal experiment and clinical test demonstrate that cell transplantation can relieve the motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease obviously, but there are some problems need to be solved.CONCLUSTON: Cell transplantation has visible therapeutic efficacy on PD. Following the improvement of technique, and we have enough cause to credit that cell therapy may cure PD in the future.

  11. Nonadherence to immunosuppressive therapy in kidney transplant recipients: can technology help?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nerini, Erika; Bruno, Fulvio; Citterio, Franco; Schena, Francesco P

    2016-10-01

    End-stage kidney disease is a life-threatening condition that compels patients to accept either dialysis or transplant. Kidney transplantation is the best choice for patients with end-stage kidney disease because it ensures higher quality of life and longer survival rates than other choices, with less cost for the healthcare system. However, in order for renal recipients to maintain the functioning graft they must take lifelong immunosuppressive medications, with possible side effects and low medication adherence. It is known that low medication adherence in kidney transplant recipients may cause poor outcomes, chronic graft rejection, and graft failure. In this review, the authors give an overview of nonadherence in the transplant setting. In addition, they analyze the role of different technologies as an aid to improve adherence, with a focus on mobile-phone based solutions to monitor and enhance kidney transplant recipient compliance.

  12. Donor-specific antibodies require preactivated immune system to harm renal transplant.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Süsal, Caner; Döhler, Bernd; Ruhenstroth, Andrea; Morath, Christian; Slavcev, Antonij; Fehr, Thomas; Wagner, Eric; Krüger, Bernd; Rees, Margaret; Balen, Sanja; Živčić-Ćosić, Stela; Norman, Douglas J; Kuypers, Dirk; Emonds, Marie-Paule; Pisarski, Przemyslaw; Bösmüller, Claudia; Weimer, Rolf; Mytilineos, Joannis; Scherer, Sabine; Tran, Thuong H; Gombos, Petra; Schemmer, Peter; Zeier, Martin; Opelz, Gerhard

    2016-07-01

    It is an unresolved issue why some kidney transplant recipients with pretransplant donor-specific HLA antibodies (DSA) show a high transplant failure rate, whereas in other patients DSA do not harm the graft. We investigated whether help from preactivated T-cells might be necessary for DSA to exert a deleterious effect. The impact of pretransplant DSA and immune activation marker soluble CD30 (sCD30) on 3-year graft survival was analyzed in 385 presensitized kidney transplant recipients. A deleterious influence of pretransplant DSA on graft survival was evident only in patients who were positive for the immune activation marker sCD30. In the absence of sCD30 positivity, 3-year graft survival was virtually identical in patients with or without DSA (83.1±3.9% and 84.3±2.8%, P=0.81). A strikingly lower 3-year graft survival rate of 62.1±6.4% was observed in patients who were both sCD30 and DSA positive (HR 2.92, PsCD30 negative. Pretransplant DSA have a significantly deleterious impact on graft survival only in the presence of high pretransplant levels of the activation marker sCD30. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. [The history of kidney transplantation].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kessler, Michèle

    2016-12-01

    Medical advances which have marked the history of transplantation include the work of Jean Dausset on the HLA system from 1952, brain death described in 1959 and prolonged organ preservation. This article looks back at the major turning points. Copyright © 2016. Publié par Elsevier Masson SAS.

  14. Microbiota Manipulation With Prebiotics and Probiotics in Patients Undergoing Stem Cell Transplantation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andermann, Tessa M.; Rezvani, Andrew; Bhatt, Ami S.

    2016-01-01

    Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a potentially life-saving therapy that often comes at the cost of complications such as graft-versus-host disease and post-transplant infections. With improved technology to under-stand the ecosystem of microorganisms (viruses, bacteria, fungi, and microeukaryotes) that make up the gut microbiota, there is increasing evidence of the microbiota’s contribution to the development of post-transplant complications. Antibiotics have traditionally been the mainstay of microbiota-altering therapies available to physicians. Recently, interest is increasing in the use of prebiotics and probiotics to support the development and sustainability of a healthier microbiota. In this review, we will describe the evidence for the use of prebiotics and probiotics in combating microbiota dysbiosis and explore the ways in which they may be used in future research to potentially improve clinical outcomes and decrease rates of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and post-transplant infection. PMID:26780719

  15. Islet transplantation using donors after cardiac death: report of the Japan Islet Transplantation Registry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saito, Takuro; Gotoh, Mitsukazu; Satomi, Susumu; Uemoto, Shinji; Kenmochi, Takashi; Itoh, Toshinori; Kuroda, Yoshikazu; Yasunami, Youichi; Matsumoto, Shnichi; Teraoka, Satoshi

    2010-10-15

    This report summarizes outcomes of islet transplantation employing donors after cardiac death (DCD) between 2004 and 2007 as reported to the Japan Islet Transplantation Registry. Sixty-five islet isolations were performed for 34 transplantations in 18 patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, including two patients who had prior kidney transplantation. All but one donor (64/65) was DCD at the time of harvesting. Factors influencing criteria for islet release included duration of low blood pressure of the donor, cold ischemic time, and usage of Kyoto solution for preservation. Multivariate analysis selected usage of Kyoto solution as most important. Of the 18 recipients, 8, 4, and 6 recipients received 1, 2, and 3 islet infusions, respectively. Overall graft survival defined as C-peptide level more than or equal to 0.3 ng/mL was 76.5%, 47.1%, and 33.6% at 1, 2, and 3 years, respectively, whereas corresponding graft survival after multiple transplantations was 100%, 80.0%, and 57.1%, respectively. All recipients remained free of severe hypoglycemia while three achieved insulin independence for 14, 79, and 215 days. HbA1c levels and requirement of exogenous insulin were significantly improved in all patients. Islet transplantation employing DCD can ameliorate severe hypoglycemic episodes, significantly improve HbA1c levels, sustain significant levels of C-peptide, and achieve insulin independence after multiple transplantations. Thus, DCD can be an important resource for islet transplantation if used under strict releasing criteria and in multiple transplantations, particularly in countries where heart-beating donors are not readily available.

  16. Prevalence and correlates of medication non-adherence among kidney transplant recipients more than 6 months post-transplant: a cross-sectional study

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-01

    Background Among kidney transplant recipients, non-adherence with immunosuppressive medications frequently precedes allograft loss. We sought to determine the prevalence and correlates of medication non-adherence among kidney transplant recipients. Methods We performed a single-center, cross-sectional study of kidney transplant recipients who were at least 6 months post-transplant. We measured self-reported adherence using the Immunosuppressive Therapy Adherence Scale (ITAS, which is scored from 0 to 12, where higher scores indicate increased adherence) and barriers to adherence using the Immunosuppressive Therapy Barriers Scale (ITBS). We also used validated scales to measure perceived stress, health literacy, anxiety, depression, and interpersonal support. Results The 252 patients included in the study were 59.9% male, 27.0% Black, and at a median of 2.9 years post-transplant (interquartile range [IQR] 1.4-5.8). On the ITAS, 59.1% scored a perfect 12, 26.6% scored 10–11, and 14.3% scored 0–9. In univariate models, non-adherence (defined as ITAS score ≤9) was significantly associated with increased scores on scales for perceived stress (OR 1.12, 95% CI 1.01-1.25) and depression (OR 1.14, 95% CI 1.02-1.28), and with more self-reported barriers to adherence on the ITBS (OR 1.15, 95% CI 1.08-1.22). After adjusting for sociodemographic factors, stress and depression were not associated with non-adherence. Higher scores on the ITBS (corresponding to more self-described barriers to adherence) were associated with lower scores on the ITAS (P adherence. Conclusions Among prevalent kidney transplant recipients, a minority is non-adherent. Practical barriers to adherence may serve as promising targets for future interventions. PMID:24289809

  17. Basiliximab induced non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema in two pediatric renal transplant recipients.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Dolan, Niamh

    2009-11-01

    We report two cases of non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema as a complication of basiliximab induction therapy in young pediatric renal transplant patients identified following a retrospective review of all pediatric renal transplant cases performed in the National Paediatric Transplant Centre, Childrens University Hospital, Temple Street, Dublin, Ireland. Twenty-eight renal transplantations, of which five were living-related (LRD) and 23 were from deceased donors (DD), were performed in 28 children between 2003 and 2006. In six cases, transplantations were pre-emptive. Immunosuppression was induced pre-operatively using a combination of basiliximab, tacrolimus and methylprednisolone in all patients. Basiliximab induction was initiated 2 h prior to surgery in all cases and, in 26 patients, basiliximab was re-administered on post-operative day 4. Two patients, one LRD and one DD, aged 6 and 11 years, respectively, developed acute non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema within 36 h of surgery. Renal dysplasia was identified as the primary etiological factor for renal failure in both cases. Both children required assisted ventilation for between 4 and 6 days. While both grafts had primary function, the DD transplant patient subsequently developed acute tubular necrosis and was eventually lost within 3 weeks due to thrombotic microangiopathy and severe acute antibody-mediated rejection despite adequate immunosuppression. Non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema is a potentially devastating post-operative complication of basiliximab induction therapy in young pediatric patients following renal transplantation. Early recognition and appropriate supportive therapy is vital for patient and, where possible, graft survival.

  18. Operator support systems activities at EPRI

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Naser, J.A.

    1993-01-01

    The integration of operator support systems supports the nuclear power plant goals of improved availability and reliability, enhanced safety, reduced operations and maintenance costs, and improved productivity. Two major aspects which supports this integration are discussed in this paper. The first is the plant communications and computing architecture which provides the infrastructure that allows the integration to exist in a easy to implement manner. Open systems concepts are utilized to guarantee interoperability of systems and interchangeability of equipment. The second is the EPRI Plant-Window System which supplies the interface between the human and the plant systems. It implements common human-machine interfaces amongst systems and supports the implementation of diagnostic and decision aids. Work in both of these areas is being done as part of the EPRI Instrumentation and Control Upgrade Program. A number of operator support systems have been developed and are in various stages of implementation, testing and utilization. Two of these, the RWCU and the EOPTS, are described here. 5 refs, 14 figs

  19. Validation of the Dutch version of the transplant effects questionnaire in liver transplant recipients

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Annema, Coby; Roodbol, Petrie F.; Stewart, Roy E.; Ranchor, Adelita V.

    Little is known about the extent to which transplant recipients face emotional problems with the receipt of a transplanted organ. The Transplant Effects Questionnaire (TxEQ) enables the quantification of these problems. This study evaluates the psychometric properties of the Dutch translation of the

  20. Prediction of Marginal Mass Required for Successful Islet Transplantation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Papas, Klearchos K.; Colton, Clark K.; Qipo, Andi; Wu, Haiyan; Nelson, Rebecca A.; Hering, Bernhard J.; Weir, Gordon C.; Koulmanda, Maria

    2013-01-01

    Islet quality assessment methods for predicting diabetes reversal (DR) following transplantation are needed. We investigated two islet parameters, oxygen consumption rate (OCR) and OCR per DNA content, to predict transplantation outcome and explored the impact of islet quality on marginal islet mass for DR. Outcomes in immunosuppressed diabetic mice were evaluated by transplanting mixtures of healthy and purposely damaged rat islets for systematic variation of OCR/DNA over a wide range. The probability of DR increased with increasing transplanted OCR and OCR/DNA. On coordinates of OCR versus OCR/DNA, data fell into regions in which DR occurred in all, some, or none of the animals with a sharp threshold of around 150-nmol/min mg DNA. A model incorporating both parameters predicted transplantation outcome with sensitivity and specificity of 93% and 94%, respectively. Marginal mass was not constant, depended on OCR/DNA, and increased from 2,800 to over 100,000 islet equivalents/kg body weight as OCR/DNA decreased. We conclude that measurements of OCR and OCR/DNA are useful for predicting transplantation outcome in this model system, and OCR/DNA can be used to estimate the marginal mass required for reversing diabetes. Because human clinical islet preparations in a previous study had OCR/DNA values in the range of 100–150-nmol/min mg DNA, our findings suggest that substantial improvement in transplantation outcome may accompany increasedOCR/DNAin clinical islet preparations. PMID:20233002

  1. Epstein-Barr virus associated central nervous system leiomyosarcoma occurring after renal transplantation: case report and review of the literature; Leiomyosarcome primitif du systeme nerveux central associe au virus d'Epstein-Barr (EBV) et survenu apres transplantation renale: a propos d'un cas et revue de la litterature

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tahri, A.; Noel, G.; Feuvret, L.; Jauffret, E.; Brun, B.; Mazeron, J.J.; Baillet, F. [Centre des Tumeurs, Groupe Hospitalier Universitaire Pitie-Salpetriere, 75 - Paris (France); Feuvret, L. [Centre de Protontherapie d' Orsay, 91 (France); Figuerella-Branger, D. [Hopital de la Timone, Service d' Anatomopathologie, 13 - Marseille (France); Goncalves, A. [Institut Paoli-Calmettes, Service d' Oncologie Medicale, 13 - Marseille (France)

    2003-10-01

    Central nervous system leiomyosarcomas are extremely rare, however, they became more frequent among immuno-deficient patients, either in a patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), or after organ transplantation. The data of the literature indicate that the infection by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) plays a causal role in the development of these tumours but its precise role in the onco-genesis remains unresolved. We report a new case of EBV associated leiomyosarcoma of the left cavernous sinus occurring after renal transplantation. The epidemiological, clinical, pathological and therapeutic characteristics of these tumours are discussed. (authors)

  2. Scintigraphies after renal transplant: study of transplant function and of sup(99m)Tc labelled lymphocytes transit

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Guey, A; Touraine, J L; Collard, M; Traeger, J [Institut National de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale (INSERM), Hopital Edouard-Herriot, 69 - Lyon (France)

    1977-01-01

    In a first series of scintigraphic investigations in patients with a renal transplant, 'conventional' tracers, were used (sup(99m)Tc pertechnetate and sodium iodohippurate iodine-131) and they gave insight on alteration of the function of the transplanted kidney. Precisions on scintigraphic criteria of diagnosis of vascular complications and urinary fistulae were obtained but no clear cut discrimination between ischemic acute tubular necrosis and early rejection was apparent. Despite the use of a data acquisition and processing system (SCINTI-16) and despite improved functional characterization of the transplant, such methods do not appear to provide definite criteria for an early diagnosis of acute rejection. A different approach, using lymphocytes as a vector, was investigated. A method for lymphocyte labelling with sup(99m)Tc was developed. Labelled autologous lymphocytes were injected to normal volunteers and to patients, then the body distribution was determined and followed over a period of 24 hours. The activity was more precisely quantified at the site of the transplant, repeatedly for 24 hours following injection, and the resulting curves were altered in phases of preclinical rejection. The lymphocyte transit in the kidney would be slower during acute rejection crises of the transplanted kidney and this might be responsible for the different aspect of the curve, especially at 3 to 5 hours. This working hypothesis, will be analysed and documented, using more precise quantifications (close selection of the studied area), evaluating the intrarenal transit of each lymphocyte subpopulation and accurately measuring isotope release. It will then perhaps be possible to define very precise and precocious criteria of rejection.

  3. About the Operation: Heart Transplant

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... After the transplant Preventing rejection Post-transplant medications Types of immunosuppressants Switching immunosuppressants Side effects Other medications Generic and brand name drugs Post-transplant tests Infections and immunity Lifestyle changes Health concerns Back to work or ...

  4. Organ Transplantation: Frequently Asked Questions

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... After the transplant Preventing rejection Post-transplant medications Types of immunosuppressants Switching immunosuppressants Side effects Other medications Generic and brand name drugs Post-transplant tests Infections and immunity Lifestyle changes Health concerns Back to work or ...

  5. Radionuclide evaluation of renal transplants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang Hong; Zhao Deshan

    2000-01-01

    Radionuclide renal imaging and plasma clearance methods can quickly quantitate renal blood flow and function in renal transplants. They can diagnose acute tubular necrosis and rejection, renal scar, surgical complications such as urine leaks, obstruction and renal artery stenosis after renal transplants. At the same time they can assess the therapy effect of renal transplant complications and can also predict renal transplant survival from early post-operative function studies

  6. Late-onset acute rejection after living donor liver transplantation

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Nobuhisa Akamatsu; Yasuhiko Sugawara; Sumihito Tamura; Junichi Keneko; Yuichi Matsui; Kiyoshi Hasegawa; Masatoshi Makuuchi

    2006-01-01

    AIM: To investigate the incidence and risk factors of late-onset acute rejection (LAR) and to clarify the effectiveness of our immunosuppressive regime consisting of life-long administration of tacrolimus and steroids.METHODS: Adult living donor liver transplantation recipients (n = 204) who survived more than 6 mo after living donor liver transplantation were enrolled.Immunosuppression was achieved using tacrolimus and methylprednisolone. When adverse effects of tacrolimus were detected, the patient was switched to cyclosporine. Six months after transplantation,tacrolimus or cyclosporine was carefully maintained at a therapeutic level. The methylprednisolone dosage was maintained at 0.05 mg/kg per day by oral administration.Acute rejections that occurred more than 6 mo after the operation were defined as late-onset. The median followup period was 34 mo.RESULTS: LAR was observed in 15 cases (7%) and no chronic rejection was observed. The incidence of hyperlipidemia, chronic renal failure, new-onset posttransplantation diabetes, and deep fungal infection were 13%, 2%, 24%, and 17%, respectively. Conversion from tacrolimus to cyclosporine was required in 38 patients (19%). Multivariate analysis revealed that a cyclosporinebased regimen was significantly associated with LAR.CONCLUSION: Both LAR and drug-induced adverse events happen at a low incidence, supporting the safety and efficacy of the present immunosuppression regimen for living donor liver transplantation.

  7. Design Rules for Life Support Systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, Harry

    2002-01-01

    This paper considers some of the common assumptions and engineering rules of thumb used in life support system design. One general design rule is that the longer the mission, the more the life support system should use recycling and regenerable technologies. A more specific rule is that, if the system grows more than half the food, the food plants will supply all the oxygen needed for the crew life support. There are many such design rules that help in planning the analysis of life support systems and in checking results. These rules are typically if-then statements describing the results of steady-state, "back of the envelope," mass flow calculations. They are useful in identifying plausible candidate life support system designs and in rough allocations between resupply and resource recovery. Life support system designers should always review the design rules and make quick steady state calculations before doing detailed design and dynamic simulation. This paper develops the basis for the different assumptions and design rules and discusses how they should be used. We start top-down, with the highest level requirement to sustain human beings in a closed environment off Earth. We consider the crew needs for air, water, and food. We then discuss atmosphere leakage and recycling losses. The needs to support the crew and to make up losses define the fundamental life support system requirements. We consider the trade-offs between resupplying and recycling oxygen, water, and food. The specific choices between resupply and recycling are determined by mission duration, presence of in-situ resources, etc., and are defining parameters of life support system design.

  8. Allogeneic and Autologous Bone-Marrow Transplantation

    OpenAIRE

    Deeg, H. Joachim

    1988-01-01

    The author of this paper presents an overview of the current status of bone marrow transplantation, including indications, pre-transplant considerations, the transplant procedure, acute and delayed transplant-related problems, results currently attainable, and a short discussion of possible future developments.

  9. Introduction to Life Support Systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perry, Jay

    2017-01-01

    This course provides an introduction to the design and development of life support systems to sustain humankind in the harsh environment of space. The life support technologies necessary to provide a respirable atmosphere and clean drinking water are emphasized in the course. A historical perspective, beginning with open loop systems employed aboard the earliest crewed spacecraft through the state-of-the-art life support technology utilized aboard the International Space Station today, will provide a framework for students to consider applications to possible future exploration missions and destinations which may vary greatly in duration and scope. Development of future technologies as well as guiding requirements for designing life support systems for crewed exploration missions beyond low-Earth orbit are also considered in the course.

  10. Regulatory immune cells and functions in autoimmunity and transplantation immunology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Papp, Gabor; Boros, Peter; Nakken, Britt; Szodoray, Peter; Zeher, Margit

    2017-05-01

    In physiological circumstances, various tolerogenic mechanisms support the protection of self-structures during immune responses. However, quantitative and/or qualitative changes in regulatory immune cells and mediators can evoke auto-reactive immune responses, and upon susceptible genetic background, along with the presence of other concomitant etiological factors, autoimmune disease may develop. In transplant immunology, tolerogenic mechanisms are also critical, since the balance between of alloantigen-reactive effector cells and the regulatory immune cells will ultimately determine whether a graft is accepted or rejected. Better understanding of the immunological tolerance and the potential modulations of immune regulatory processes are crucial for developing effective therapies in autoimmune diseases as well as in organ transplantation. In this review, we focus on the novel insights regarding the impaired immune regulation and other relevant factors contributing to the development of auto-reactive and graft-reactive immune responses in autoimmune diseases and transplant rejection, respectively. We also address some promising approaches for modification of immune-regulatory processes and tolerogenic mechanisms in autoimmunity and solid organ transplantation, which may be beneficial in future therapeutic strategies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Organ donation and transplantation within the Zulu culture

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    B.R. Bhengu

    2004-09-01

    Full Text Available Greater knowledge and technological advancement in the field of transplantation has increased the demand for organ donation beyond the supply of organs, especially among the black communities. This imbalance arises from the few sources of organs, limitations on the techniques of organ retrieval, disparities in the allocation of organs and socio-cultural factors. The aim of this study was to investigate the extent to which Zulu cultural norms and social structures influence an individual’s decision to donate an organ or to undergo transplantation. A qualitative approach using an ethno-nursing method was selected. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a transplant co-ordinator representing the professional sector, with traditional healers and religious leaders representing the folk sector, and with the general public representing the popular sector of the health care system. Both urban and rural settings were used. Conclusions arrived at showed that knowledge was lacking among Zulu speaking people about organ donation and transplantation and misconceptions about the topic were related to Zulu life patterns, beliefs about death, burial and life hereafter, and values and social structures. Recommendations with regard to the promotion of organ donation and transplantation among Zulu speaking people were made based on culture-sensitive and culture-congruent principles.

  12. Organ donation and transplantation within the Zulu culture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhengu, B R; Uys, H H M

    2004-08-01

    Greater knowledge and technological advancement in the field of transplantation has increased the demand for organ donation beyond the supply of organs, especially among the black communities. This imbalance arises from the few sources of organs, limitations on the techniques of organ retrieval, disparities in the allocation of organs and socio-cultural factors. The aim of this study was to investigate the extent to which Zulu cultural norms and social structures influence an individual's decision to donate an organ or to undergo transplantation. A qualitative approach using an ethno-nursing method was selected. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a transplant co-ordinator representing the professional sector, with traditional healers and religious leaders representing the folk sector, and with the general public representing the popular sector of the health care system. Both urban and rural settings were used. Conclusions arrived at showed that knowledge was lacking among Zulu speaking people about organ donation and transplantation and misconceptions about the topic were related to Zulu life patterns, beliefs about death, burial and life hereafter, and values and social structures. Recommendations with regard to the promotion of organ donation and transplantation among Zulu speaking people were made based on culture-sensitive and culture-congruent principles.

  13. Interventional radiological management of complications in renal transplantation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Popovic, P.; Surlan, M.

    2004-01-01

    Background. The most frequent radiologically evaluated and treated complications in renal transplantation are perirenal and renal fluid collection and abnormalities of the vasculature and collecting system. Renal and perirenal fluid collection is usually treated successfully with percutaneous drainage. Doppler US, MRA and digital subtraction angiography (DSA) are most important in the evaluation of vascular complications of renal transplantation and management of the endovascular therapy. Conclusions. Stenosis, the most common vascular complication, occurs in 1% to 12% of transplanted renal arteries and represents a potentially curable cause of hypertension following transplantation and/or renal dysfunction. Treatment with percutaneous transluminal renal angioplasty (PTRA) or PTRA with stent has been technically successful in 82 to 92% of the cases, and graft salvage rate has ranged from 80-100%. Complications such as arterial and vein thrombosis are uncommon. Intrarenal A/V fistulas and pseudoaneurysms are occasionally seen after biopsy, the treatment requires superselective embolisation. Urologic complications are relatively uncommon; they consist predominantly of the urinary leaks and urethral obstruction. Interventional treatment consists of percutaneous nephrostomy, balloon dilation, insertion of the double J stents, metallic stent placement and external drainage of the extrarenal collections. The aim of the paper is to review the role of interventional radiology in the management of complications in renal transplantation. (author)

  14. Clinico-serologic co-relation in bi-directional ABO incompatible hemopoietic stem cell transplantation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sabita Basu

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: The ABO blood group system is of prime significance in red cell transfusion and organ transplantation. However, ABO compatibility is not critical in allogenic hemopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT and approximately 40-50% of hemopoietic stem cell transplants are ABO incompatible. This incompatibility may be major, minor or bi-directional. Though there are descriptions of transfusion practice and protocols in ABO incompatible HSCT, there are considerable variations and transfusion support in these patients can be very challenging. Aims: The immunohematologic observations in two cases of bi-directional ABO incompatible HSCT have been described, and clinico-serologic correlation has been attempted. Materials and Methods: In both cases, peripheral blood stem cell harvests were obtained using the Cobe spectra cell separator. Immunohematologic assessments in the donor and recipient were done as a part of pre HSCT evaluation. Both the standard tube technique and column agglutination method (Ortho Biovue Micro Bead System was used. Antibody screen was done by column agglutination method using three cell panel (Surgiscreen cells. Isoagglutinin titration was done by the master dilution method and standard validated techniques were used. Results: The pattern of laboratory findings in the two cases was different and so were the clinical outcomes. Although there was early engraftment in the first case, the second case developed pure red cell aplasia and this was well-reflected in the immunohematologic assessments. Conclusion: Immunohematologic assessment correlated well with the clinical picture and could be used to predict clinical outcome and onset of complications in ABO incompatible HSCT.

  15. Bone-marrow transplant - series (image)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bone-marrow transplants are performed for: deficiencies in red blood cells (aplastic anemia) and white blood cells (leukemia or ... Bone-marrow transplants prolong the life of patients who might otherwise die. As with all major organ transplants, however, ...

  16. [Changes in the transplantation world--from altruism to a utilitarian approach].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mor, Eytan

    2006-10-01

    The lack of organs for transplantation is a worldwide problem that has created a moral conflict between the traditional altruistic basis of organ donation and alternative solutions based on utilitarian grounds. Survival of grafts achieved in recent decades after unrelated living-donor kidney transplantation between spouses is longer than with deceased donor transplantation. This experience justified the extension of kidney donation beyond the traditional close family relationships including: anonymous donors and paired exchange programs. However, unrelated donation of kidneys within altruistic norms could not provide an ultimate solution for the lack of organs for transplantation. On the other hand, globalization and development of advanced medical technology in developing countries that do not provide transplantation for all their citizens, created an opportunity for a worldwide flourish of transplant tourism as an alternative solution for transplant candidates. Transplant tourism functions according to market laws and is profit-driven, as opposed to the legal organ exchange programs in Europe and the U.S.A., which are non-profit and patient-oriented. The transition from trade in kidneys from unrelated living-donors to the use of other organs (heart, lung and liver) from death penalty prisoners in China was only a matter of deciding where to lay the moral border when justifying the act for the sake of life-saving. Considering the inability of current legal altruistic transplantation practice to supply the growing need for organs, healthcare authorities and professional transplantation organizations have to tackle the donor crisis by designing legally acceptable utilitarian solutions. For instance, through the formation of international organ exchange programs under formal agreements or, in the case of kidney transplantation, through the establishment of a regulated compensated donation system.

  17. Sporotrichosis in Renal Transplant Patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paulo Gewehr

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The current report describes two renal transplant recipients who presented with sporotrichosis. In addition, the authors review the general aspects of sporotrichosis in renal transplant recipients reported in the literature. Sporotrichosis is a rare fungal infection in transplant patients and has been reported primarily in renal transplant recipients not treated with antifungal prophylaxis. Extracutaneous forms of sporotrichosis without skin manifestations and no previous history of traumatic injuries have been described in such patients and are difficult to diagnose. Renal transplant recipients with sporotrichosis described in the present report were successfully treated with antifungal therapy including amphotericin B deoxycholate, lipid amphotericin B formulations, fluconazole and itraconazole.

  18. Alternative donor transplantation--"mixing and matching": the role of combined cord blood and haplo-identical donor transplantation (haplo-cord SCT) as a treatment strategy for patients lacking standard donors?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Hongtao; van Besien, Koen

    2015-03-01

    In the past decade, haplo-cord stem cell transplantation (SCT) using myeloablative or reduced intensive conditioning regimens has been shown to result in reliable and fast engraftment of neutrophils and platelets comparable to HLA-matched donors and much faster than after cord stem cell transplant. Haplo-cord SCT also has a low incidence of early non-relapse mortality, low incidences of acute and chronic graft-vs-host disease (GVHD), and excellent graft-vs-leukemia (GVL) effects. Favorable long-term outcomes for high-risk patients with hematologic malignancies have been reported, including older patients. Haplo-cord SCT will likely overcome the limitations of cell dose during cord stem cell selection and might significantly expand the use of cord stem cell transplant in the adult population. The comparable survival outcomes of matched related donor (MRD), matched unrelated donor (MUD), and haplo-cord stem cell transplant strongly argue that haplo-cord SCT should be considered as effective alternative stem cell transplant for high-risk patients lacking standard donors. Further improvement in supportive care and incorporation of a better understanding of the human fetal immune development into the haplo-cord SCT are required to further improve this strategy.

  19. MRI screening before stem cell transplantation - necessary?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zimmermann, U.; Mentzel, H.J.; Kaiser, W.A.; Wolf, J.; Fuchs, D.; Gruhn, B.; Zintl, F.

    2008-01-01

    Purpose: in the context of stem cell transplantation (SCT), we often observe neurological complications as a consequence of immune system suppression, conditioning therapy or prophylaxis and treatment of graft-versus-host disease. Furthermore, cerebral lesions in existence prior to transplantation can be found. The aim of this study was to evaluate the benefit of cerebral magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) prior to stem cell transplantation. Patients and method: cerebral MR examinations of 116 children and adolescents were performed before SCT. Patients ranged in age from 1.1 to 21.4 years (mean 12.6 years). All MR images were obtained by a 1.5 T System. The predefined short protocol included an axial T1-weighted SE sequence and a coronary T2-weighted TSE sequence. We evaluated existing cerebral lesions, the diameter of the ventricular system, and the paranasal sinuses. In the case of pathological findings, the short examination protocol was expanded. Results: in 5 of 116 children (4.3%) we observed prior to SCT findings requiring immediate treatment although the patients did not show any clinical symptoms (1 x aspergilloma, 1 x hemorrhage of vascular anomaly). An increased risk of bleeding caused by cavernoma or another vascular anomaly without hemorrhage also had to be taken into account. 32 of 116 patients (37.1%) showed atrophic lesions. In 42 children (36.2%), we observed affections of the paranasal sinuses. (orig.)

  20. Effects of Dietary Sodium Restriction in Kidney Transplant Recipients Treated With Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System Blockade: A Randomized Clinical Trial

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Vries, Laura V.; Dobrowolski, Linn C.; van den Bosch, Jacqueline J. O. N.; Riphagen, Ineke J.; Krediet, C. T. Paul; Bemelman, Frederike J.; Bakker, Stephan J. L.; Navis, Gerjan

    2016-01-01

    In patients with chronic kidney disease receiving renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) blockade, dietary sodium restriction is an often-used treatment strategy to reduce blood pressure (BP) and albuminuria. Whether these effects extend to kidney transplant recipients is unknown. We therefore

  1. Effects of Dietary Sodium Restriction in Kidney Transplant Recipients Treated With Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System Blockade : A Randomized Clinical Trial

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Vries, Laura V; Dobrowolski, Linn C; van den Bosch, Jacqueline J O N; Riphagen, Ineke J; Krediet, C T Paul; Bemelman, Frederike J; Bakker, Stephan J L; Navis, Gerjan

    BACKGROUND: In patients with chronic kidney disease receiving renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) blockade, dietary sodium restriction is an often-used treatment strategy to reduce blood pressure (BP) and albuminuria. Whether these effects extend to kidney transplant recipients is unknown.

  2. Imaging in transplantation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bankier, A.A.

    2008-01-01

    This book covers all topics related to the imaging of organ transplantation. An introductory section addresses such issues as organ procurement, patient selection, immune responses, and ethical and economic considerations. The main part of the book then offers in-depth coverage of heart, renal, liver, lung, bone marrow and pancreatic and intestinal transplantation. Each of these topics is discussed firstly in a clinical chapter and then in a radiological chapter. The clinical chapters detail the epidemiology, clinical background, and surgical procedures, as well as any clinically relevant issues of which the radiologist should be aware. The radiological chapters describe and depict the imaging manifestations of specific organ transplantations, document the normal radiological appearance of transplanted organs and consider both early and late complications. This is a unique, superbly illustrated volume that will be of great assistance to all who work in this field. (orig.)

  3. Development of an Information Model for Kidney Transplant Wait List.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bircan, Hüseyin Yüce; Özçelik, Ümit; Uysal, Nida; Demirağ, Alp; Haberal, Mehmet

    2015-11-01

    Deceased-donor kidney transplant is unique among surgical procedures that are an urgent procedure performed in an elective population. It has not been possible to accurately determine when a given patient will be called for transplant. Patients on the active transplant list can be called for a transplant at any time. As a result, every effort must be made to optimize their health according to best practices and published clinical practice guidelines. Once the patient is placed on the transplant wait list after undergoing an initial extensive evaluation, continued surveillance is required. Therefore, we developed a kidney transplant wait list surveillance software program that alerts organ transplant coordinator on time regarding which patients need a work-up. The new designed software has a database of our waiting patients with their completed and pending controls. The software also has built-in functions to warn the responsible staff with an E-mail. If one of the controls of a recipient delayed, the software sends an automated E-mail to the staff regarding the patients delayed controls. The software is a Web application that works on any platform with a Web browser and Internet connection and allows access by multiple users. The software has been developed with NET platform. The database is SQL server. The software has the following functions: patient communication info, search, alert list, alert E-mail, control entry, and system management. As of January 2014, a total of 21 000 patients were registered on the National Kidney Transplant wait list in Turkey and the kidney transplant wait list had been expanding by 2000 to 3000 patients each year. Therefore computerized wait list programs are crucial to help to transplant centers to keep their patients up-to-date on time.

  4. Mathematical Modeling Of Life-Support Systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seshan, Panchalam K.; Ganapathi, Balasubramanian; Jan, Darrell L.; Ferrall, Joseph F.; Rohatgi, Naresh K.

    1994-01-01

    Generic hierarchical model of life-support system developed to facilitate comparisons of options in design of system. Model represents combinations of interdependent subsystems supporting microbes, plants, fish, and land animals (including humans). Generic model enables rapid configuration of variety of specific life support component models for tradeoff studies culminating in single system design. Enables rapid evaluation of effects of substituting alternate technologies and even entire groups of technologies and subsystems. Used to synthesize and analyze life-support systems ranging from relatively simple, nonregenerative units like aquariums to complex closed-loop systems aboard submarines or spacecraft. Model, called Generic Modular Flow Schematic (GMFS), coded in such chemical-process-simulation languages as Aspen Plus and expressed as three-dimensional spreadsheet.

  5. Multimodality postoperative imaging of liver transplantation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zamboni, Giulia A.; Pedrosa, Ivan; Kruskal, Jonathan B.; Raptopoulos, Vassilios

    2008-01-01

    Liver transplantation is the only effective and definitive treatment for patients with end-stage liver disease. The shortage of cadaveric livers has lead to the increasing use of split-liver transplantation and living-donor liver transplantation, but the expansion of the donor pool has increased the risk for postoperative vascular and biliary complications. Early recognition of the imaging appearances of the various postoperative complications of liver transplantation is crucial for both graft and patient survival. This review describes the imaging findings of normal and abnormal transplanted liver parenchyma and of vascular and biliary post-transplantation complications. (orig.)

  6. Hair transplantation: Standard guidelines of care

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Patwardhan Narendra

    2008-03-01

    that proper hair growth can be expected after about 9 months after transplantation. Preoperative laboratory studies to be performed include Hb%, blood counts including platelet count, bleeding and clotting time (or prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time, blood chemistry profile including sugar. Methods : Follicular unit hair transplantation is the gold standard method of hair transplantation; it preserves the natural architecture of the hair units and gives natural results. Mini-micro-grafting is a method hair transplantation involving randomly assorted groups of hairs, with out consideration of their natural configuration of follicular units, under loupe or naked eye examination. Mini-grafts consist of 4-5-6 hairs while micro-grafts consist of 1-3 hairs. Punch gives ugly cosmetically unacceptable results and should no longer be used. Patient Selection : Hair transplantation can be performed in any person with pattern hair loss, with good donor area, in good general health and reasonable expectations. Caution should be exercised in, very young patients whose early alopecia is still evolving, patients with Norwood grade VI or VII with poor density, patients with unrealistic expectations, and patients with significant systemic health problems. Medical therapy: Most patients will need concurrent medical treatment since the process of pattern hair loss is progressive and may affect the remaining hairs. Manpower : Hair transplantation is a team effort. Particularly, performing large sessions, needs a well trained team of trained assistants. Anesthesia: 2% lignocaine with adrenaline is generally used for anesthesia; tumescent technique is preferred. Bupivacaine has been used by some authors in view of its prolonged duration of action. Donor dissection : Strip dissection by single blade is recommended for donor area. Steromicroscopic dissection is recommended for dissection of hair units in follicular unit transplantation; mini-micro-grafting does not need

  7. In Utero Hepatocellular Transplantation in Rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emma Muñoz-Sáez

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available This work represents a step forward in the experimental design of an in utero hepatocellular transplantation model in rats. We focused on the enrichment optimization of isolated fetal hepatocytes suspension, arranging the surgery methodology of in utero transplantation, monitoring the biodistribution of the transplanted hepatocytes, and assessing the success of the transplants. Rat fetuses have been transplanted at the 17th embryonic day (ED17 with fetal hepatocytes isolated from rats at the end of pregnancy (ED21. We assessed possible differences between lymphocyte population, CD4 positive, CD8 positive, double-positive T-cells, and anti-inflammatory cytokines interleukins 4 and 10 (IL4 and IL10 as well. Cellular viability reached the rates of 90–95%. Transplanted groups had a limited success. Transplanted hepatocytes were not able to pass through the hematoplacental barrier. The hepatocytes injected were primarily located in the liver. There was an upward trend in the whole amount of T CD4 and T CD8 cells. There was an increased IL4 in the transplanted groups observed in the pregnant rats. The possibility to induce tolerance in fetuses with a hepatocyte transplant in utero could be a key point to avoid the immunosuppression treatments which must be undergone by transplanted patients.

  8. Use of G-CSF-stimulated marrow in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation settings: a comprehensive review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, Ying-Jun; Huang, Xiao-Jun

    2011-01-01

    In recent years, several researchers have unraveled the previously unrecognized effects of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) on hematopoiesis and the immune cell functions of bone marrow in healthy donors. In human leukocyte antigen-matched or haploidentical transplant settings, available data have established the safety of using G-CSF-stimulated bone marrow grafts, as well as the ability of this source to produce rapid and sustained engraftment. Interestingly, G-CSF-primed bone marrow transplants could capture the advantages of blood stem cell transplants, without the increased risk of chronic graft-versus-host disease that is associated with blood stem cell transplants. This review summarizes the growing body of evidence that supports the use of G-CSF-stimulated bone marrow grafts as an alternative stem cell source in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

  9. Motion Transplantation Techniques: A Survey

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Basten, Ben; Egges, Arjan

    2012-01-01

    During the past decade, researchers have developed several techniques for transplanting motions. These techniques transplant a partial auxiliary motion, possibly defined for a small set of degrees of freedom, on a base motion. Motion transplantation improves motion databases' expressiveness and

  10. Psychological rejection of the transplanted organ and graft dysfunction in kidney transplant patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Látos M

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Melinda Látos,1 György Lázár,1 Zoltán Horváth,1 Victoria Wittmann,1 Edit Szederkényi,1 Zoltán Hódi,1 Pál Szenohradszky,1 Márta Csabai2 1Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, 2Psychology Institute, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary Abstract: Interdisciplinary studies suggest that the mental representations of the transplanted organ may have a significant effect on the healing process. The objective of this study was to examine the representations of the transplanted organ and their relationship with emotional and mood factors, illness perceptions, and the functioning of the transplanted organ. One hundred and sixty-four kidney transplant patients were assessed using the Spielberger Anxiety Inventory, the Beck’s Depression Scale, the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory, the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire, and the Transplanted Organ Questionnaire. Medical parameters were collected from the routine clinical blood tests (serum creatinine and estimated glomerular filtration rate levels and biopsy results. Our most outstanding results suggest that kidney-transplanted patients’ illness representations are associated with health outcomes. The Transplanted Organ Questionnaire “psychological rejection” subscale was connected with higher serum creatinine and estimated glomerular filtration rate levels. Logistic regression analysis showed that psychological rejection subscale, Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire, and Posttraumatic Growth Questionnaire total scores were associated with graft rejection. These results may serve as a basis for the development of complex treatment interventions, which could help patients to cope with the bio-psycho-social challenges of integrating the new organ as part of their body and self. Keywords: anxiety, depression, illness representations, posttraumatic growth, psychological rejection, renal transplantation

  11. Evolving paradigms for desensitization in managing broadly HLA sensitized transplant candidates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reinsmoen, Nancy L; Lai, Chi-Hung; Vo, Ashley; Jordan, Stanley C

    2012-04-01

    The broadly human leukocyte antigen (HLA) sensitized patient awaiting organ transplantation remains a persistent and significant problem for transplant medicine. Sensitization occurs as a consequence of exposure to HLA antigens through pregnancy, blood and platelet transfusions, and previous transplants. Early experience with desensitization protocols coupled with improved diagnostics for donor-specific antibodies (DSAs) and renal pathology have greatly improved transplant rates and outcomes for patients once considered un-transplantable or at high risk for poor outcomes. More recent advances have occurred through implementation of a national allocation system requiring the entering of unacceptable antigens that reduces the rate of crossmatch positivity. Current desensitization therapies include high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), plasma exchange (PLEX) with low-dose IVIG, and IVIG combined with rituximab. Developing therapies include proteasome inhibitors aimed at plasma cells and modifiers of complement-mediated injury. Here we discuss the important advancements in desensitization including defining the risk for antibody-mediated rejection prior to transplantation and the evolution of therapies aimed at reducing the impact of antibody injury on allografts.

  12. Soluble CD30 levels in recipients undergoing heart transplantation do not predict post-transplant outcome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ypsilantis, Efthymios; Key, Timothy; Bradley, J Andrew; Morgan, C Helen; Tsui, Stephen; Parameshwar, Jayan; Taylor, Craig J

    2009-11-01

    The pre-transplant serum level of soluble CD30 (sCD30), a proteolytic derivative of the lymphocyte surface receptor CD30, has been suggested as a biomarker for immunologic risk after organ transplantation. Pre-transplant serum sCD30 levels were determined in 200 consecutive adult heart transplant recipients undertaken at a single center. Transplant outcome (acute rejection in the first 12 months and patient survival up to 5 years post-transplant) was determined. Patients treated with a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) prior to transplantation (n = 28) had higher levels of sCD30 (median 64 U/ml, range 12 to 112 U/ml) than those (n = 172) with no LVAD (median 36 U/ml, range 1 to 158 U/ml, p sCD30 levels were "low" (lower quartile, 58 U/ml, n = 50). Neither acute rejection nor recipient survival differed according to sCD30 level, with values (mean +/- SEM) of 0.30 +/- 0.04, 0.23 +/- 0.03 and 0.30 +/- 0.05 acute rejection episodes per 100 days in the low, intermediate and high groups, respectively, with recipient survival rates at 1 year of 77.7%, 84.9% and 86% and at 5 years of 73.6%, 67.9% and 75.8%, respectively. Pre-transplant serum sCD30 level does not predict acute allograft rejection or recipient survival after heart transplantation, although sCD30 levels are increased by LVAD, possibly as a result of biomaterial-host immune interaction.

  13. Risk factors of post renal transplant hyperparathyroidism

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jahromi, Alireza Hamidian; Roozbeh, Jamshid; Raiss-Jalali, Ghanbar Ali; Dabaghmanesh, Alireza; Jalaeian, Hamed; Bahador, Ali; Nikeghbalian, Saman; Salehipour, Mehdi; Salahi, Heshmat; Malek-Hosseini, Ali

    2009-01-01

    It is well recognized that patients with end stage renal diseases (ESRD) have hyper-plastic parathyroid glands. In most patients, a decrease in parathyroid hormone (PTH) occurs by about 1 year after renal transplantation. However, some renal transplant recipients continue to have elevated level of PTH. We prospectively evaluated 121 patients undergoing renal transplantation between August 2000 and 2002. The duration of dialysis, calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), albumin, creatinine and iPTH levels were recorded prior to transplantation and three months and one year after transplantation. These 121 patients were on dialysis for an average period of 17.4 months prior to transplantation. An increase in the serum Ca and a decrease in serum P and iPTH level was seen in the patients after transplantation (P< 0.001). Hyperparathyroidism was in 12 (9.9%) and 7 (5.7%) patients three months and one year after transplantation respectively. Elderly patients and patients with longer duration on dialysis had an increased risk of developing post transplant hyperparathyroidism and hypercalcemia in the first year post transplant (P< 0.05). In conclusion age and duration on dialysis before transplantation seems to be important risk factors for post transplant hyperparathyroidism. (author)

  14. Live-donor liver transplantation: the USC experience.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jabbour, N; Genyk, Y; Mateo, R; Peyre, C; Patel, R V; Thomas, D; Ralls, P; Palmer, S; Kanel, G; Selby, R R

    2001-01-01

    Liver transplantation is currently the standard of care for patients with end stage liver disease. However due to the cadaveric organ shortage, live donor liver transplantation (LDLT), has been recently introduced as a potential solution. We analyzed and support our initial experience with this procedure at USC. From September 1998 until July 2000, a total of 27 patients underwent LDLT at USC University Hospital and Los Angeles Children's Hospital. There were 12 children with the median age of 10 months (4-114) and 15 adults with the median age of 56 years (35-65). The most common indication for transplantation was biliary atresia for children and hepatitis C for adults. All donors did well postoperatively; the median postoperative stay was five days (5-7) for left lateral segmentectomy and seven days (4-12) for lobar donation. None of the donors required blood transfusion, re-operation or postoperative invasive procedure. However, five of them (18%) experienced minor complications. The survival rate in pediatric patients was 100% and only one graft was lost at nine months due to rejection. Two adult recipients died in the postoperative period, one from graft non-function and one from necrotizing fascitis. 37% of adult recipients experienced postoperative complications, mainly related to biliary reconstruction. Also 26% of the recipients underwent reoperation for some of these complications. LDLT is an excellent alternative to cadaveric transplantation with excellent results in the pediatric population. However, in adult patients it still carries a significant complication rate and it should be used with caution.

  15. Clinical outcomes of facial transplantation: a review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shanmugarajah, Kumaran; Hettiaratchy, Shehan; Clarke, Alex; Butler, Peter E M

    2011-01-01

    A total of 18 composite tissue allotransplants of the face have currently been reported. Prior to the start of the face transplant programme, there had been intense debate over the risks and benefits of performing this experimental surgery. This review examines the surgical, functional and aesthetic, immunological and psychological outcomes of facial transplantation thus far, based on the predicted risks outlined in early publications from teams around the world. The initial experience has demonstrated that facial transplantation is surgically feasible. Functional and aesthetic outcomes have been very encouraging with good motor and sensory recovery and improvements to important facial functions observed. Episodes of acute rejection have been common, as predicted, but easily controlled with increases in systemic immunosuppression. Psychological improvements have been remarkable and have resulted in the reintegration of patients into the outside world, social networks and even the workplace. Complications of immunosuppression and patient mortality have been observed in the initial series. These have highlighted rigorous patient selection as the key predictor of success. The overall early outcomes of the face transplant programme have been generally more positive than many predicted. This initial success is testament to the robust approach of teams. Dissemination of outcomes and ongoing refinement of the process may allow facial transplantation to eventually become a first-line reconstructive option for those with extensive facial disfigurements. Copyright © 2011 Surgical Associates Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Gaming the Liver Transplant Market

    OpenAIRE

    Jason Snyder

    2010-01-01

    The liver transplant waiting list is designed to allocate livers to the sickest patients first. Before March 1, 2002, livers were allocated to patients based on objective clinical indicators and subjective factors. In particular, a center placing a prospective transplant recipient in the intensive care unit (ICU) leads to a higher position on the liver transplant waiting list. After March 1, 2002, a policy reform mandated that priority on the liver transplant waiting list no longer be influen...

  17. [Laparoscopic cholecystectomy in transplant patients].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coelho, Júlio Cezar Uili; Contieri, Fabiana L C; de Freitas, Alexandre Coutinho Teixeira; da Silva, Fernanda Cristina; Kozak, Vanessa Nascimento; da Silva Junior, Alzemir Santos

    2010-02-01

    This study reviews our experience with laparoscopic cholecystectomy in the treatment of cholelithiasis in transplant patients. Demographic data, medications used, and operative and postoperative data of all transplant recipients who were subjected to laparoscopic cholecystectomy for cholelithiasis at our hospital were obtained. A total of 15 transplant patients (13 renal transplantation and 2 bone marrow transplantation) underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy. All patients were admitted to the hospital on the day of the operation. The immunosuppressive regimen was not modified during hospitalization. Clinical presentation of cholelithiasis was biliary colicky (n=12), acute cholecystitis (n=2), and jaundice (n=1). The operation was uneventful in all patients. Postoperative complications were nausea and vomiting in 2 patients, prolonged tracheal intubation in 1, wound infection in 1 and large superficial hematoma in 1 patient. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is associated to a low morbidity and mortality and good postoperative outcome in transplant patients with uncomplicated cholecystitis.

  18. Professional Growth & Support System Self-Assessment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Education Resource Strategies, 2013

    2013-01-01

    The "Professional Growth & Support System Self-Assessment" is designed to help school systems evaluate their current Professional Growth & Support strategy. The self-assessment is organized around the "Eight Principles of Strategic Professional Growth & Support." Each section allows school leaders to identify the…

  19. Highly efficient and compatible shampoo for use after hair transplant

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Schweiger D

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Dorothea Schweiger,1 Andrea M Schoelermann,1 Alexander Filbry,1 Tina Hamann,1 Claudia Moser,2 Frank Rippke1 1Research and Development, Beiersdorf AG, Hamburg, Germany; 2Moser Medical, Clinics for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Vienna, Austria Background: Sensitive or hyperreactive skin is a common condition defined by prickling, burning, pain, and pruritus. Although this skin problem was initially described on the face, the scalp is often affected. A sensitive scalp can react with irritation to harsh surfactants or other additives which are often present in shampoos. For this reason, we developed a new rinse-off hypertolerant shampoo specifically designed for the hypersensitive and problematic scalp.Methods: The shampoo formulation is based on an extremely mild surfactant system and contains bisabolol, an anti-irritant and anti-inflammatory ingredient of chamomile. The shampoo is free of additives such as perfumes, silicones, colorants, parabens, paraffins, and betaine. Since skin can remain in a hyperreactive state after wounding, the status after hair transplantation was chosen as a model system to test the shampoo. Scalp condition and compatibility of each volunteer were analyzed by a plastic surgeon directly after hair transplant and after stitch removal. The plastic surgeons also rated whether they would recommend the further use of the test shampoo. Additionally, volunteers completed a self-assessment questionnaire.Results: Following hair transplantation, regular use of the shampoo resulted in a significant reduction in the extent of scabbing and erythema. This was confirmed by dermatological scalp examinations performed by the plastic surgeon as well as in volunteers' self-assessments. The plastic surgeon highly recommended the further use of the test shampoo after hair transplant to all study participants.Conclusion: Application of the test shampoo demonstrated excellent skin compatibility and product efficacy after hair transplant. The test

  20. Predicting Alloreactivity in Transplantation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kirsten Geneugelijk

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Human leukocyte Antigen (HLA mismatching leads to severe complications after solid-organ transplantation and hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation. The alloreactive responses underlying the posttransplantation complications include both direct recognition of allogeneic HLA by HLA-specific alloantibodies and T cells and indirect T-cell recognition. However, the immunogenicity of HLA mismatches is highly variable; some HLA mismatches lead to severe clinical B-cell- and T-cell-mediated alloreactivity, whereas others are well tolerated. Definition of the permissibility of HLA mismatches prior to transplantation allows selection of donor-recipient combinations that will have a reduced chance to develop deleterious host-versus-graft responses after solid-organ transplantation and graft-versus-host responses after hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation. Therefore, several methods have been developed to predict permissible HLA-mismatch combinations. In this review we aim to give a comprehensive overview about the current knowledge regarding HLA-directed alloreactivity and several developed in vitro and in silico tools that aim to predict direct and indirect alloreactivity.

  1. Haematopoietic transplants combining a single unrelated cord blood unit and mobilized haematopoietic stem cells from an adult HLA-mismatched third party donor. Comparable results to transplants from HLA-identical related donors in adults with acute leukaemia and myelodysplastic syndromes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sebrango, Ana; Vicuña, Isabel; de Laiglesia, Almudena; Millán, Isabel; Bautista, Guiomar; Martín-Donaire, Trinidad; Regidor, Carmen; Cabrera, Rafael; Fernandez, Manuel N

    2010-06-01

    We describe results of the strategy, developed by our group, of co-infusion of mobilized haematopoietic stem cells as a support for single-unit unrelated cord blood transplant (dual CB/TPD-MHSC transplants) for treatment of haematological malignancies in adults, and a comparative analysis of results obtained using this strategy and transplants performed with mobilized haematopoietic stem cells from related HLA-identical donors (RTD) for treatment of adults with acute leukaemia and myelodysplastic syndromes. Our data show that the dual CB/TPD-MHSC transplant strategy results in periods of post-transplant neutropenia, final rates of full donor chimerism and transplant-related mortality rates comparable to those of the RTD. Final survival outcomes are comparable in adults transplanted because of acute leukaemia, with different incidences of the complications that most influence these: a higher incidence of infections related to late recovery of protective immunity dependent on T cell functions, and a lower incidence of serious acute graft-versus-host disease and relapses. Recent advances in cord blood transplant techniques allow allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) to be a viable option for almost every patient who may benefit from this therapeutic approach. Development of innovative strategies to improve the post-transplant recovery of T cells function is currently the main challenge to further improving the possibilities of unrelated cord blood transplantation. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. EBV-associated post-transplantation B-cell lymphoproliferative disorder following allogenic stem cell transplantation for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia: tumor regression after reduction of immunosuppression - a case report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Niedobitek Gerald

    2010-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Epstein-Barr virus (EBV-associated B-cell post-transplantation lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD is a severe complication following stem cell transplantation. This is believed to occur as a result of iatrogenic immunosuppression leading to a relaxation of T-cell control of EBV infection and thus allowing viral reactivation and proliferation of EBV-infected B-lymphocytes. In support of this notion, reduction of immunosuppressive therapy may lead to regression of PTLD. We present a case of an 18-year-old male developing a monomorphic B-cell PTLD 2 months after receiving an allogenic stem cell transplant for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Reduction of immunosuppressive therapy led to regression of lymphadenopathy. Nevertheless, the patient died 3 months afterwards due to extensive graft-vs.-host-disease and sepsis. As a diagnostic lymph node biopsy was performed only after reduction of immunosuppressive therapy, we are able to study the histopathological changes characterizing PTLD regression. We observed extensive apoptosis of blast cells, accompanied by an abundant infiltrate comprising predominantly CD8-positive, Granzyme B-positive T-cells. This observation supports the idea that regression of PTLD is mediated by cytotoxic T-cells and is in keeping with the observation that T-cell depletion, represents a major risk factor for the development of PTLD.

  3. Total Artificial Heart as Bridge to Heart Transplantation in Chagas Cardiomyopathy: Case Report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruzza, A; Czer, L S C; De Robertis, M; Luthringer, D; Moriguchi, J; Kobashigawa, J; Trento, A; Arabia, F

    2016-01-01

    Chagas disease (CD) is becoming an increasingly recognized cause of dilated cardiomyopathy outside of Latin America, where it is endemic, due to population shifts and migration. Heart transplantation (HTx) is a therapeutic option for end-stage cardiomyopathy due to CD, but may be considered a relative contraindication due to potential reactivation of the causative organism with immunosuppression therapy. The total artificial heart (TAH) can provide mechanical circulatory support in decompensated patients with severe biventricular dysfunction until the time of HTx, while avoiding immunosuppressive therapy and removing the organ most affected by the causative organism. We report herein a patient with CD and severe biventricular dysfunction, who had mechanical circulatory support with a TAH for more than 6 months, followed by successful orthotopic HTx and treatment with benznidazole for 3 months. The patient had no evidence of recurrent disease in the transplanted heart based on endomyocardial biopsy up to 1 year post-transplantation, and remains alive more than 30 months after insertion of a TAH and 24 months after HTx. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. KIDNEY TRANSPLANT URODYNAMICS: NEUROPHYSIOLOGIC CONSIDERATIONS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V. B. Berdichevskiy

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available By analyzing data from the literature and the results of own clinical the authors suggest the presence of its own physiological rhythmogenesis motility of the urinary system to ensure its functional viability after denervation in the process of donor kidney recоvery and its transplantation to the recipient. 

  5. Does hypertension remain after kidney transplantation?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gholamreza Pourmand

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Hypertension is a common complication of kidney transplantation with the prevalence of 80%. Studies in adults have shown a high prevalence of hypertension (HTN in the first three months of transplantation while this rate is reduced to 50- 60% at the end of the first year. HTN remains as a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, lower graft survival rates and poor function of transplanted kidney in adults and children. In this retrospective study, medical records of 400 kidney transplantation patients of Sina Hospital were evaluated. Patients were followed monthly for the 1st year, every two months in the 2nd year and every three months after that. In this study 244 (61% patients were male. Mean ± SD age of recipients was 39.3 ± 13.8 years. In most patients (40.8% the cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD was unknown followed by HTN (26.3%. A total of 166 (41.5% patients had been hypertensive before transplantation and 234 (58.5% had normal blood pressure. Among these 234 individuals, 94 (40.2% developed post-transplantation HTN. On the other hand, among 166 pre-transplant hypertensive patients, 86 patients (56.8% remained hypertensive after transplantation. Totally 180 (45% patients had post-transplantation HTN and 220 patients (55% didn't develop HTN. Based on the findings, the incidence of post-transplantation hypertension is high, and kidney transplantation does not lead to remission of hypertension. On the other hand, hypertension is one of the main causes of ESRD. Thus, early screening of hypertension can prevent kidney damage and reduce further problems in renal transplant recipients.

  6. Influenza in solid organ transplant recipients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martin, Spencer T; Torabi, Mina J; Gabardi, Steven

    2012-02-01

    To review available data describing the epidemiology, outcomes, prevention, and treatment of influenza virus in the solid organ transplant population and to evaluate the strengths and limitations of the current literature, with a focus on literature reviewing annual influenza strains and the recent pandemic novel influenza A/H1N1 strain. A systematic literature search (July 1980-June 2011) was performed via PubMed using the following key words: influenza, human; influenza; novel influenza A H1/N1; transplantation; solid organ transplantation; kidney transplant; renal transplant; lung transplant; heart transplant; and liver transplant. Papers were excluded if they were not written in English or were animal studies or in vitro studies. Data from fully published studies and recent reports from international conferences were included. The influenza virus presents a constant challenge to immunocompromised patients and their health care providers. The annual influenza strain introduces a highly infectious and pathogenic risk to solid organ transplant recipients. In 2009, the World Health Organization declared a pandemic as a result of a novel influenza A/H1N1 strain. The pandemic introduced an additional viral threat to solid organ transplant patients at increased risk for infectious complications. The mainstay for prevention of influenza infection in all at-risk populations is appropriate vaccination. Antiviral therapies against influenza for chemoprophylaxis and treatment of infection are available; however, dosing strategies in the solid organ transplant population are not well defined. The solid organ transplant population is at an increased risk of severe complications from influenza infection. Identifying risks, preventing illness, and appropriately treating active infection is essential in this patient population.

  7. Maternal T cells limit engraftment after in utero hematopoietic cell transplantation in mice

    OpenAIRE

    Nijagal, Amar; Wegorzewska, Marta; Jarvis, Erin; Le, Tom; Tang, Qizhi; MacKenzie, Tippi C.

    2011-01-01

    Transplantation of allogeneic stem cells into the early gestational fetus, a treatment termed in utero hematopoietic cell transplantation (IUHCTx), could potentially overcome the limitations of bone marrow transplants, including graft rejection and the chronic immunosuppression required to prevent rejection. However, clinical use of IUHCTx has been hampered by poor engraftment, possibly due to a host immune response against the graft. Since the fetal immune system is relatively immature, we h...

  8. EPICS: operating system independent device/driver support

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kraimer, M.R.

    2003-01-01

    Originally EPICS input/output controllers (IOCs) were only supported on VME-based systems running the vxWorks operating system. Now IOCs are supported on many systems: vxWorks, RTEMS, Solaris, HPUX, Linux, WIN32, and Darwin. A challenge is to provide operating-system-independent device and driver support. This paper presents some techniques for providing such support. EPICS (Experimental Physics and Industrial Control System) is a set of software tools, libraries, and applications developed collaboratively and used worldwide to create distributed, real-time control systems for scientific instruments such as particle accelerators, telescopes, and other large scientific experiments. An important component of all EPICS-based control systems is a collection of input/output controllers (IOCs). An IOC has three primary components: (1) a real-time database; (2) channel access, which provides network access to the database; and (3) device/driver support for interfacing to equipment. This paper describes some projects related to providing device/driver support on non-vxWorks systems. In order to support IOCs on platforms other than vxWorks, operating-system-independent (OSI) application program interfaces (APIs) were defined for threads, semaphores, timers, etc. Providing support for a new platform consists of providing an operating-system-dependent implementation of the OSI APIs.

  9. Liver transplantation for nontransplant physicians

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amany AbdelMaqsod Sholkamy

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Many of the nontransplant physicians who manage hepatic patients (internists and hepatologists keep asking about liver transplantation. The purpose of this article is to highlight important topics a nontransplant colleague may require in his practice. There are many topics in this respect; however, three most important topics need to be highlighted; those are; the time of referral to transplantation, the indications and contraindications and the metabolic issues regarding a transplanted patient. Still, there are no clear guidelines for the management of many of the metabolic issues regarding liver transplanted patients. And this why, collaborative efforts of transplant and nontransplant physicians are needed to conduct multicenter, long term randomized controlled trials and proper follow up programs.

  10. Nanoparticle delivery of donor antigens for transplant tolerance in allogeneic islet transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bryant, Jane; Hlavaty, Kelan A; Zhang, Xiaomin; Yap, Woon-Teck; Zhang, Lei; Shea, Lonnie D; Luo, Xunrong

    2014-10-01

    Human islet cell transplantation is a promising treatment for type 1 diabetes; however, long-term donor-specific tolerance to islet allografts remains a clinically unmet goal. We have previously shown that recipient infusions of apoptotic donor splenocytes chemically treated with 1-ethyl-3-(3'-dimethylaminopropyl)-carbodiimide (donor ECDI-SP) can mediate long-term acceptance of full major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-mismatched murine islet allografts without the use of immunosuppression. In this report, we investigated the use of poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLG) particles in lieu of donor ECDI-SP as a synthetic, cell-free carrier for delivery of donor antigens for the induction of transplant tolerance in full MHC-mismatched murine allogeneic islet transplantation. Infusions of donor antigen-coupled PLG particles (PLG-dAg) mediated tolerance in ∼20% of recipient mice, and the distribution of cellular uptake of PLG-dAg within the spleen was similar to that of donor ECDI-SP. PLG-dAg mediated the contraction of indirectly activated T cells but did not modulate the direct pathway of allorecognition. Combination of PLG-dAg with a short course of low dose immunosuppressant rapamycin at the time of transplant significantly improved the tolerance efficacy to ∼60%. Furthermore, altering the timing of PLG-dAg administration to a schedule that is more feasible for clinical transplantation resulted in equal tolerance efficacy. Thus, the combination therapy of PLG-dAg infusions with peritransplant rapamycin represents a clinically attractive, biomaterials-based and cell-free method for inducing long-term donor-specific tolerance for allogeneic cell transplantation, such as for allogeneic islet transplantation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Effect of a new drug releasing system on microencapsulated islet transplantation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Binjie; Gao, Qingkun; Liu, Rui; Ren, Ming; Wu, Yan; Jiang, Zaixing; Zhou, Yi

    2015-01-01

    Objective: This study aimed to develop a novel release system for grafted islets. Materials and methods: A graphene oxide-FTY720 release system was constructed to test the drug loading and releasing capacity. The recipient rats were divided into four groups as following: Experiment group A (EG A) and B (EG B); Control group A (CG A) and B (CG B). In each group, (2000±100) IEQ microencapsulated islets were implanted into the abdominal cavity of the recipients with oral FTY720, local graphene oxide-FTY720 injection, without immunosuppressants, and with graphene oxide-saturated solution respectively. We detected the immunological data, the blood glucose level, and pericapsular overgrowth to show the transplantation effect. Results: 31% of adsorptive FTY720 was released within 6 h, and 82% of FTY720 was released within 48 h. From day 5 to 8, the amount of PBL in EG B was significantly less than those in EG A (PGraphene oxide-FTY720 complex showed a drug releasing effect. Local application of graphene-FTY720 releasing system could decrease the amount of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) and the percentage of CD3 and CD8 T lymphocytes in blood for longer time than oral drug application. This releasing system could achieve a better blood glucose control. PMID:26722425

  12. Terapia nutricional no transplante hepático Nutritional therapy in liver transplantation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mônica Beatriz PAROLIN

    2002-04-01

    Full Text Available Racional - Deficiências nutricionais, por vezes graves, são comuns em pacientes com insuficiência hepática, candidatos a transplante de fígado. A terapia nutricional pode corrigir total ou parcialmente tais deficiências, melhorando as condições clínicas e o prognóstico desses indivíduos, frente ao grande desafio do transplante hepático. Objetivos - Breve revisão do papel do fígado no metabolismo dos diversos nutrientes. Descrição dos métodos de avaliação do estado nutricional, traçando-se as bases da terapia nutricional segundo condições hepáticas diversas, no pré e pós-transplante, em relação às necessidades calóricas e dos diversos nutrientes. Apresentação de intervenções nutricionais, no controle das complicações metabólicas resultantes do uso de drogas imunossupressoras. Conclusão - A terapia nutricional é valiosa aliada no tratamento clínico de pacientes candidatos ou já submetidos ao transplante hepático, contribuindo para um prognóstico favorável e para a melhora da qualidade de vida desses indivíduos.Background - Malnutrition, sometimes severe is common in patients with chronic hepatic diseases who are candidates for liver transplantation. Nutritional therapy can induce partial or total correction of such deficiencies, improving clinical conditions and prognosis of patients who face the great defiance of liver transplantation. Aims - Brief revision of hepatic role in the metabolism of several nutrients. Description of available methods of dietary therapy and its application both under different abnormal hepatic conditions and pre and post-transplant periods. The role of nutritional intervention in metabolic side effects due to immunosuppressive drugs. Conclusion - Nutritional therapy is a valuable adjuvant resource to the clinical treatment of candidates and submitted patients to hepatic transplantation providing better prognosis and improved life quality.

  13. System support software for TSTA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Claborn, G.W.; Mann, L.W.; Nielson, C.W.

    1987-01-01

    The software at the Tritium Systems Test Assembly (TSTA) is logically broken into two parts, the system support software and the subsystem software. The purpose of the system support software is to isolate the subsystem software from the physical hardware. In this sense the system support software forms the kernel of the software at TSTA. The kernel software performs several functions. It gathers data from CAMAC modules and makes that data available for subsystem processes. It services requests to send commands to CAMAC modules. It provides a system of logging functions and provides for a system-wide global program state that allows highly structured interaction between subsystem processes. The kernel's most visible function is to provide the Man-Machine Interface (MMI). The MMI allows the operators a window into the physical hardware and subsystem process state. Finally the kernel provides a data archiving and compression function that allows archival data to be accessed and plotted. Such kernel software as developed and implemented at TSTA is described

  14. In vivo transformation of neural stem cells following transplantation in the injured nervous system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Radtke, Christine; Redeker, Joern; Jokuszies, Andreas; Vogt, Peter M

    2010-04-01

    Johnson et al report tumor formation following murine neural precursor cell transplantation in a rat peripheral nerve injury model, emphasizing the importance of full in vitro characterization of cells prior to transplantation. Cell lines can change during expansion and subclones which may become tumerogenic may be selected in the process of expansion. Cell transplantation studies with committed cells that have been minimally manipulated and expanded in culture such as olfactory ensheathing cells and Schwann cells may pose less risk of tumerogenicity, but have the disadvantage of limited cell harvest yields. The balance between in vitro transformation of expanded cell lines and the limitation of cell harvest yields from preparation of more stable committed cells must be considered in selection of cells for therapeutic intervention for nerve repair. Copyright Thieme Medical Publishers.

  15. MR Imaging of renal transplants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gremo, L.; Avataneo, T.; Potenzoni, F.; Colla, L.; Segoloni, G.

    1988-01-01

    The authors report their experience in the study of renal transplant recipients by MR, in order to determine its clinical potentials. The main purpose of this work is to focus on MR patterns in relation to clinical findings of rejector or normally fuctioning kidney. Twenty-four patients were examined with a 0.5 T superconductive magnete, body coil, spin-echo pulse sequence (SE) and inversion-recovery (IR). MRI patterns could be seen in normally functioning kidneys and transplant rejections, while variable MRI findings were observed in transplants with acute tubular necrosis (ATN). In the normally functioning transplanted kidney there is a clear corticomedullary differentiation (CMD), and the extent of vascular penetration into the renal parenchyma is clearly seen. In transplant rejection, CMD is either diminished or absent, and there is no vascular penetration into the parenchyma; to differentiate acute from chronic rejections, the increase/decrease in renal size and the change in renal shape (spherical shape in acute transplant rejection) respectively must be observed. MRI proves thus to be useful in the study of renal transplants, even in case of questionable clinical findings, and in patients in whom renal biopsy is contraindicated

  16. CMV driven CD8(+) T-cell activation is associated with acute rejection in lung transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roux, Antoine; Mourin, Gisèle; Fastenackels, Solène; Almeida, Jorge R; Iglesias, Maria Candela; Boyd, Anders; Gostick, Emma; Larsen, Martin; Price, David A; Sacre, Karim; Douek, Daniel C; Autran, Brigitte; Picard, Clément; Miranda, Sandra de; Sauce, Delphine; Stern, Marc; Appay, Victor

    2013-07-01

    Lung transplantation is the definitive treatment for terminal respiratory disease, but the associated mortality rate is high. Acute rejection of the transplanted lung is a key determinant of adverse prognosis. Furthermore, an epidemiological relationship has been established between the occurrence of acute lung rejection and cytomegalovirus infection. However, the reasons for this association remain unclear. Here, we performed a longitudinal characterization of CMV-specific T-cell responses and immune activation status in the peripheral blood and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of forty-four lung transplant patients. Acute rejection was associated with high levels of cellular activation in the periphery, reflecting strong CMV-specific CD8(+) T-cell activity post-transplant. Peripheral and lung CMV-specific CD8(+) T-cell responses were very similar, and related to the presence of CMV in the transplanted organ. These findings support that activated CMV-specific CD8(+) T-cells in the lung may play a role in promoting acute rejection. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Spironolactone ameliorates transplant vasculopathy in renal chronic transplant dysfunction in rats

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Waanders, Femke; Rienstra, Heleen; Boer, Mark Walther; Zandvoort, Andre; Rozing, Jan; Navis, Gerjan; van Goor, Harry; Hillebrands, Jan-Luuk

    Waanders F, Rienstra H, Walther Boer M, Zandvoort A, Rozing J, Navis G, van Goor H, Hillebrands JL. Spironolactone ameliorates transplant vasculopathy in renal chronic transplant dysfunction in rats. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol 296: F1072-F1079, 2009. First published February 25, 2009;

  18. Outcomes of Technical Variant Liver Transplantation versus Whole Liver Transplantation for Pediatric Patients: A Meta-Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ye, Hui; Zhao, Qiang; Wang, Yufang; Wang, Dongping; Zheng, Zhouying; Schroder, Paul Michael; Lu, Yao; Kong, Yuan; Liang, Wenhua; Shang, Yushu; Guo, Zhiyong; He, Xiaoshun

    2015-01-01

    To overcome the shortage of appropriate-sized whole liver grafts for children, technical variant liver transplantation has been practiced for decades. We perform a meta-analysis to compare the survival rates and incidence of surgical complications between pediatric whole liver transplantation and technical variant liver transplantation. To identify relevant studies up to January 2014, we searched PubMed/Medline, Embase, and Cochrane library databases. The primary outcomes measured were patient and graft survival rates, and the secondary outcomes were the incidence of surgical complications. The outcomes were pooled using a fixed-effects model or random-effects model. The one-year, three-year, five-year patient survival rates and one-year, three-year graft survival rates were significantly higher in whole liver transplantation than technical variant liver transplantation (OR = 1.62, 1.90, 1.65, 1.78, and 1.62, respectively, ptechnical variant liver transplantation. Continuing efforts should be made to minimize surgical complications to improve the outcomes of technical variant liver transplantation.

  19. Gift Exchange Theory: a critique in relation to organ transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sque, M; Payne, S A

    1994-01-01

    Organ transplantation is becoming more important as a viable method of treatment for certain severe medical conditions. It is a complex and demanding process for all involved. Nursing as a developing science must respond to cultural and economic changes. Therefore, a need exists to develop a body of empirically based knowledge to understand and support the process of organ transplantation. This paper will argue that as trading in organs is unacceptable to the moral standards of western society and outlawed in many countries, an alternative framework must be considered for understanding the mechanisms through which organs are donated and utilized. The donating and receiving of organs may be equated with gift-giving, as there is no barter of commodities involved. Therefore, a useful framework to explore this phenomenon will be one that underpins the process of giving and receiving of gifts. Gift Exchange Theory will be evaluated and critically examined in relation to organ transplantation and the role of nurses in this process.

  20. Human technology after cardiac epigenesis. Artificial heart versus cardiac transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Losman, J G

    1977-09-24

    Cardiovascular disease is the chief cause of death in technologically advanced countries and accounts for more than 50% of all deaths in the USA. For a patient with end-stage cardiac failure the only treatment presently available is organ replacement, either by transplantation or by the use of a mechanical heart. Transplantation has demonstrated its value: survival of more than 8 years and restoration of a normal quality of life to patients who were in end-stage cardiac decompensation. However, the prospect of routine clinical application of an artificial heart remains distant. The development of a totally implantable artificial heart still presents a series of challenging engineering problems with regard to strict constraints of size, weight, blood-material compatibility, adaptability of output to demand, efficiency and reliability of the power supply, and safety if nuclear fuel is used. The totally artificial heart is presently not an alternative to the cardiac allograft, but could provide short-term support for patients awaiting cardiac transplantation.

  1. Organisational structure of liver transplantation in the UK.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neuberger, James

    2015-07-01

    This review aims to outline the delivery of liver transplant services in the UK. Liver transplantation in the UK is based on seven designated transplant units serving a population of just over 60 million people. Nearly 900 liver transplants were done in 2013/2014. Potential deceased donors are identified and referred to centrally employed specialist nurses for obtaining family consent and for donor characterisation. Organs are retrieved by a National Organ Retrieval Service, based on seven abdominal and six cardiothoracic retrieval teams providing a 24/7 service which has shown to be capable of retrieving organs from up to ten donors a day. Donated organs are allocated first nationally to those who qualify for super-urgent listing. The next priority is for splitting livers, and if there is no suitable recipient or the liver is not suitable for splitting, then livers are offered first to the local centre; each centre has a designated donor zone, adjusted annually to ensure equity between the number of patients listed and the number of donors. The allocation scheme is being reviewed, and national schemes based on need, utility and benefit are being assessed. Outcomes are monitored by National Health Service Blood and Transplant (NHSBT), and if there is a possibility of adverse deviation, then further inquiries are made. Outcomes, both from listing and from transplantation, are published by the centre on the NHSBT website ( www.odt.nhs.uk ). NHSBT works closely with stakeholders primarily through the advisory groups with clinicians, patients, lay members and professional societies and aims to provide openness and transparency. The system for organ donation and delivery of liver transplant in the UK has developed and is now providing an effective and efficient service, but there remains room for improvement.

  2. Prevalence, severity and correlates of alcohol use in adult renal transplant recipients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fierz, Katharina; Steiger, Jürg; Denhaerynck, Kris; Dobbels, Fabienne; Bock, Andreas; De Geest, Sabina

    2006-01-01

    Severe alcohol use is recognized as a major public health concern, even though light to moderate alcohol use might have beneficial effects on health. Alcohol use has been studied to some extent in solid organ transplant populations, yet evidence is lacking on alcohol use and its correlates in the renal transplant population. The aim of this study was therefore to determine the prevalence, severity and correlates of alcohol use in renal transplant recipients. This cross-sectional study is a secondary analysis of the Supporting Medication Adherence in Renal Transplantation (SMART) study. Alcohol use was assessed by patient's self-report. At risk and binge drinkers were classified using World Health Organization criteria. The following correlates of alcohol use were explored: adherence with immunosuppression (Siegal questionnaire; electronic monitoring), smoking, coping style (UCL), depressive symptomatology (BDI) and busyness/routine in life style (ACQ Busyness Scale). Two hundred and eighty-four patients were included in this analysis, 58.1% male, with a mean age of 54 yr (range 20-84) and a median of seven (interquartile ranges [IQR] 8) yr post-transplantation. A total of 52.8% of study participants reported to drink alcohol at least once a week. Two hundred and eighty of 284 subjects (98.5%) were drinking at low risk, four at moderate risk (1.5%). None of the participants were drinking severely. Correlates of alcohol use were male gender and being professionally active. Alcohol use is less prevalent in renal transplant recipients than in the general population. Severe alcohol use does not seem to represent a serious problem in renal transplant patients.

  3. A New Composite Eyeball-Periorbital Transplantation Model in Humans: An Anatomical Study in Preparation for Eyeball Transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siemionow, Maria; Bozkurt, Mehmet; Zor, Fatih; Kulahci, Yalcin; Uygur, Safak; Ozturk, Can; Djohan, Risal; Papay, Frank

    2018-04-01

    Vascularized composite allotransplantation offers a new hope for restoration of orbital content and perhaps vision. The aim of this study was to introduce a new composite eyeball-periorbital transplantation model in fresh cadavers in preparation for composite eyeball allotransplantation in humans. The composite eyeball-periorbital transplantation flap borders included the inferior border, outlined by the infraorbital rim; the medial border, created by the nasal dorsum; the lateral border, created by the lateral orbital rim; and the superior border, created by the superior part of the eyebrow. The pedicle of the flap included the facial artery, superficial temporal artery, and external jugular vein. The skin and subcutaneous tissues of the periorbital region were dissected and the bony tissue was reached. A coronal incision was performed and the frontal lobe of the brain was reached by means of frontal osteotomy. Ophthalmic and oculomotor nerves were also included in the flap. After a "box osteotomy" around the orbit, the dissection was completed. Methylene blue and indocyanine green injection (SPY Elite System) was performed to show the integrity of the vascular territories after facial flap harvest. Adequate venous return was observed within the flap after methylene blue dye injection. Laser-assisted indocyanine green angiography identified a well-defined vascular network within the entire composite eyeball-periorbital transplantation flap. For the first time, a novel composite eyeball-periorbital transplantation model in human cadavers was introduced. Good perfusion of the flap confirmed the feasibility of composite eyeball-periorbital transplantation in the clinical setting. Although harvesting of the flap is challenging, it introduces a new option for reconstruction of the periorbital region including the eyeball.

  4. Impact of HLA diversity on donor selection in organ and stem cell transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tiercy, Jean-Marie; Claas, Frans

    2013-01-01

    The human major histocompatibility complex is a multigene system encoding polymorphic human leucocyte antigens (HLA) that present peptides derived from pathogens to the immune system. The high diversity of HLA alleles and haplotypes in the worldwide populations represents a major barrier to organ and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, because HLA incompatibilities are efficiently recognized by T and B lymphocytes. In organ transplantation, pre-transplant anti-HLA antibodies need to be taken into account for organ allocation. Although HLA-incompatible transplants can be performed thanks to immunosuppressive drugs, the de novo production of anti-HLA antibodies still represents a major cause of graft failure. The HLAMatchmaker computer algorithm determines the immunogenicity of HLA mismatches and allows to define HLA antigens that will not induce an antibody response. Because of the much higher stringency of HLA compatibility criteria in stem cell transplantation, the best donor is a HLA genotypically identical sibling. However, more than 50% of the transplants are now performed with hematopoietic stem cells from volunteer donors selected from the international registry. The development of European national registries covering populations with different HLA haplotype frequencies is essential for optimizing donor search algorithms and providing the best chance for European patients to find a fully compatible donor.

  5. Influence of preoperative propranolol on cardiac index during the anhepatic phase of liver transplantation

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    Emerson Seiberlich

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: Liver transplantation is the best therapeutic option for end-stage liver disease. Non-selective beta-blocker medications such as propranolol act directly on the cardiovascular system and are often used in the prevention of gastrointestinal bleeding resulting from HP. The effects of propranolol on cardiovascular system of cirrhotic patients during liver transplantation are not known. OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the influence of propranolol used preoperatively on cardiac index during the anhepatic phase of liver transplantation. METHOD: 101 adult patients (73 male [72.2%] who underwent cadaveric donor orthotopic liver transplantation by piggyback technique with preservation of the retrohepatic inferior vena cava performed at Hospital das Clinicas, Federal University of Minas Gerais were evaluated. There was no difference in severity between groups by the MELD system, p = 0.70. The preoperative use of propranolol and the cardiac index outcome were compared during the anhepatic phase of liver transplantation in 5 groups (I: increased cardiac index, II: cardiac index reduction lower than 16%, III: cardiac index reduction equal to or greater than 16% and less than 31%, IV: cardiac index reduction equal to or greater than 31% and less than 46%, V: cardiac index reduction equal to or greater than 46%. RESULTS: Patients in group I (46.4% who received propranolol preoperatively were statistically similar to groups II (60%, III (72.7%, IV (50% and V (30.8%, p = 0.57. CONCLUSION: The use of propranolol before transplantation as prophylaxis for gastrointestinal bleeding may be considered safe, as it was not associated with worsening of cardiac index in anhepatic phase of liver transplantation.

  6. Fibroblasts accelerate islet revascularization and improve long-term graft survival in a mouse model of subcutaneous islet transplantation.

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    Marcos Perez-Basterrechea

    Full Text Available Pancreatic islet transplantation has been considered for many years a promising therapy for beta-cell replacement in patients with type-1 diabetes despite that long-term clinical results are not as satisfactory. This fact points to the necessity of designing strategies to improve and accelerate islets engraftment, paying special attention to events assuring their revascularization. Fibroblasts constitute a cell population that collaborates on tissue homeostasis, keeping the equilibrium between production and degradation of structural components as well as maintaining the required amount of survival factors. Our group has developed a model for subcutaneous islet transplantation using a plasma-based scaffold containing fibroblasts as accessory cells that allowed achieving glycemic control in diabetic mice. Transplanted tissue engraftment is critical during the first days after transplantation, thus we have gone in depth into the graft-supporting role of fibroblasts during the first ten days after islet transplantation. All mice transplanted with islets embedded in the plasma-based scaffold reversed hyperglycemia, although long-term glycemic control was maintained only in the group transplanted with the fibroblasts-containing scaffold. By gene expression analysis and histology examination during the first days we could conclude that these differences might be explained by overexpression of genes involved in vessel development as well as in β-cell regeneration that were detected when fibroblasts were present in the graft. Furthermore, fibroblasts presence correlated with a faster graft re-vascularization, a higher insulin-positive area and a lower cell death. Therefore, this work underlines the importance of fibroblasts as accessory cells in islet transplantation, and suggests its possible use in other graft-supporting strategies.

  7. Fibroblasts accelerate islet revascularization and improve long-term graft survival in a mouse model of subcutaneous islet transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perez-Basterrechea, Marcos; Esteban, Manuel Martinez; Alvarez-Viejo, Maria; Fontanil, Tania; Cal, Santiago; Sanchez Pitiot, Marta; Otero, Jesus; Obaya, Alvaro Jesus

    2017-01-01

    Pancreatic islet transplantation has been considered for many years a promising therapy for beta-cell replacement in patients with type-1 diabetes despite that long-term clinical results are not as satisfactory. This fact points to the necessity of designing strategies to improve and accelerate islets engraftment, paying special attention to events assuring their revascularization. Fibroblasts constitute a cell population that collaborates on tissue homeostasis, keeping the equilibrium between production and degradation of structural components as well as maintaining the required amount of survival factors. Our group has developed a model for subcutaneous islet transplantation using a plasma-based scaffold containing fibroblasts as accessory cells that allowed achieving glycemic control in diabetic mice. Transplanted tissue engraftment is critical during the first days after transplantation, thus we have gone in depth into the graft-supporting role of fibroblasts during the first ten days after islet transplantation. All mice transplanted with islets embedded in the plasma-based scaffold reversed hyperglycemia, although long-term glycemic control was maintained only in the group transplanted with the fibroblasts-containing scaffold. By gene expression analysis and histology examination during the first days we could conclude that these differences might be explained by overexpression of genes involved in vessel development as well as in β-cell regeneration that were detected when fibroblasts were present in the graft. Furthermore, fibroblasts presence correlated with a faster graft re-vascularization, a higher insulin-positive area and a lower cell death. Therefore, this work underlines the importance of fibroblasts as accessory cells in islet transplantation, and suggests its possible use in other graft-supporting strategies.

  8. Association Between GLCCI1 Promoter Polymorphism (Rs37972 and Post-Transplant Hypertension in Renal Transplant Recipients

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    Aki Mafune Hamada

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Background/Aims: Post-transplant hypertension is highly prevalent in renal transplant recipients and is a risk factor for graft loss, cardiovascular disease and death. Glucocorticoid is used to prevent rejection, but simultaneously increases the risk of post-transplant hypertension. The glucocorticoid-induced transcript 1 (GLCCI1 promoter polymorphism (rs37972 has been reported to be associated with response to glucocorticoid therapy in asthma. We therefore examined the association between GLCCI1 promoter polymorphism and post-transplant hypertension in renal transplant recipients. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of renal transplantation at a single university hospital from October 2003 to January 2014. Fifty consecutive adult recipients were analyzed, with clinical data retrieved from a prospectively collected database. Genotyping was carried out using genomic DNA derived from recipient’s blood. GLCCI1 immunoreactivity in vascular endothelial cells was quantitatively analyzed by immunohistochemical staining of recipients’ native kidney biopsy-specimens. The primary outcome measure was post-transplant hypertension. Results: Post-transplant hypertension was observed in 14/17 (82% of recipients with CC, 18/20 (90% with CT, and 2/13 (15% with TT genotype. CC/CT genotype was significantly associated with post-transplant hypertension, even after adjustment for covariates (odds ratio, 10.6; 95% confidence intervals, 1.32 to 85.8; P = 0.026. In addition, we observed that GLCCI1 immunoreactivity in arteriolar endothelial cells was higher in kidney specimens obtained from recipients with a CC/CT genotype than a TT genotype (P = 0.021. Conclusion: GLCCI1 promoter polymorphism rs37972 may be associated with post-transplant hypertension.

  9. PIXE analysis of cerebrospinal fluid before and after brain transplantation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ma Xinpei; Wang Junke.

    1992-01-01

    Considering methodology of PIXE quantitative analysis based on Inner-standard, we provide a simple and convenient method to measure the elemental relative sensitivity curve. The concentrations of 16 various elements in cerebrospinal fluid samples before and after brain transplantation have been investigated and compared with those of normal person's and transplanted tissues. The experimental results show that the brain transplantation results in apparently curative effects in compensating and regulating the element concentrations in cerebrospinal fluid and improvement of elemental physiological metabolism. It illustrates that the appropriate concentrations of trace elements in cerebrospinal fluid play an undoubtedly important role in keeping the normal physiological function of brain and central nervous system. (author)

  10. Waiting for transplant: physical, psychosocial, and nutritional status considerations for pediatric candidates and implications for care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anthony, Samantha J; Annunziato, Rachel A; Fairey, Elise; Kelly, Vicky L; So, Stephanie; Wray, Jo

    2014-08-01

    The waiting period for an organ transplant has been described as a time of tremendous uncertainty and vulnerability, posing unique challenges and stressors for pediatric transplant candidates and their families. It has been identified as the most stressful stage of the transplant journey, yet little attention has been given to the physical, psychological, or social impact of the waiting period in the literature. In this review, we discuss the physical, nutritional, and psychosocial implications of the waiting period for child and adolescent transplant candidates and the impact on their parents and siblings. We identify areas for future research and provide recommendations for clinical practice to support children, adolescents, and families during the waiting period. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  11. Improving pancreatic islet in vitro functionality and transplantation efficiency by using heparin mimetic peptide nanofiber gels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Uzunalli, Gozde; Tumtas, Yasin; Delibasi, Tuncay; Yasa, Oncay; Mercan, Sercan; Guler, Mustafa O; Tekinay, Ayse B

    2015-08-01

    Pancreatic islet transplantation is a promising treatment for type 1 diabetes. However, viability and functionality of the islets after transplantation are limited due to loss of integrity and destruction of blood vessel networks. Thus, it is important to provide a proper mechanically and biologically supportive environment for enhancing both in vitro islet culture and transplantation efficiency. Here, we demonstrate that heparin mimetic peptide amphiphile (HM-PA) nanofibrous network is a promising platform for these purposes. The islets cultured with peptide nanofiber gel containing growth factors exhibited a similar glucose stimulation index as that of the freshly isolated islets even after 7 days. After transplantation of islets to STZ-induced diabetic rats, 28 day-long monitoring displayed that islets that were transplanted in HM-PA nanofiber gels maintained better blood glucose levels at normal levels compared to the only islet transplantation group. In addition, intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test revealed that animals that were transplanted with islets within peptide gels showed a similar pattern with the healthy control group. Histological assessment showed that islets transplanted within peptide nanofiber gels demonstrated better islet integrity due to increased blood vessel density. This work demonstrates that using the HM-PA nanofiber gel platform enhances the islets function and islet transplantation efficiency both in vitro and in vivo. Copyright © 2015 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Long-term effects of islet transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holmes-Walker, D Jane; Kay, Thomas W H

    2016-10-01

    Islet transplantation has made great progress in recent years. This is a remarkable technical feat but raises the question of what the long-term benefits and risks are for type I diabetes recipients. Graft survival continues to improve, and recent multicenter studies show that islet transplantation is particularly effective to prevent hypoglycemic events even in those who do not become insulin-independent and to achieve excellent glycemic control. Concerns include histocompatability leucocyte antigen (HLA) sensitization and other risks including from immunosuppression that islet transplantation shares with other forms of allotransplantation. Reversal of hypoglycemia unawareness and protection from severe hypoglycemia events are two of the main benefits of islet transplantation and they persist for the duration of graft function. Islet transplantation compares favorably with other therapies for those with hypoglycemia unawareness, although new technologies have not been tested head-to-head with transplantation. HLA sensitization increases with time after transplantation especially if immunosuppression is ceased and is a risk for those who may require future transplantation as well as being associated with loss of graft function.

  13. Parental role in decision making about pediatric cardiac transplantation: familial and ethical considerations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Higgins, S S

    2001-10-01

    Parents of children with complex or terminal heart conditions often face agonizing decisions about cardiac transplantation. There are differences in the level of involvement that parents prefer when making such decisions. The purpose of this study was to identify and describe parents' preferences for their roles in decisions related to cardiac transplantation. A prospective ethnographic method was used to study 24 parents of 15 children prior to their decision of accepting or rejecting the transplant option for their children. Findings revealed that the style of parent decision making ranged from a desire to make an independent, autonomous choice to a wish for an authoritarian, paternalistic choice. Nurses and physicians can best support families in this situation, showing sensitivity to the steps that parents use to make their decisions. An ethical model of decision making is proposed that includes respect for differences in beliefs and values of all persons involved in the transplantation discussion. Copyright 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company

  14. Coping Strategies Adopted by Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease in Preparation for Transplant

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    Marina Kohlsdorf

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available AimThis paper aimed to analyze the coping strategies adopted by patients in preparation to kidney transplant, as well as associations between coping and socio-demographic data.MethodA total of 76 patients took part in this descriptive, exploratory study. While waiting for the first medical consultation regarding kidney transplantation, participants answered the Brazilian version of the Ways of Coping Scale.ResultsThe main coping strategies adopted corresponded first to religiosity, then problem focused coping and seeking for social support. There were statistically significant associations between coping categories and gender, marital status, monthly income, children’s ages, and time in dialysis.ConclusionThis study highlights the main coping strategies adopted by patients in preparation to kidney transplant, and it also reveals associations between some socio-demographic data and coping. These results may promote further psychosocial interventions, which may help to improve preparation to kidney transplants, promoting better adaptation and treatment adherence as well as fewer psychological burdens.

  15. The Economics of Organ Transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Altınörs, Nur; Haberal, Mehmet

    2018-03-01

    To determine the cost effectiveness of transplantation, we analyzed the financial economics of the organ and tissue transplant process. We compared the cost of this process with traditional modalities for treating endstage liver and kidney disease. Medical, surgical, legal, social, ethical, and religious issues are important in organ transplant procedures. Government, health insurance companies, and uninsured individuals are affected by the financial economics of organ transplantation. The distribution of financial burden differs among countries and is dependent on the unique circumstances of each country.

  16. Infrastructure, logistics and regulation of transplantation: UNOS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heimbach, Julie K

    2013-12-01

    Organ transplantation has evolved into the standard of care for patients with end-stage organ failure. Despite considering increasingly complex transplant recipients for organs recovered from donors with increasing comorbid conditions, 1-year patient survival following kidney transplantation is 97% in the United States, whereas liver transplant recipient 1-year survival is 90%. There were 16,485 kidney recipients in the United States in 2012, and 6256 patients who underwent liver transplantation. The intent of this review is to highlight the logistics required for transplantation as well as reviewing the current oversight of transplantation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Financial issues constraining the use of pancreata recovered for islet transplantation: a white paper.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Markmann, J F; Kaufman, D B; Ricordi, C; Schwab, P M; Stock, P G

    2008-08-01

    Islet transplantation is a very promising therapy for select patients with type 1 diabetes. Continued clinical investigation is required to define the long-term safety and efficacy outcomes before the procedure will be accepted as a standard of care even for those with the most severe manifestations of diabetes. Threatening successful accomplishment of these and other innovative studies designed to advance the field are the complex financial cost accounting issues that pose undue burden on organ procurement organizations and transplant centers trying to manage the costs of the pancreata from deceased donors needed to isolate islets. Compounding the problem is the recent ruling by CMS regarding 'intent to transplant' (CMS-1543-R Dec. 21, 2006: Allocation of Donor Acquisition Costs Incurred by Organ Procurement Organizations) that does not account for the clinical need to complete the manufacturing process for islets before suitability and transplant intent of the pancreata involved can be determined. We provide a consensus document supported by a diverse group of stakeholders in islet transplantation to suggest actions to address this problem.

  18. A kidney transplantation model in a low-resource country: an experience from Pakistan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rizvi, Syed Adibul Hasan; Naqvi, Syed Ali Anwar; Zafar, Mirza Naqi; Akhtar, Syed Fazal

    2013-05-01

    Pakistan is a low-resource country with a population of 185 million where expenditure on health is 1.3% of the gross national product. The estimated incidence of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) is 100 per million of the population. The paucity and high costs of renal replacement therapy render more than 90% of the ESRD population disenfranchised from replacement therapy. Our center, which is a government sector organization, established as an integrated dialysis and living related renal transplant program in the 1980s, where all services were provided free of cost to all patients with life-long follow-up care including medications. The model was based on a concept of community/government partnership where the contributions to funds vary between 40% and 60% for each partner. The model has been self sustaining for 25 years, with an annual budget of $28 million in 2010. Presently, over 600 patients are dialyzed each day and each week, 7-10 patients have received live related transplants. The overall 1- and 5-year graft survival rate of 3150 transplants is 92% and 85%, respectively. Free dialysis and transplantation established our institute as a focus of transplantation in the country. This model therefore allowed the institute to have a vital role in the campaign against transplant tourism and in the promulgation of the transplant law. It shows that in low-resource countries, specialized centers in the government sector can, with community support, provide high-quality ESRD care to the disenfranchised population.

  19. Screening retinal transplants with Fourier-domain OCT

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rao, Bin

    2009-02-01

    Transplant technologies have been studied for the recovery of vision loss from retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). In several rodent retinal degeneration models and in patients, retinal progenitor cells transplanted as layers to the subretinal space have been shown to restore or preserve vision. The methods for evaluation of transplants are expensive considering the large amount of animals. Alternatively, time-domain Stratus OCT was previously shown to be able to image the morphological structure of transplants to some extent, but could not clearly identify laminated transplants. The efficacy of screening retinal transplants with Fourier-domain OCT was studied on 37 S334ter line 3 rats with retinal degeneration 6-67 days after transplant surgery. The transplants were morphologically categorized as no transplant, detachment, rosettes, small laminated area and larger laminated area with both Fourier-domain OCT and histology. The efficacy of Fourier-domain OCT in screening retinal transplants was evaluated by comparing the categorization results with OCT and histology. Additionally, 4 rats were randomly selected for multiple OCT examinations (1, 5, 9, 14 and 21days post surgery) in order to determine the earliest image time of OCT examination since the transplanted tissue may need some time to show its tendency of growing. Finally, we demonstrated the efficacy of Fourier-domain OCT in screening retinal transplants in early stages and determined the earliest imaging time for OCT. Fourier-domain OCT makes itself valuable in saving resource spent on animals with unsuccessful transplants.

  20. Improving recovery time following heart transplantation: the role of the multidisciplinary health care team

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roussel MG

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available Maureen G Roussel,1 Noreen Gorham,2 Lynn Wilson,2 Abeel A Mangi2 1Heart and Vascular Center, Yale-New Haven Hospital, New Haven, CT, USA; 2Center for Advanced Heart Failure, Mechanical Circulatory Support and Cardiac Transplantation, Yale New Haven Heart and Vascular Institute, Yale-New Haven Hospital, New Haven, CT, USA Background: The care of cardiac transplant patients is complex requiring a finely orchestrated endeavor to save a patient’s life. Given the chronic and complex nature of these patients, multiple disciplines are involved in their care. Recognizing difficulties with communication among team members and striving for improved efficiencies in our pretransplant listing process and in our inpatient care, our team was prompted to change the existing approach to patient care related to heart transplantation. Methods: Daily multidisciplinary rounds were instituted and the format of the weekly Multidisciplinary Review Committee (MDRC meetings was modified with the list of attendees broadened to include a larger interdisciplinary team. Additionally, the approach to patient care was analyzed for process improvement. Results: The quality improvements are improved communication and throughput, quantified in an 85% decrease in time to complete transplant evaluation, a 37% decrease in median length of stay posttransplantation, and a 33% reduction in the 30 day readmission rate. In addition, pre- and posttransplant caregivers now participate in MDRC in person or via an electronic meeting platform to support the continuum of care. Quality metrics were chosen and tracked via a transparent electronic platform allowing all involved to assess progress toward agreed upon goals. These were achieved in an 18 month time period following the recruitment of new leadership and invested team members working together as a multidisciplinary team to improve the quality of cardiac transplant care. Discussion: Implementation of daily multidisciplinary rounds and