New technique improves outcome for living donor liver transplantsMarch 19, 2008The University of Alberta Hospital (UAH) is one of only a few centers in Canada that perform living donor liver transplantation, a surgical procedure developed in the late 1980s that expands the organ donor pool. About 80 liver transplants are done a year in Alberta, 10 of those being living-donor. All potential liver transplant donors are assessed based on considerations such as the size and composition of the liver and vascular and bile duct anatomy. Thanks to a review paper done at the University of Alberta radiologists at the University of Alberta Hospital are now using CT (Computed Tomography) imaging for living-donor liver transplantation. This technique shows relevant liver anatomy and, in particular, enhances high resolution imaging of the vital bile duct anatomy. "CT scans provide a clear image of the important ducts we need to see," said Dr. Gavin Low, a clinical fellow in the University of Alberta's Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry and author of a recent study describing this process. In the past radiologists have only been using an MRI to scan possible donors for bile duct anatomy, but Low said that, "By using CT imaging the results are much more accurate and reliable for the surgeons."
Right now possible donors are screened with both MRI and CT scans but Low says the hope is to one day only use CT imaging; adding, "All-in-one imaging will speed up the process and make living-donor evaluation more convenient for potential donors." As many as four patients are evaluated by CT imaging every month. University of Alberta | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Related Liver Transplantation News Articles Hepatitis C virus may need enzyme's help to cause liver disease A key enzyme may explain how hepatitis C infection causes fatty liver - a buildup of excess fat in the liver, which can lead to life-threatening diseases such as cirrhosis and liver cancer, report University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health and School of Medicine researchers. Is extra-corporal liver support with prometheus safe in patients with end-stage liver disease? Patients with end-stage liver disease would benefit from liver supportive liver therapy while waiting for stabilization of hepatic functions or to enable bridging to liver transplantation. Study concludes no racial disparities in long-term outcomes in recipients of liver transplants New research published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons shows long-term survival and liver rejection rates are equivalent for African-American liver transplant patients as compared with patients of other races. A new finding in liver transplantation and antifibrinolytics? Orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) is associated with severe bleeding and considerable transfusion requirements. There are several reasons for this severe bleeding in OLT. Hemostatic abnormalities remain a major cause. Survival rates exceed national averages for UCSF heart, liver and lung transplant programs One-year survival rates for patients receiving heart, liver and lung transplants at UCSF Medical Center exceed national averages at statistically significant levels, according to new data compiled by the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR). Discovery of good -- and bad -- liver stem cells raises possibility of new treatment Many scientists believe up to 40 percent of liver cancer is caused by stem cells gone wild - master cells in the organ that have lost all growth control. But, despite years spent looking, no one has ever found these liver "cancer stem cells" - or even normal stem cells in the organ. Until now. Children's Hospital Physicians Publish Comprehensive Review of Liver Transplant Issues in Patients with Biliary Atresia The most common indication worldwide for pediatric transplantation, biliary atresia is also the most common cause of chronic liver disease in newborns. Recently, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC physicians completed a review of issues that children with biliary atresia face that lead to the need for transplantation. Who is the arch-criminal in the development of hepatopulmonary syndrome? The hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) develops when an arterial oxygenation deficiency occurs due to intra-pulmonary vascular dilatations that are often associated with severe hepatic disease. HPS occurs in 15-20% of patients with liver cirrhosis undergoing evaluation for orthotopic liver transplantation. A new chemotherapeutic target for hepatocellular carcinoma Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major health problem worldwide. Currently, the only chance for obtaining a cure in patients with HCC is by either a surgical resection or liver transplantation. Possible Hepatitis C vaccine Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infects up to 500,000 people in the UK alone, many of the infections going undiagnosed. It is the single biggest cause of people requiring a liver transplant in Britain. More Liver Transplantation News Articles |
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