IMR Press / FBL / Volume 12 / Issue 12 / DOI: 10.2741/2423

Frontiers in Bioscience-Landmark (FBL) is published by IMR Press from Volume 26 Issue 5 (2021). Previous articles were published by another publisher on a subscription basis, and they are hosted by IMR Press on imrpress.com as a courtesy and upon agreement with Frontiers in Bioscience.

Article
Intestinal and multivisceral transplantation: future perspectives
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1 Division of Liver and GI Transplantation, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1801 NW 9th Avenue, Miami, FL, 33136 , USA
Front. Biosci. (Landmark Ed) 2007, 12(12), 4742–4754; https://doi.org/10.2741/2423
Published: 1 May 2007
Abstract

The field of intestinal transplantation has experienced a progressive increase in patient and graft survival over the last few years, leading to a parallel increase in the number of programs performing such type of surgical procedures. Indications for intestinal transplant include irreversible intestinal failure, compounded by potential life-threatening complications such as loss of intravenous access, liver failure or multiple episodes of infections. The type of graft that is required is highly individualized according to the patient's original diagnosis and status. Presence of short gut syndrome alone is indication for isolated intestinal transplant; liver failure mandates the use of a liver graft (liver-intestine or multivisceral transplant); intestinal dysmotility disorders with intact liver function require the use of a modified multivisceral graft. Most of the current immunosuppression protocols consist in induction immunosuppression and maintenance doses of tacrolimus. Rejection and infectious complications remain the most common causes of morbidity and mortality; it is therefore essential to closely monitor the intestinal graft to prevent such occurrences. Future developments include: the use of non-invasive markers of rejection; a refinement in surgical techniques; development of advanced immunosuppression protocols; expansion of living related transplant and multivisceral transplantation in selected patients.

Keywords
Intestine
Gastrointestinal tract
Transplantation
Multivisceral transplantation
Review
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