Is It Worth Discussing the Feasibility of Deceased Donor Liver Transplantation in Centers with a Strong Experience in Living Donor Liver Transplantation?

Excerpt

Deceased donors are by far the main source of organs for liver transplantation in Western countries where living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) remains marginal. In contrast, living donors remain by far the main source of organs for transplantation in Asian countries, where deceased donor liver transplantation (DDLT) remains marginal. In this issue of World Journal of Surgery, Chu and colleagues from Honk Kong report on the results of low-volume DDLT in a center alongside a strong LDLT service [1]. Based on their series, they show that even if the experience of DDLT is relatively limited in Hong Kong (242 transplantations over an 18-year period), excellent results could be achieved, with 5-year survival rates exceeding 85 %. The results of DDLT in Hong Kong compare favourably with the results reported in North America and Europe. …