Background: The role of plasmapheresis in liver failure and hepatic coma remains controversial. Also, its use as a salvage strategy for patients with severe allograft dysfunction after liver transplantation has not been defined. This report reviews the use of plasmapheresis in primary hepatic allograft nonfunction (PNF).
Methods: From May of 1997 to October of 1998, five patients underwent plasmapheresis for PNF after other causes of immediate allograft dysfunction were excluded. These patients underwent two to five plasmapheresis procedures during which one plasma volume was removed and replaced with fresh frozen plasma (FFP) or with 50% FFP and 50% albumin.
Results: All recipients who underwent plasmapheresis had restoration of liver function. There was one death from pulmonary embolism, for an overall survival rate of 80%. The four surviving patients all had functioning allografts 1 year after liver transplantation. In contrast, during the same period, there were two patients in whom PNF was treated by retransplantation, and both died within 3 months after surgery with functioning allografts.
Conclusions: Plasmapheresis provides an effective treatment option for PNF immediately after liver transplantation and may obviate the need for retransplantation.