Liver transplantation in Italy: Preliminary 10-year report

Experience in liver transplantation (OLT) in Italy over a ten-year period is reported, Data were obtained using a multiple-items form collected from Italian liver transplant centres (reference centres) and other Italian institutions actively involved both in the processes of evaluation of the candidates and the follow-up of liver transplant recipients (afference centres), During this period, a total of 1046 liver transplants were performed on 954 patients, with a cumulative proportional survival of 71%, The most common indication for liver transplantation was post-hepatitic cirrhosis due to either hepatitis B virus (+/- hepatitis Delta virus) or hepatitis C virus infection, Good survival rates were observed, particularly in controversial indications, such as alcoholic cirrhosis, post-hepatitic hepatitis B virus-related cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, most likely due to proper and careful selection of the patients, Cirrhosis, secondary to an autoimmunity-based liver disease, showed the highest rate of rejection episodes, Infections, in our study population, were the most common cause of death after transplantation.