Small bowel transplantation: selection criteria, operative techniques, advances in specific immunosuppresion, prognosis

Abstract

Intestinal transplantation is now an accepted therapy for intestinal failure when parenteral nutrition therapy cannot be tolerated. During the past year, evidence has been provided indicating that neither stomach nor colon need to be included in the transplant, even if a primary motility disorder is the indication for surgery. The liver should be included in the composite allograft when there are clinical indications of portal hypertension resulting from parenteral nutrition associated cholestasis. When liver disease develops, operations intended to improve gut function should be avoided in preference of early listing for transplantation. During the past year, initial attempts at adult to child intestinal transplantation were carried out with some success; reduction in the diameter of the adult donor bowel may not be uniformly necessary. New immunosuppressive therapies have been employed recently, but few have been subjected to peer review. Experimental models have clarified the pathology, if not the immunobiology, of chronic intestinal allograft rejection and the ability of the liver to promote tolerance of a cotransplanted intestinal allograft. Treatment of posttransplant lymphoproliferative disease has been augmented by the use of anti-CD 20 antibody that targets Epstein-Barr virus infected B-cells for destruction with high specificity.