The Role of Intestinal Transplantation in Intestinal Failure Management

Abstract

A greater percentage of patients die waiting for intestinal transplant than waiting for any other organ—even heart/lung (1). This dismal outcome reflects that a subset of intestinal transplant candidates also need liver transplants. When this subset is analyzed separately, the mortality of patients on the transplant waiting list greatly exceeds the mortality rate of candidates who need only intestine transplants (2). Of patients who have been listed for an intestinal transplant (since 1987), 74.3% have also needed a liver (unpublished UNOS data). These data indicate that intestinal failure patients are being considered for intestinal transplant too late, which contributes to this population's high mortality.