Volume 33, Issue 12 pp. 1807-1820
Original Article

Pretransplantation splenomegaly frequently persists after liver transplantation and can manifest as hypersplenism and graft fibrosis - a retrospective study

Nguyen Hai Nam

Nguyen Hai Nam

Division of Hepato Biliary Pancreatic Surgery and Transplantation, Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan

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Kojiro Taura

Corresponding Author

Kojiro Taura

Division of Hepato Biliary Pancreatic Surgery and Transplantation, Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan

Correspondence

Kojiro Taura, MD, PhD, Division of Hepato Biliary Pancreatic Surgery and Transplantation, Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kawahara-cho, Shogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan.

Tel.: +81-75-751-3242;

fax: +81-75-751-4263;

e-mail: [email protected]

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Siyuan Yao

Siyuan Yao

Division of Hepato Biliary Pancreatic Surgery and Transplantation, Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan

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Toshimi Kaido

Toshimi Kaido

Division of Hepato Biliary Pancreatic Surgery and Transplantation, Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan

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Yusuke Uemoto

Yusuke Uemoto

Division of Hepato Biliary Pancreatic Surgery and Transplantation, Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan

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Yusuke Kimura

Yusuke Kimura

Division of Hepato Biliary Pancreatic Surgery and Transplantation, Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan

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Takayuki Anazawa

Takayuki Anazawa

Division of Hepato Biliary Pancreatic Surgery and Transplantation, Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan

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Ken Fukumitsu

Ken Fukumitsu

Division of Hepato Biliary Pancreatic Surgery and Transplantation, Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan

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Takashi Ito

Takashi Ito

Division of Hepato Biliary Pancreatic Surgery and Transplantation, Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan

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Shintaro Yagi

Shintaro Yagi

Division of Hepato Biliary Pancreatic Surgery and Transplantation, Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan

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Naoko Kamo

Naoko Kamo

Division of Hepato Biliary Pancreatic Surgery and Transplantation, Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan

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Koichiro Hata

Koichiro Hata

Division of Hepato Biliary Pancreatic Surgery and Transplantation, Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan

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Shinji Uemoto

Shinji Uemoto

Division of Hepato Biliary Pancreatic Surgery and Transplantation, Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan

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First published: 09 November 2020

Abstract

The risk factors and clinical impact of post-transplantation splenomegaly (SM) are poorly understood. We investigated the predictors and impacts of post-transplantation SM in 415 LT patients at Kyoto University Hospital from April 2006 to December 2015. First, the predictors and clinical consequences of SM three years post-transplantation were analyzed among spleen-preserved recipients. Second, the clinical data of surviving recipients three years post-transplantation were compared between splenectomized and spleen-preserved recipients. There was no difference in indication for liver transplantation between these two groups. Third, survival outcomes were compared between splenectomized and spleen-preserved recipients. SM was determined as a SV/body surface area (BSA) higher than 152 ml/m2. In the first analysis, preoperative SM occurred in 79.9% recipients and SM persisted three years post-transplantation in 72.6% recipients among them. Preoperative SV/BSA was the only independent predictor of three year post-transplantation SM, which was associated with lower platelet (PLT), white blood cell (WBC) counts and significant graft fibrosis (21.4% vs. 2.8%). In the second analysis, spleen-preservation was related to lower PLT, WBC counts and a higher proportion of significant graft fibrosis (26.7% vs. 7.1%) three years post-transplantation. In the third analysis, spleen-preserved recipients showed worse survival than splenectomized recipients. In conclusion, preoperative SM frequently persists more than three years post-transplantation and is associated with subclinical hypersplenism, graft fibrosis, graft loss, and even death.

Conflict of interest

The authors have declared no conflicts of interest.

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