Result of Orthotopic Liver Transplantation at King Chula longkorn Memorial Hospital: The First Series From Thai land
SUPANIT NIVATVONGS,MD*, BOONCHOO SIRICHINDAKUL, MD*, BUNTOOL NONTASUTI, MD*, PRADERMCHAI KONGKAM, MD**, RUNGSUN RERKNIMITR, MD**, PINIT KULLA V ANUAYA, MD**
Affiliation : * Department of Surgery, ** Gastroenterology Unit, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkom University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
From 1997 to 2002, there were 20 cases of liver transplantation and this is the result is pre sented. The authors classified the patients into 2 groups, according to primary indications for trans plantation. Patients with cirrhosis were included in group I and patients with hepatocellular carcinoma were included in group II. The one year survival in group I and II was 64 per cent and 29 per cent respectively. Mortality rate in the cirrhotic group was high during the first 3 months post transplant. The reason for a high mortality rate in the hepatocellular carcinoma group may be secondary to the advanced stage of cancer and the poor condition of the patients. However, the acute rejection rate in the present series of 25 per cent is relatively low compared to other series and this may need further study.
The one year survival rate in patients who received a new liver from 1997 to 1999 compared to 2000-2002 was 33 per cent and 54 per cent respectively. This showed an improvement in the result of liver transplantation in Thailand.
In conclusion, this report showed a satisfactory result of liver transplantation. The main pro blem with liver transplantation in Thailand is that potential donors do not understand the problems which leads to few donors. There is also a shortage of skilled personnel, budget, and the appropriate instruments.
Keywords : Liver Transplantation, Thailand, Survival
