Current and Evolving Indications for Simultaneous Liver Kidney Transplantation.

This review will discuss the etiologies of kidney disease in liver transplant candidates, provide a historical background of the prior evolution of simultaneous liver-kidney (SLK) transplant indications, discuss the current indications for SLK including Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network policies and Model for End Stage Liver Disease exception points, as well as provide an overview of the safety net kidney transplant policy. Finally, the authors explore unanswered questions and future research needed in SLK transplantation.

Thrombocytopenia in Chronic Liver Disease: New Management Strategies.

Thrombocytopenia is common in advanced liver disease, and such patients frequently need invasive procedures. Numerous mechanisms for thrombocytopenia exist, including splenic sequestration and reduction of levels of the platelet growth factor thrombopoietin. Traditionally, platelet transfusions have been used to increase platelet counts before elective procedures, usually to a threshold of greater than or equal to 50,000/μL, but levels vary by provider, procedure, and specific patient.

Donor-Specific Antibodies in Liver Transplantation.

http://aasldpubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.

Thrombocytopenia and Procedural Prophylaxis in the Era of Thrombopoietin Receptor Agonists.

Thrombocytopenia is common in patients with advanced liver disease. These patients frequently require invasive diagnostic or therapeutic procedures in the setting of thrombocytopenia. A common platelet goal before such procedures is ≥50,000/μL, but target levels vary by provider and the procedure.

Donor-derived Viral Infections in Liver Transplantation.

Donor-derived infections are defined as any infection present in the donor that is transmitted to 1 or more recipients. Donor-derived infections can be categorized into 2 groups: "expected" and "unexpected" infections. Expected transmissions occur when the donor is known to have an infection, such as positive serology for cytomegalovirus, Epstein Barr virus, or hepatitis B core antibody, at the time of donation.

Incidence and impact of rejection following simultaneous liver-kidney transplantation.

Background & Aims: Due to hepatic immunoregulation, simultaneous liver-kidney recipients are presumed to be reasonably protected from kidney rejection and typically receive less immunosuppression compared to kidney transplants alone. However, data to support these conclusions and practices are sparse.

Methods: We characterized the incidence and types of rejection, graft function, and graft and patient survival in a large population of simultaneous liver-kidney recipients (n=140) with long-term follow-up at our centre (1998-2010).

Knockin animal models of inherited arrhythmogenic diseases: what have we learned from them?

Mouse models are becoming an increasingly accepted method of studying human diseases. Knockin and knockout techniques have several advantages over traditional transgenic overexpression, and the versatility of the knockin mouse allows the study of both gain of function mutations through targeted mutagenesis, as well as the replacement of one gene by another functional gene. Here, we will review the methods available to generate knockin mice; provide an overview of the techniques used to study electrophysiology in the mice at the cellular, organ, and whole animal level; and highlight knockin mice that have implications for inherited arrhythmias.

Tunnel expansion after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with autogenous hamstrings: a comparison of the medial portal and transtibial techniques.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of 2 techniques of drilling the femoral tunnel in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction (medial portal v transtibial) on tunnel expansion.

Methods: Autogenous hamstring ACL reconstructions performed by the senior author between July 1998 and July 2004, with a minimum 6-month radiographic follow-up, using the transtibial technique (41 patients) and the medial portal technique (34 patients), were evaluated. All procedures were performed via an endoscopic technique with identical postoperative rehabilitation and graft fixation.