Role of 6-month abstinence rule in living donor liver transplantation for patients with alcoholic liver disease.

Aim: Although alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is an accepted indication for liver transplantation (LT), there are several controversial issues. The aim of this study is to examine the applicability of the 6-month abstinence rule prior to LT and to evaluate the results in living donor LT for patients with ALD.

Methods: A retrospective study of 102 patients with ALD referred for LT was performed.

Selection of liver-transplant candidates for adult-to-adult living donor liver transplantation as the only surgical option for end-stage liver disease.

The selection of living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) recipients in regions where deceased donor liver transplantation (DDLT) is rarely performed might be different from that in other centers at which LDLT is an alternative option to DDLT. Records of adult (age > or = 18 yr) patients referred to our center were reviewed to analyze the selection process of LDLT candidates. Among the 533 LDLT candidates, 165 (31%) were rejected due to recipient issues.