A method for establishing allocation equity among patients with and without hepatocellular carcinoma on a common liver transplant waiting list.

Background & Aims: The current organ allocation system for liver transplantation (LT) creates an imbalance between patients with and without hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We describe a model designed to re-establish allocation equity among patient groups using transplant benefit as the common endpoint.

Methods: We enrolled consecutive adult patients entering the waiting list (WL group, n=2697) and undergoing LT (LT group, n=1702) during the period 2004-2009 in the North Italy Transplant program area.

A prospective policy development to increase split-liver transplantation for 2 adult recipients: results of a 12-year multicenter collaborative study.

Objective: To analyze in a multicenter study the potential benefit of a new prospective policy development to increase split-liver procedures for 2 adult recipients.

Background: Split-liver transplantation is an important means of overcoming organ shortages. Division of the donor liver for 1 adult and 1 pediatric recipient has reduced the mortality of children waiting for liver transplantation but the benefits or disadvantages to survival when the liver is divided for 2 adults (adult-to-adult split-liver transplant, AASLT) compared with recipients of a whole graft have not been fully investigated.

http://www.D-MELD.com, the Italian survival calculator to optimize donor to recipient matching and to identify the unsustainable matches in liver transplantation.

Optimization of donor-recipient match is one of the exciting challenges in liver transplantation. Using algorithms obtained by the Italian D-MELD study (5256 liver transplants, 21 Centers, 2002-2009 period), a web-based survival calculator was developed. The calculator is available online at the URL http://www.

Liver Match, a prospective observational cohort study on liver transplantation in Italy: study design and current practice of donor-recipient matching.

Background: The Liver Match is an observational cohort study that prospectively enrolled liver transplantations performed at 20 out of 21 Italian Transplant Centres between June 2007 and May 2009. Aim of the study is to investigate the impact of donor/recipient matching on outcomes. In this report we describe the study methodology and provide a cross-sectional description of donor and recipient characteristics and of graft allocation.

Multiple spontaneous liver cell adenomas of different types (liver adenomatosis).

In 1999, Nguyen et al divided focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH) in 2 groups, the classical and nonclassical. The former also included those cases of FNH with classical characteristics exhibited "on a subtle scale," whereas the latter included among others mainly the telangiectatic FNH (T-FNH) variant. Hepatocellular adenoma (HCA) was classically considered by definition a neoplasm with no ductal or ductular differentiation, but today the spectrum of HCA does include variant 3, which may have CK7+ ductules.

Successful liver transplantation in an adult residual atrial septal defect and left-to-right shunt.

A case of orthotopic liver transplantation performed in an adult, presenting postviral C cirrhosis and a residual atrial septal defect, is reported. This defect was responsible for a left-to-right shunt and moderate systolic pulmonary hypertension. Liver transplantation was done using an inferior vena cava preservation technique with a latero-lateral cavo-caval anastomosis and without veno-venous bypass in order to minimally interfere with the haemodynamic condition.

Rapid progression of hepatocellular carcinoma after Radiofrequency Ablation.

Aim: To report the results of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in cirrhotic patients and to describe the treatment related complications (mainly the rapid intrahepatic neoplastic progression).

Methods: Eighty-seven consecutive cirrhotic patients with 104 HCC (mean diameter 3.9 cm, 1.