Longterm clinical and radiological follow-up of living liver donors.

Although short-term risks of living donor hepatectomy have been well defined, little is known about the longterm impact. We aimed to perform a systematic follow-up to screen for unanticipated health consequences of liver donation. All donors who were more than 1 year from donation were invited for a systematic evaluation including physical and laboratory assessment, quality of life questionnaire, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)/magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP).

Emotional and Financial Experiences of Kidney Donors over the Past 50 Years: The RELIVE Study.

Background And Objectives: Most kidney donors view their experience positively, but some may experience psychosocial and financial burdens. We hypothesized that certain donor characteristics, poor outcome of the recipient, negative perceptions of care, and lack of support may be associated with poor psychosocial outcomes for donors.

Design, Setting, Participants, & Measurements: The Renal and Lung Living Donors Evaluation Study (RELIVE) examined long-term medical and psychosocial outcomes for kidney donors (at three U.

Satisfaction With Life Among Living Kidney Donors: A RELIVE Study of Long-Term Donor Outcomes.

Background: Little is known about living kidney donors' satisfaction with life (SWL) after donation. We compared donors' SWL to previously reported general population samples and investigated predictors of donors' SWL.

Methods: Three transplant centers mailed questionnaires to assess SWL, physical health, optimism, retrospective evaluation of the donation experience, and demographic characteristics to living kidney donors' homes between 2010 and 2012.

Case series on defense mechanisms in patients for reconstructive hand transplantation: consideration on transplant defense concept.

Background: The technical demands of reconstructive hand transplantation (RHT) and need for complex multidisciplinary care have led to intense research efforts to improve patient care and outcomes. However, RHT is an extraordinary life event which carries the potential for long-term consequences including psychological distress, which invokes coping and defense mechanisms.

Material/methods: Little is known about the relationship between psychological defense mechanisms and health outcomes in RHT patients.

Psychological aspects of hand transplantation.

Purpose Of Review: Psychosocial aspects are important indicators for reconstructive hand transplantation (RHT). They warrant further research attention given the influence of psychosocial factors on the success of RHT. This review will contrast RHT with solid organ transplantation, provide information to guide selection of RHT candidates and ethical implications, share information on psychological outcomes, and address the importance of a multicenter research approach.

An overview of psychosocial assessment procedures in reconstructive hand transplantation.

There have been more than 90 hand and upper extremity transplants performed worldwide. Functional and sensory outcomes have been reported in several studies, but little is known about the psychosocial outcomes. A comprehensive systematic literature review was performed, addressing the psychosocial impact of reconstructive hand transplantation.

Factors contributing to health disparities in liver transplantation in a Hispanic population.

Objective: Among the challenges that Puerto Rico transplant patients face are a lack of social support that would enable them to move away from Puerto Rico, the difficulty of obtaining insurance coverage, and limitations imposed by language barriers. These factors may lead to reduced access to liver transplantation, which is a form of healthcare disparity. The objective of the study is to describe a group of Puerto Rican liver transplant candidates for the first time and to determine whether the above-named factors limit the possibilities of these candidates to be listed for transplant.

Seligman's theory of attributional style: optimism, pessimism, and quality of life after heart transplant.

Context: Posttransplant quality of life can be significantly affected by personality characteristics identified before transplant.

Objective: Although overall quality of life in heart transplant patients improves after transplant, many studies reveal poorer mental health outcomes after transplant. We aimed to determine whether transplant recipients with an optimistic explanatory style had improved quality of life, fewer depressive symptoms, and increased survival.

The psychological assessment of candidates for reconstructive hand transplantation.

Standardized psychological assessment of candidates for reconstructive hand transplantation (RHT) is a new approach in transplantation medicine. Currently, international guidelines and standardized criteria for the evaluation are not established. Patients suffering from the loss of a hand or an upper extremity have to cope with multiple challenges.

Pretransplant psychiatric and substance use comorbidity in patients with cholangiocarcinoma who received a liver transplant.

Background: Psychopathology has been commonly observed in liver transplant candidates, and up to 40% have comorbid psychiatric disorders. This illness burden may negatively impact quality of life and transplant outcome. Liver transplantation for cholangiocarcinoma remains uncommon due to the complex treatment protocol.

Relationship between FKBP5 polymorphisms and depression symptoms among kidney transplant recipients.

Background: Several polymorphisms in FK506 Binding Protein gene (FKBP5) and a history of child abuse have been shown to be associated with an increased risk for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It has also been demonstrated that the same polymorphisms of FKBP5 are associated with increased recurrence of depressive episodes and rapid response to antidepressant treatment. However, there are only limited numbers of studies replicating the polymorphisms as vulnerability factors for the development of mental illnesses, such as PTSD and depression after stressful life event, especially with a specific incidence, such as kidney transplant surgery.

Psychosocial factors in living organ donation: clinical and ethical challenges.

Living donor surgery has come to the forefront of public attention because increasing numbers of potential donors respond to the organ shortage. Because of several factors including decreased morbidity from donor surgery, online resources appealing for organs, and increased publicity about donation, new populations of unrelated donors are seeking evaluation for donor surgery. However, concern about potential coercion of vulnerable individuals, the potential for adverse psychosocial outcomes, and recent reports of donor deaths have reinvigorated discussion within the medical community about how best to assess donors.

Analysis of factors that predict alcohol relapse following liver transplantation.

Alcoholic liver disease has become a major indication for liver transplantation in the United States. Factors that predict alcohol relapse after liver transplantation are poorly defined. The aim of our study was to identify predictors of alcohol relapse in patients undergoing liver transplantation for alcoholic liver disease.