Hepatic Retransplantation.

DESPITE RECENT improvements in operative techniques,I.2 immunosuppression,I.3.4 and organ procurement,5-7 failure of a hepatic allograft remains an important risk to liver recipients. In the absence of any effective method of extracorporeal support, the only alternativ(1to death for these patients is retransplantation (RETX). The need for RETX can occur in one of three settings: emergent, acute, and elective. Proper timing of elective RETX requires balancing the risk of further attempts to rescue the primary graft against the risks of reoperation. Successful use of RETX in the emergent and acute settings requires an effective organ procurement system and optimization of all availabie donors. The present study involves a review of the experience obtained from the sequential transplantation of two or more hepatic grafts into 70 patients over a 21-year period.