The Desmoid Tumor Research Foundation

January 1970

New Insights into the Indications for Intestinal Transplantation – Consensus in the Year 2019

Author Information

Kaufman SS(1), Avitzur Y(2), Beath SV(3), Ceulemans LJ(4), Gondolesi GE(5), Mazariegos GV(6), Pironi L(7).

(1)MedStar Georgetown Transplant Inst, MedStar Georgetown Univ Hosp, Georgetown Univ Medical Ctr, Washington, DC, USA. (2)Div of Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition, Transplant & Regenerative Medicine Centre, The Hosp for Sick Children, Univ of Toronto, Toronto, ON, CA. (3)Pediatric Hepatologist, The Liver Unit (including Small Bowel Transplantation), Birmingham Children's Hosp, West Midl&s, UK. (4)Leuven Intestinal Failure & Transplantation (LIFT), Univ Hosps Leuven, Leuven, BE. (5)Hosp Universitario Fundaci¢n Favaloro, Buenos Aires, AR. (6)UPMC Children's Hosp of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. (7)Ctr for Chronic Intestinal Failure, Dept of Digestive System, St. Orsola-Malpighi Hosp, Univ of Bologna, Bologna, IT.

Publication

Transplantation

Summary

In 2001, a Statement was published that described indications for intestinal transplantation in patients with intestinal failure expected to require parenteral nutrition indefinitely. Since 2001, advances in the management of intestinal failure including transplantation and patient survival, both on extended parenteral nutrition and after transplantation, have improved, leading to a reduction in the number of intestinal transplants worldwide from a peak of 270/yr. in 2008 to 149 /yr. in 2017. These changes suggest that the original 2001 Statement requires reassessment. All patients with permanent intestinal failure should be managed by dedicated multidisciplinary intestinal rehabilitation teams. Under care of these teams, patients should be considered for intestinal transplantation in the event of progressive intestinal failure-associated liver disease, progressive loss of central vein access, and repeated life-threatening central venous catheter-associated infections requiring critical care. Additional indications for transplantation include large desmoid tumors and other intra-abdominal tumors with reasonable expectation of posttransplant cure, extensive mesenteric vein thrombosis and intestinal infarction, total intestinal aganglionosis, and nonrecoverable congenital secretory diarrhea. Quality of life typically improves after successful intestinal transplantation and may support the decision to proceed with transplantation when other indications are present. However, the requirement for life-long immunosuppression and its associated side effects preclude intestinal transplantation if motivated only by an expectation of improved quality of life. Increasing experience with intestinal transplantation and critical appraisal of transplant outcomes including graft survival and patient quality of life together with potential advances in immunosuppression can be expected to influence transplant practices in the future.

View Abstract