Main description:

In Japan, cadaveric donor liver transplantation is not common even though cadaveric organ transplantation was legally established in 1998. In contrast, the number of living donor liver transplantations is increasing, with more than 1700 cases at 43 Japanese institutes by November 2001. Indications for and have become living donor liver transplantation are widening in Japan similar to those for cadaveric donor liver transplantation in the United States and Europe. At the same time, split liver transplantation from cadaveric donors shares some technical aspects with living donor liver transplantation. Remarkable progress has been reported recently, and thus it was an auspicious time to hold a symposium on "Current issues in liver/small bowel transplantation" in Japan. We were honored to hold a very fruitful symposium sponsored by the Keio University Medical Science Fund and to bring together top-rank transplant surgeons from Japan and other countries. It was a productive and rewarding time for all participants. We were able to share our experience through excellent presentations followed by active discussions and insightful com ments. At the symposium, we focused on current issues in liver transplanta tion such as widening indications for viral hepatitis and malignant tumors. We also discussed technical aspects and physiological problems in split/iiving donor liver transplant, novel strategies in immunosuppression, and the current status and future prospects in small bowel transplantation. This book contains the papers from all the distinguished guest speakers, focusing on the topics discussed at the symposium.

Contents:

1 Technical Aspects and Physiological Problems in Split/Living Donor Liver Transplantation.- Living-Donor Liver Transplantation: Experience at Shinshu University.- Liver Splitting for Two Adult Patients and Domino Liver Transplantation: The Paul Brousse Experience.- Living-Donor Liver Transplantation in Taiwan.- Impact of Small-for-Size Graft on Graft Surgical and Postoperative Complications in Adult Living Donor Liver Transplantation.- Living-Donor Liver Transplantation Using Left-Liver Graft and Hepatic Vein Reconstruction.- Results of Living-Donor Liver Transplantation in Hong Kong.- Middle Hepatic Vein Reconstruction in Living-Donor Liver Transplantation Using the Right Lobe.- 2 Viral Hepatitis and Liver Transplantation.- Liver Transplantation for Hepatitis B and C.- Strategies for the Treatment of Hepatitis B and C After Liver Transplantation.- Prophylaxis and Posttransplant Treatment of Viral Hepatitis in Living-Donor Liver Transplantation.- 3 Current Status and Future Prospects in Small Bowel Transplantation.- Intestinal Transplantation.- Clinical Experience of Small Bowel/Multivisceral Transplantation at the University of Miami.- Intestinal Transplantation at the University of Pittsburgh.- Intestinal Transplantation in Children: Experience of a Single Center in Paris.- Living-Donor Small Bowel Transplantation: Experience of Three Cases.- Small Bowel Transplantation as a Final Treatment for Intestinal Failure.- 4 Liver Transplantation for Malignant Hepatic Tumors.- The Role of Liver Transplantation in the Treatment of Primary Liver Tumors.- Long-Term Results of Transplantation for Hepatocellular Carcinoma With or Without Cirrhosis: 15 Years'-Experience at Paul Brousse Hospital.- Living Donor Liver Transplantation for Malignant Hepatic Tumors.- 5 Novel Strategies in Immunosuppression.- Optimizing the Use of Neoral in Liver and Kidney Transplantation by C2 Monitoring.- The Interleukin 2 "Pathway" and the Route to Logical Immunosuppression.- FTY720: Mechanisms of Action and Immunosuppressive Activity in Organ Transplantation.- Novel Strategies for Living Donor Liver Transplantation Across the ABO Blood Group Barrier: Effect of Intraportal Infusion Therapy.- Key Word Index.