Objective: This study assessed the results of liver transplantation in patients with a variety of different indications.
Methods: From 1989 to April 2003, 209 orthotopic liver transplantations (OLTx) were performed on 196 patients, including 178 cases. The diagnoses were: PBC (n = 34); PSC (n = 13); elective postinflammatory cirrhosis in the course of hepatitis C (n = 29); hepatitis B (n = 16); postalcoholic cirrhosis (n = 23), autoimmune cirrhosis (n = 11); Wilson's disease (n = 6); cirrhosis of unknown etiology (n = 10); secondary biliary cirrhosis (n = 5); Budd-Chiari syndrome (n = 6); and benign liver neoplasms (n = 7).
Results: The 3-year survival rate in the group of patients transplanted electively was 74.1%. In other groups it was: PBC, 91.4%; PSC, 69.2%; hepatitis C, 69.6%; hepatitis B, 55.5%; postalcoholic cirrhosis, 80%; autoimmune cirrhosis, 81.8%; Wilson's disease, 57.1%; secondary biliary cirrhosis, 40%; Budd-Chiari syndrome, 66.6%; hemochromatosis, 100%; benign neoplasms of the liver, 87.5%; and liver cysts, 100%.
Conclusions: Results of liver transplantation were closely related to the urgency of the procedure. Better results were achieved in patients operated upon routinely compared with in those operated upon emergently (74.1% vs 50%). The best results of liver transplantation were achieved in patients transplanted on a routine basis with a diagnosis of PBC (91.4%), autoimmunologic cirrhosis (81.1%), postalcoholic cirrhosis (80%), or hemochoromatosis (100%). Patients with liver insufficiency due to hepatitis B and Wilson's disease have an increased risk of graft destruction, and the rate of survival in these patients is significantly lower than in other patients.