Liver Cirrhosis Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Liver Cirrhosis, including details on alcohol, treatment, drugs, effects, causes.

Reversal of cardiac cirrhosis following orthotopic heart transplantation.

Crespo-Leiro MG, Robles O, Paniagua MJ, Marzoa R, Naya C, Flores X, Suárez F, Gómez M, Grille Z, Cuenca JJ, Castro-Beiras A, Arnal F

Heart Failure and Heart Transplantation Unit, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario Juan Canalejo, La Coruña, Spain. Marisa_Crespo@canalejo.org

Irreversible hepatic cirrhosis greatly increases the risks attending heart transplantation (HT), and is accordingly considered to be an absolute contraindication for HT unless combined heart and liver transplantation can be performed. It is now recognized that hepatic cirrhosis can undergo regression if the source of insult is removed, but no cases of post-HT regression of cirrhosis of cardiac origin have hitherto been reported. Here we report a case of cardiac cirrhosis that underwent complete regression following orthotopic HT, and we discuss the implications of this case.

Published 4 June 2008 in Am J Transplant, 8(6): 1336-9.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2004-2008 Liver Cirrhosis Research Today. All Rights Reserved.