No abstract

Histological grade of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an important prognostic factor affecting patient survival after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT).Design: Retrospective analysis.Setting: University-based teaching hospital.Patients: Of 952 OLTs performed between June 1991 and January 1999, 56 OLT recipients had histologically proven HCC in the explant liver. Of those, 53 patients with complete clinicopathologic data were analyzed. A single pathologist blinded to the outcome of each patient reviewed all histological specimens.Results: Median follow-up was 709 days. Overall survival for patients with tumors sized 5 cm or less at 1, 3, and 5 years was 87%, 78%, and 71%, respectively (Kaplan-Meier). Univariate analysis revealed the size, number, and distribution of tumors; the presence of microscopic vascular invasion and lymph node metastasis; histological differentiation; and pTNM stage to be statistically

Portocaval hemitransposition maybe useful in liver transplantation when hepatopetal flow to the liver graft cannot be established by other techniques. Rescue after failure of conventional technique was not possible in two patients.