Liver transplant and hepatitis B

A liver transplant may be considered in patients with end-stage liver failure due to hepatitis B, particularly those with cirrhosis.

However, the risk of graft reinfection exists in some patients, which puts the graft failure.

The use of hepatitis B immunoglobulin prophylaxis before transplantation has reduced by one-third possibility of a resurgence of the disease in the subject grafted.

Another approach has been carried out in 1996 by a British team that uses nukes treatment before transplantation.

This is particularly lamivudine has been used in post-hepatitis B cirrhosis at a dose of 100 mg / day for at least 4 weeks before surgery and for several weeks (up to 90 weeks).

In subjects B virus DNA positive (most more resistant to other treatment patients), it was found that the disappearance of HBV DNA in all patients before transplantation.

Most patients are always negative 24 weeks after transplantation for DNA and most have lost their HBs Antigen.

Of course, the effectiveness of this treatment does not affect the result in terms of the survival of these patients.
(Lancet, 11/02/96, pp. 1212-1215).