Long-term outcomes in small bowel transplantation: Survival, nutrition, growth, and quality of life

Traditional outcomes for transplant recipients include patient and graft survival. Currently, patient survival is between 60 and 75% at 1 year, which is dramatically improved since the introduction of intestinal transplantation just over 1 decade ago. Early graft survival is best for isolated small bowel, but this survival advantage is lost over time. Functional outcomes are also examined in this section. Most patients with intact grafts are able to maintain all of their caloric needs through absorption of nutrients from the intestinal allograft. Growth velocity may improve after intestinal transplantation; however, catch-up growth is uncommon. Quality of life for adult recipients appears to be similar to patients on total parenteral nutrition and for pediatric recipients similar to normal school children. Intestinal transplantation has become a standard therapy for patients with intestinal failure with life-threatening complications of total parenteral nutrition administration. © 2003 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Duke Scholars

Author Debra L Sudan Surgery, Abdominal Transplant Surgery