ORTHOTOPIC LIVER-TRANSPLANTATION FOR ALCO HOLIC LIVER-DISEASE

Liver transplantation for alcoholic cirrhosis remains controversial at some transplantation centers. We compared resource utilization and ou tcome in alcoholic and non-alcoholic cirrhotic patients undergoing liv er transplantation. From April 1990 to November 1994, 60 patients rece ived orthotopic liver trasplants for end-stage alcoholic liver disease , and 119 trasplants were performed in 103 patients for non-alcoholic liver disease. No significant differences were noted in resource utili zation of the variables examined. The outcome of liver transplantation (early graft function, frequency of sepsis, incidence of rejection, r enal function, arterial hypertension...) was equivalent or better in a lcoholic patients. Postoperative mortality was higher in non-alcoholic population (25.2% vs 16.7%). One-year and three year actuarial surviv al was not significantly different, but it was higher in the alcoholic group (77% vs 67% and 74% vs 64% respectively). The recurrence rate o f alcohol in take has been 9.09%, with most patients drinking only soc ially. We conclude that liver transplantation for end-stage alcohol-re lated cirrhosis provides excellent results and resource utilization ap pears to be equivalent to that for patients undergoing transplantation for non-alcohol-related cirrhosis.