GRANULOCYTE ACCUMULATION IN THE TRANSPLANTED LIVER DOES NOT CORRELATEWITH CLINICAL AND HISTOLOGIC EVIDENCE OF DYSFUNCTION

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES. To evaluate the role of granulocytes in repe rfusion injury after liver transplantation. The authors injected radio labeled granulocytes to determine if human liver graft outcome could b e correlated with granulocyte accumulation. MATERIALS AND METHODS. Pur e granulocyte suspension was prepared from eight patients 12 to 24 hou rs after orthotopic liver transplantation. The granulocytes were label ed with indium-lll (In-111) oxine and reinjected, Total body radionucl ide images were performed, Liver uptake of granulocytes was compared w ith biochemical and histologic evidence of liver injury. RESULTS. No c orrelation was found between liver uptake of granulocytes, as measured by geometric mean counts, and the biochemical or histologic measures of liver injury, Liver uptake of In-111 was 9.6% for the patient who h ad liver dysfunction and 10.4% mean of the study group, This technique did not detect early signs of liver dysfunction. CONCLUSIONS. This in vestigation supports the premise that granulocytes do not play a major role in reperfusion injury of the newly transplanted liver graft.