RECURRENCE OF HEPATITIS-B VIRUS CIRRHOSIS AND HEPATOCELLULAR-CARCINOMA - AN INDICATION FOR RETRANSPLANTATION

Hepatitis B virus reinfection as well as recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma are frequent complications in liver allograft recipients. Th is is the report of a patient who had two liver transplantations with a 6-year interval, both for the same indication - postnecrotic cirrhos is and liver cancer. Following first and second transplantation, hepat itis B reinfection occurred at 12 and 6 months, and allograft cirrhosi s developed after 20 and 10 months, respectively. Intrahepatic recurre nce of hepatocellular carcinoma was found after 69 months. Two years f ollowing retransplantation, the patient is tumor-free, and has normal graft function. In selected patients with hepatitis B-related liver di sease, and hepatocellular carcinoma liver replacement is indicated whe n combined with effective immunoprophylaxis, and other adjuvant therap y. Late recurrence of both diseases is unusual, and retransplantation may come into question.