SMALL-BOWEL TRANSPLANTATION

The problems, progress, and future prospects of small bowel transplant ation are reviewed. Recent advances include the development of techniq ues for successful combined liver/small bowel transplantation, isolate d small bowel transplantation, and colon transplantation. Bowel transp lantation appears destined to become the preferred treatment for patie nts with end-stage intestinal failure. Current protocols, however, nee d to be refined to achieve (1) lower rates of rejection and infections and (2) more consistent graft function.