The outcome of the first 165 orthotopic liver transplants in Scotland

The Scottish Liver Transplant Unit is now in its sixth year of existence, W e present the outcome of the first 165 transplants which have at least 12 m onths follow up. The overall patient (n=143) survival rates at 1, 3 and 5 y ears were 86.6%, 79.3% and 74.7% and the graft survival rates were 76.9%, 6 9.1% and 64.8%. The one year survival rate for patients with chronic liver disease (n=113) was 89.2% compared with 76.6% for acute liver failure (Bres low = 0.05). The one year survival rate for the first 71 patients receiving their primary graft was 81.7% compared with 91.5% for the subsequent 71 pa tients (Breslow = 0.09). The majority of deaths (n=29) were due to sepsis ( n=7), at operation (n=6) or due to graft vascular insufficiency (n=4). Ther e were two cases of de novo haematological malignancy. The outcome of the f irst 165 transplants in Scotland compares very well with other countries th roughout the world.