Liver retransplantation in adult recipients: analysis of a 38‐year experience in the Netherlands

Background Liver retransplantation (re‐LT) accounts for up to 22% after primary liver transplantation (LT), and using donor livers for retransplantation can only be justified by successful outcomes. Methods A total of 2,387 adult recipients with 2,778 LT, between 1979 and 2017, were analyzed to determine risk factors and outcome of re‐LT in the Netherlands. Results Of 2,778 LT, 336 (12.1%) were first, 43 (1.5%) were second, and 12 (0.5%) were third or fourth re‐LT. The 5‐year patient survival for primary LT, and first, second, and third or fourth re‐LT were 74.0%, 70.8%, 63.3%, and 57.1%, respectively (P = 0.10). Recipient age (≤60 years) (OR 1.96, P