Successful ABO-incompatible liver transplantation with pre- and postoperative plasmapheresis, triple immunosuppression, and splenectomy for fulminant hepatic failure

Fulminant hepatic failure continues to be a challenge to hepatologists and surgeons. Because of the rapid deterioration in the clinical condition of patients with fulminant hepatic failure and the scarcity of available grafts, an ABO-incompatible liver donor may be the only choice for a patient with life-threatening hepatic insufficiency. Here, we report a patient with fulminant hepatic failure who received an ABO-incompatible liver transplantation who was treated with pre- and posttransplantation double-volume total plasma exchange, splenectomy, and triple immunosuppression (tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, and prednisone) in July 2003. At 26 months' follow-up, the patient's postoperative course has been uneventful. Using protocols aimed at removing existing isohemagglutinins and reducing further antibody production, ABO-incompatible liver transplantation may be performed as a life-saving procedure in patients with fulminant hepatic failure.