The Shiraz organ transplant center in Southern Iran has been performing liver transplantation in Iran and neighboring countries for 13 years.
Method: Between April 1993 and July 2006, 256 liver organs were transplanted to 253 cirrhotic patients more in Child–C group, in Shiraz organ transplantation, the single center for liver transplantation in Iran. All data regarding age and sex of donors and recipients, complications, survival, and outcome were analyzed.
Results: 163 (64.4%) of recipients were men and 90 (35.6%) were women. Mean recipients’ age was 31.06± 14 years. Among 256 liver donors, 198 (77.3%) were male and 58 (22.6%) were female with average age of 27.04±12.2 years. The smallest donor and recipient were a 6 month and an 11 month old boy, respectively. The oldest recipient had 62 years. Ten cadaveric split liver transplants, 19 living related liver transplantations (17 left lobes, 2 right lobes), and 224 whole organs were transplanted. Three patients underwent retransplantation because of acute graft failure. Common causes of liver cirrhosis were cryptogenic (n=63, 25%), viral (HBV, HCV) (n=56, 22.1%), autoimmune (n=46, 18.1%), PSC (n=35, 13.8%), and Wilson (n=23, 9.1%). Majority of deceased donors (n=119, 49.1%) were from our own province (Fars). An acute rejection episode requiring pulse therapy was occurred in 97 cases (38.3%) and twenty patient (7.9%) had two rejection episodes. Most frequent short term complications were respiratory, neurologic and biliary problems. The 1-, 2-, and 3-year patient survival rates were 76.1%, 73.2%+/-0.03, and 73.2%+/- 0.03, respectively. An experience with liver transplantation since 1993 indicates success comparable to other centers. In comparison to last report of 140 patients from our center, the etiology of cirrhosis is shifting from cryptogenic towards the viral hepatitis, slowly. More experience is resulting in better patient’s selection, operation and more survival rate.