Abdominal Organ Transplantation

Orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) is the treatment of choice for selected patients with end-stage liver disease and acute liver failure. The most common liver transplant technique is orthotopic transplantation, in which the native liver is removed and replaced by the donor organ in the same anatomic position as the original liver. Kidney transplantation is definitive treatment for eligible patients with end-stage renal disease (creatinine clearance <20 mL/min) regardless of the primary cause. Non-cholestatic cirrhosis is the most common diagnosis of patients on the waiting list for liver transplantation. Immunosuppressive drugs are started in the operative room with thymoglobulin (2 mg/kg) and methylprednisolone (500 mg) to suppress the immune system from rejecting the donor kidney.