Ann Hepatobiliary Pancreat Surg.  2020 Feb;24(1):44-51. 10.14701/ahbps.2020.24.1.44.

Acute appendicitis after liver transplantation: A single center experience and review of the literature

• Jamtani I
• Kim S
• Lee JM
• Lee KW
• Hong SK
• Hong K
• Han ES
• Yi NJ
• Suh KS

• KMID: 2471188
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.14701/ahbps.2020.24.1.44

Abstract

BACKGROUNDS/AIMS
Acute appendicitis is one of the most common emergent disease in the general population requiring surgical treatment. However, only a few cases of appendicitis after liver transplantation (LT) were reported. We described experiences of acute appendicitis after LT in single center.
METHODS
From March 1988 to July 2019, we reviewed retrospectively all the patients who diagnosed with acute appendicitis after LT at the Seoul National University Hospital. We described and analyzed clinical outcomes of appendectomy after LT.
RESULTS
A total of 12 patients out of 2,237 LT patients underwent appendectomy due to acute appendicitis. The mean age was 48±12 years. Nine patients (75%) underwent deceased donor liver transplantation (DDLT) and three patients (25%) underwent living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). The mean days from transplantation to the onset of acute appendicitis was 739 (range 57-4,496) days. Every patients underwent appropriate appendectomy within 1 days after visiting hospital. Leukocytosis was seen in three patients (25%). Seven patients (58%) underwent laparoscopic appendectomy and five patients (42%) underwent open appendectomy. The total operative time was 47.5 (range 25-135) minutes. The median postoperative hospitalization was 4 (range 2-11) days. There was no postoperative complications documented. There was no significant difference of clinical outcomes between laparoscopic appendectomy group and open appendectomy group.
CONCLUSIONS
Early surgical management achieved satisfactory postoperative results without graft dysfunction after LT. Laparoscopic appendectomy also could be applicable with safe and feasible outcomes even in post-LT recipients.

Keyword

Acute appendicitis; Liver transplantation; Laparoscopy; Appendectomy

MeSH Terms

Appendectomy
Appendicitis*
Hospitalization
Humans
Laparoscopy
Leukocytosis
Liver Transplantation*
Liver*
Living Donors
Operative Time
Postoperative Complications
Retrospective Studies
Seoul
Tissue Donors
Transplants

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