Author Affiliations: Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA (Wang ZF); Division of Hepatobiliary Surgery, First Hospital, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, China (Liu C) Corresponding Author: Zi-Fa Wang, MD, PhD, Department of Surgery,University of Pittsburgh, NW607, Montefiore University Hospital, 3459 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA (Tel: 1-412-343-9407; Fax: 1-412-647-5959; Email: ziw3@pitt.edu)
BACKGROUND: Liver transplantation is a life-saving therapeutic modality for patients with end-stage liver diseases. After liver transplantation, however, more than 10% patients may lose the grafts caused by a variety of reasons. This review covers the most frequent indications for liver retransplantation as well as the results and specific problems with each indication.
DATA RESOURCES: Searching MEDLINE (1997-2003) for articles on liver retransplantation.
RESULTS: The most frequent indications of liver retransplantation are primary non-function, hepatic artery thrombosis, graft rejection and recurrent diseases. The results after liver retransplantation remain inferior to those after first transplantation.
CONCLUSION: Liver retransplantation, which is the only means of prolonging survival in those patients whose initial graft has failed, makes an important contribution to overall survival.
2004, Vol. 3 
