Live Donor Liver Transplantation With Older (>50years) Vs Younger (<50years) Donors: Does Age Matter?
Multi Organ Transplant Program, Toronto General Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Meeting: 2015 American Transplant Congress
Abstract number: 404
Keywords: Living-related liver donors
Session Information
Session Name: Concurrent Session: Liver: Living Donors and Partial Grafts
Session Type: Concurrent Session
Date: Tuesday, May 5, 2015
Session Time: 2:15pm-3:45pm
Presentation Time: 3:27pm-3:39pm
Location: Room 115-AB
Introduction: The risks of living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) with older donors remains controversial and many centers avoid using live donors ≥45 years of age. We determined in a single center series the outcomes of LDLT with grafts from older vs younger donors.
Methods: From 2000-2014, 469 adult-to-adult right lobe LDLT were performed at our institution. Outcome of patients receiving a LDLT graft from donors ≥50 years (LDLT≥50 =91) were compared to patients receiving a live donor graft from donors <50 years (LDLT<50=378).
Results: No difference was observed between groups regarding recipient demographic variables and disease severity. Recipient ICU (LDLT<50: 1 vs. LDLT≥50: 2 days; p=0.28) and hospital stay (LDLT<50: 12 vs. LDLT≥50: 14 days; p=0.1) after transplantation was similar. The incidence of major complication in recipients (Clavien ≥3b) was similar between both groups (LDLT<50: 24% vs. LDLT≥50: 24%; p=1). The incidence of biliary complications were the same between both groups (LDLT<50: 24% vs. LDLT≥50: 23%; p=0.84). No difference was observed regarding 30-day recipient mortality (LDLT<50: 3% vs. LDLT≥50: 0%; p=0.13). In contrast, 1-year graft lost was lower after LDLT with younger vs older grafts (LDLT<50: 5(1%) vs. LDLT≥50: 5(5%); p=0.028). The 1- (90% vs. 90%), 5- (82% vs. 73%) and 10- (71% vs. 58%) year graft survival was similar in the LDLT<50yr vs >50yr group (p=0.075). Patient survival after 1-(92% vs. 96%), 5-(83% vs. 79%) and 10-years (76% vs. 69%) was similar between both groups (p=0.68). No donor death occurred and all donors had full recovery. Median hospital stay for both groups of donors was the same (LDLT<50: 6(4-17) vs. LDLT≥50: 6(4-14) days; p=0.65). Donor mayor postoperative complications were very low and identical between both groups (LDLT<50: 9(2%) vs. LDLT≥50: 2(2%); p=1)
Conclusion: LDLT with donors >50 years of age results in acceptable recipient outcome without increased donor morbidity. Potential living donors should not be declined based on age alone.
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
Goldaracena N, Sapisochin G, Echeverri J, Kaths M, Selzner N, Cattral M, Greig P, Lilly L, McGilvray I, Levy G, Ghanekar A, Renner E, Grant D, Selzner M. Live Donor Liver Transplantation With Older (>50years) Vs Younger (<50years) Donors: Does Age Matter? [abstract]. Am J Transplant. 2015; 15 (suppl 3). https://atcmeetingabstracts.com/abstract/live-donor-liver-transplantation-with-older-50years-vs-younger-50years-donors-does-age-matter/. Accessed July 12, 2025.« Back to 2015 American Transplant Congress