Waitlist Times, Hospital Length of Stay, and Immediate Post-Operative Outcomes of HCV Positive Donors in HCV Negative Liver and Kidney Transplant Recipients

H. Elbeshbeshy¹, J. M. Ray¹, A. Befeler¹, R. Desai¹, K. Qureshi¹, C. Varma²

¹Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, ²Surgery, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO

Meeting: 2020 American Transplant Congress

Abstract number: C-202

Keywords: Hepatitis C, Length of stay, Post-operative complications, Waiting lists

Session Information

Session Name: Poster Session C: Non-Organ Specific: Viral Hepatitis

Session Type: Poster Session

Date: Saturday, May 30, 2020

Session Time: 3:15pm-4:00pm

Presentation Time: 3:30pm-4:00pm

Location: Virtual

*Purpose:

Introduction The advent of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) has significantly changed liver and kidney transplantation for patients with chronic hepatitis C (HCV) infection. Successful and relatively easy treatment of HCV with DAAs added the option of using HCV positive donors in HCV negative liver and Kidney transplant recipients, thus potentially leading to a rise in the donor pool. There are few studies that highlight the potential benefits for HCV positive donors with HCV negative recipients (HCV D+/R-). The few studies analyzing post-transplant outcomes and waitlist times for HCV D+/R- liver and kidney transplants have differing data analysis. Aim To evaluate waitlist times, and immediate post-operative outcomes of HCV D+/R- liver, kidney, and liver/kidney transplantation.

*Methods:

StudyRetrospective data for HCV D+/R- liver, kidney, and liver/kidney transplants was collected from our center comparing waitlist duration, hospital length of stay (LOS), and immediate post-transplant outcomes to HCV D-/R- transplants in the same period in 2019.

*Results: ResultsThere were total 9 kidney HCV D+/R- transplants, & 114 HCV D-/R- patients. The average waitlist time was 33.1 & 586.5 respectively. Only 2/9 had complications. The complications included a uretero-vesicular stricture requiring a nephrostomy tube and delayed graft function with resulting hyperkalemia which resolved with transient dialysis and adjustment in immunosuppressant medications, both were not related to the HCV status of donor organ. There was 0% mortality. The average HCV D+/R- hospital LOS was 6 days compared to 5 day LOS for HCV D-/R- patients.

*Conclusions:

Conclusion

There was a low complication risk of transplanting HCV D+/R- with postoperative complications only reported in the combination liver and kidney patient. The data illustrated markedly lower waitlist time in HCV D+/R- with comparable hospital LOS. This demonstrates that there is a potential benefit in utilizing HCV+ donors for HCV- patients as it can expedite transplantation with little complications.

To cite this abstract in AMA style:

Elbeshbeshy H, Ray JM, Befeler A, Desai R, Qureshi K, Varma C. Waitlist Times, Hospital Length of Stay, and Immediate Post-Operative Outcomes of HCV Positive Donors in HCV Negative Liver and Kidney Transplant Recipients [abstract]. Am J Transplant. 2020; 20 (suppl 3). https://atcmeetingabstracts.com/abstract/waitlist-times-hospital-length-of-stay-and-immediate-post-operative-outcomes-of-hcv-positive-donors-in-hcv-negative-liver-and-kidney-transplant-recipients/. Accessed May 16, 2025.

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