Current status of intestinal transplantation in East Asia

Abstract

Purpose of review Intestinal transplantation (ITx) activity remains low in East Asia. We conducted a multinational, retrospective study on patients who underwent ITx in Korea, Taiwan, and Japan, to provide an overview and to foresee future developments and collaborations in this region. Recent findings Total 71 ITx were performed in 67 patients. Living donor ITx was most commonly conducted in Japan (n = 13). Despite the low caseload, all three countries demonstrated acceptable patient survival rates of approximately 70% at 5 years. Over 70% of recipients with a functioning graft were free from total parenteral nutrition. Summary There is an urgent need to establish a nationwide and multinational registry of ITx recipients and patients with intestinal failure in East Asia. An efficient referral system to specialized intestinal rehabilitation and ITx centers and a multidisciplinary team approach is also warranted to provide state-of-the-art treatment for patients desperately waiting for a chance to survive.

Intestinal and multivisceral transplantation

“…The results published to date (11)(12)(13) are similar, and even superior to those of cadaveric donors, given the hypothetical immunological advantage due to haploidentity in the case of using related donors. The procedure is technically complex, but the main limitation is not technical but ethical.…”

Intestinal Transplantation in a Country Without Home Parenteral Nutrition: The Largest Report from the Middle East

“… 9 To this date, indications of ITx have been established among countries with facilities such as HPN and medications including enterohormones (such as Glucagon-like peptide 2 [GLP-2]). 10 - 13 Despite the lack of these facilities and medications, Iran is among the few countries which perform this surgery with locally modified guidelines. 4 These strategies include establishing an IRU with a multidisciplinary team as a referral center for patients with IF, minimizing complication of TPN by training personnel and patients, and performing AGIR surgeries such as STEP and valve reconstruction to obtain GI autonomy.…”

Trasplante intestinal y multivisceral

“…Los resultados publicados hasta la fecha (11)(12)(13) son similares, e incluso superiores a los de donante cadavérico, dada la hipotética ventaja inmunológica por haploidentidad en el caso de utilizar donantes relacionados. El procedimiento es técnicamente complejo, pero la principal limitación no es técnica, sino ética.…”