Results after liver retransplantation in a group of 50 regrafted patients: two different concepts of elective versus emergency retransplantation.

Liver retransplantation remains the only alternative therapy for irreversible graft failure. Previous studies have demonstrated lower survival rates for liver retransplantation than for primary grafts. After reviewing our clinical experience with 55 retransplantations out of 365 liver transplants, we found that the risk and results depend on the surrounding circumstances. Elective retransplantation was shown to be as safe as the first liver transplantation, while emergency retransplantation yielded significantly higher morbidity and mortality rates.