| Theme |
Liver Transplantation -- Current Status and Perspective |
| Title |
Current Status of Liver Transplantation in Europe, the United States, Asia |
| Author |
Koichiro Uchida |
Department of Surgery, Asahikawa Medical University |
| Author |
Masahiko Taniguchi |
Department of Surgery, Asahikawa Medical University |
| Author |
Koji Imai |
Department of Surgery, Asahikawa Medical University |
| Author |
Takahiro Nagao |
Department of Surgery, Asahikawa Medical University |
| Author |
Kenji Watanabe |
Department of Surgery, Asahikawa Medical University |
| Author |
Masayuki Miyamoto |
Department of Surgery, Asahikawa Medical University |
| Author |
Shun Matsusaka |
Department of Surgery, Asahikawa Medical University |
| Author |
Wakako Suzuki |
Department of Surgery, Asahikawa Medical University |
| Author |
Hiroyuki Furukawa |
Department of Surgery, Asahikawa Medical University |
| [ Summary ] |
The number of liver transplants performed in Asia has increased rapidly with the development of living donor liver transplantation. However, the deceased donation rate is low in Asia due to social, cultural, religious, and economic factors. There is a potential for increased deceased donation through legislation, education and donor actions. In Europe and the United States, conversely, those systems associated with deceased donation have been established. There is more discussion regarding the allocation and distribution of organs, and patient priority. Furthermore, public strict evaluation of transplant centers lead not to take unstable risky donors and recipients, lessening the negative impacts on transplant patients. European countries are striving to make use of all potential donors. This is accomplished through methods such as using marginal grafts from donations after cardiac death, or split liver graft transplantation. |