| [ Summary ] |
Small bowel transplantation is indicated for patients with intestinal failure caused by short bowel syndrome, functional intestinal disease, tumors or in flamatory bowel disease. The outcome of small bowel transplantation has improved slowly around the world, where graft survival rates for one year and three years were 55% and 50%, respectively. So far, five living donor small bowel transplantats and one cadaveric have been performed in Japan. Two recipients have functioning grafts with complete weaning from parenteral nutrition. Improvements in short and long term outcome of small bowel transplantation can be expected with refined immunosuppression regimens, using daclizumab and the introduction of zoom videoendoscopic monitoring of rejection. |