Major neurological complications following liver transplantation and their management / 南方医科大学学报

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the clinical features, underlying mechanism and management of major neurological complications following liver transplantation.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The data of 467 patients undergoing liver transplantation from Oct. 2003 to Sep. 2005 were retrospectively reviewed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Neurological complications occurred in 91 (19.49%) cases. The most common neurological complications were encephalopathy (72 cases), followed by stroke (12 cases), seizure (4 cases), central pontine myelinolysis (3 cases), and central nervous system infections (2 cases). Five encephalopathy cases were treated with continuous renal replacement and 5 intracranial hemorrhage cases with neurosurgical intervention. The mortality related to neurological complications was 10.98% (12/91).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Neurological complications are common and potentially fatal following liver transplantation involving several factors. CsA and FK506 may play an important role in the onset of neurological complications, and stroke, especially intracranial hemorrhage, has a high mortality. Combined therapies and timely modulation of the immunosuppressive regimens may improve the patient's outcome.</p>