Intraoperative Use of Angiotensin II for Severe Vasodilatory Shock During Liver Transplantation: A Case Report.

Refractory hypotension is a known entity in liver transplantation. Catecholamine and vasopressin infusions are first-line therapies. There has been recent interest in angiotensin II (Ang-2) as an alternative vasopressor; however, liver failure patients were excluded from the original trials. Ang-2 has potential in this patient population. This case discusses a patient who received an infusion of Ang-2 during a liver transplant for combined liver failure-induced distributive shock and septic shock. It is the first known successful use of intraoperative Ang-2 in this situation, and it shows that Ang-2 may be safe in liver transplantation when traditional therapies fail.

Use of Intravenous Hydroxocobalamin for Vasoplegic Syndrome in Simultaneous Liver-Kidney Transplant: A Case Report.

Vasoplegic syndrome can occur after reperfusion in liver transplantation. Generally, vasopressor infusions along with volume resuscitation are used to combat this process. There are case reports of the use of hydroxocobalamin to improve vasoplegia in liver transplant and cardiac surgery. In this case report, we describe a patient who received hydroxocobalamin for a simultaneous liver-kidney transplant. Use of this medication facilitated a prompt decrease of very high-dose vasopressor infusions and allowed completion of the kidney transplantation portion of this case. To our knowledge, use in combined liver-kidney transplant has not been described. In light of the dearth of medications to improve vasoplegia outside of vasopressor infusions, the use of hydroxocobalamin as a therapeutic intervention may gain importance.