North American Biliary Stricture Management Strategies in Children After Liver Transplantation: A Multicenter Analysis From the Society of Pediatric Liver Transplantation (SPLIT) Registry

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Pamela L Valentino, Yale University; Tianho Wang, Yale University; Veronika Shabanova, Yale University; Vicky Lee Ng, University of Toronto; John C Bucuvalas, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai; Amy G Feldman, Children’s Hospital Colorado and the University of Colorado School of Medicine; Regino P Gonzalez-Peralta, AdventHealth for Children, AdventHealth Transplant Institute, Orlando; Nitika Gupta, Emory University; Tamir A Miloh, University of Miami; Saeed Mohammad, Northwestern University; Erika Pace, The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust; Shikha S Sundaram, Children’s Hospital Colorado and the University of Colorado School of Medicine; Nada A Yazigi, MedStar Georgetown Transplant Institute; Kyle Soltys, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh
• Language: English
• Date: 2022-01-30
• Publisher: WILEY
• Publication Version: Author Accepted Manuscript (After Peer Review)
• Copyright Statement: © 2021 by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/lt.26379
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: LIVER TRANSPLANTATION
• Volume: 28
• Issue: 5
• Start Page: 819
• End Page: 833
• Keywords: Transplantation; COMPLICATIONS; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; Gastroenterology & Hepatology; Surgery; Science & Technology; RISK-FACTORS
• Research Categories: Statistics

Abstract

Biliary strictures affect 4%-12% of pediatric liver transplantations. Biliary strictures can contribute to graft loss if left untreated; however, there remains no consensus on the best course of treatment. Study objectives included analyses of outcomes associated with biliary stricture management strategies via percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography (PTC), endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), or surgery. We identified pediatric liver transplantation recipients (2011-2016) with biliary strictures from the Society of Pediatric Liver Transplantation (SPLIT) registry and retrieved imaging, procedural, and operative reports from individual centers. Subanalyses were performed to specifically evaluate PTC and ERCP for “optimal biliary outcome” (OBO), defined as graft survival with stricture resolution and without recurrence or surgery. A total of 113 children with a median follow-up of 3.9 years had strictures diagnosed 100 days (interquartile range, 30-290) after liver transplantation; 81% were isolated anastomotic strictures. Stricture resolution was achieved in 92% within 101 days, more frequently with isolated anastomotic strictures (96%). 20% of strictures recurred, more commonly in association with hepatic artery thrombosis (32%). Patient and graft survival at 1 and 3 years were 99% and 98% and 94% and 92%, respectively. In a subgroup analysis of 79 patients with extrahepatic strictures managed by PTC/ERCP, 59% achieved OBO following a median of 4 PTC, and 75% following a median of 3 ERCP (P < 0.001). Among patients with OBO, those with ERCP had longer time intervals between successive procedures (41, 47, 54, 62, 71 days) than for PTC (27, 31, 36, 41, 48 days; P < 0.001). Allograft salvage was successful across all interventions. Stricture resolution was achieved in 92%, with 20% risk of recurrence. Resolution without recurrence was highest in patients with isolated anastomotic strictures and without hepatic artery thrombosis.