Impact of Median MELD at Transplant Minus 3 National Policy on Quality of Transplanted Livers for Patients With and Without Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have been overprioritized in the deceased donor liver allocation system. The United Network for Organ Sharing adopted a policy in May 2019 that limited HCC exception points to the median Model for End-Stage Liver Disease at transplant in the listing region minus 3. We hypothesized this policy change would increase the likelihood to transplant marginal quality livers into HCC patients.

Methods

This was a retrospective cohort study of a national transplant registry, including adult deceased donor liver transplant recipients with and without HCC from May 18, 2017, to May 18, 2019 (prepolicy) to May 19, 2019, to March 1, 2021 (postpolicy). Transplanted livers were considered of marginal quality if they met ≥1 of the followi

SUBMITTER: Mazur RD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10651798 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature