In-hospital central nervous system complications after liver transplantation

Objective: To explore the incidence, clinical and neuroimaging features, possible risk factors and outcome of in-hospital central nervous system complications after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). Methods: 337 consecutive patients who underwent 358 OLTs at the first affiliated hospital, Sun Yet-Sen University during January 1996 through June 2005 were retrospectively analyzed, focusing on their clinical and neuroimaging features of the in-hospital central nervous system complications after OLT. The comparison of the possible risk factors and outcome was made between patients with or without central nervous system complications. Results: Fifty-eight patients developed in-hospital central nervous system complications after OLT. The incidence was 16.2% and the mortality rate was 41.4%. The most common central nervous system complication was encephalopathy (10.3%), next was seizures (4.5%). 10 patients (2.8%) had cerebralvascular complications (8 patients with cerebral hemorrhage and 2 with cerebral infarction). Significant differences of age, retransplantation and the mortality rate existed between the patients with and without central nervous system complications. Conclusions: There was a high incidence and mortality rate of in-hospital central nervous system complications after OLT, which had a impact on quality of life and outcome of patients underwent OLT. Age, retransplantation may be the possible risk factors of central nervous system complications after OLT.