pISSN 3022-6783
eISSN 3022-7712

View

Article View

Korean J Transplant 2022; 36(Suppl 1): S30-S30

Published online November 17, 2022

https://doi.org/10.4285/ATW2022.F-1262

© The Korean Society for Transplantation

Deceased donor liver transplantation under Korean MELD score-based liver allocation system at a high-volume transplantation center

Jung Ja Hong1, Na Gyeong Kim1, Shin Hwang2

1Organ Transplantation Center, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea
2Department of Surgery, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea

Correspondence to: Na Gyeong Kim
E-mail:skrud1994@amc.seoul.kr

Abstract

Background: The Korean model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score-based liver allocation system started in June 2016 in Korea.
Methods: This study analyzed the detailed status of deceased donor liver transplantation (DDLT) after implementation of the MELD score-based liver allocation system at a high-volume liver transplantation (LT) center in Korea.
Results: The study patients were 432 patients with age greater than 14 years. Their ABO blood groups were A (n=158, 36.7%), B (n=104, 24.0%), O (n=90, 20.8%), and AB (n=80, 18.5%). Types of LT were primary LT in 344 (79.6%) and retransplantation in 88 (20.4%). Their KONOS statuses at LT were status 1 (n=21, 4.9%), status 2 (n=260, 60.2%), status 3 (n=133, 30.8%), and status 4 (n=18, 4.1%). Mean MELD score at LT and waiting period were 37.0 and 80.4 days in blood group A; 37.0 and 44.4 days in blood group B; 39.0 and 73.2 days in blood group O; and 34.0 and 87.3 days in blood group AB. Blood group O and AB patients had the highest and lowest mean MELD score at LT allocation, respectively.
Conclusions: Serious deceased organ donor shortage led to make a deleterious cycle in raising the MELD score cutoff of LT allocation. Blood group O and AB patients had disadvantage and advantage in LT allocation due to ABO blood group compatibility. High-volume multicenter or nationwide follow-up studies are necessary to precisely delineate the allocation status of DDLT.