Dual Hypothermic Oxygenated Perfusion of DCD Liver Grafts in Preventing Biliary Complications After Transplantation

Summary

Rationale: Recent publications report good results of controlled donation after circulatory death (DCD) Maastricht category III liver transplantation when strict donor-recipient matching is applied and ischemia times are kept to a minimum. However a major concern remains the high rate of biliary complications after transplantation of DCD livers. Non-anastomotic biliary strictures (NAS) occur in 29% of patients receiving a DCD graft whereas the incidence of NAS in recipients of donation after brain death (DBD) liver grafts is 11%. NAS are associated with higher morbidity and increased cost of liver transplantation. Injury to the biliary epithelium and the peribiliary vascular plexus occurring during donor warm ischemia and static cold storage (SCS) has been identified as a major risk factor for development of NAS. Machine perfusion has been proposed as an alternative strategy for organ preservation, offering the opportunity to improve the quality of the organ by providing oxygen to the graft. Experimental studies have shown that end-ischemic dual hypothermic oxygenated machine perfusion (DHOPE) helps liver grafts to recover from ischemia by restoring mitochondrial function. Moreover, DHOPE has been shown to provide better preservation of peribiliary vascular plexus of the bile ducts, which could be an important step forward in reducing the incidence of NAS after transplantation. Objective: To study the efficacy of end-ischemic DHOPE in reducing the incidence of NAS within six months after controlled DCD (Maastricht category III) liver transplantation. Study design: An international, multicenter, prospective, randomized, controlled, interventional, clinical trial with a two parallel arm approach (treatment/control). Study population: Adult patients (≥18 yrs old) undergoing a liver transplantation with a liver graft procured from a controlled DCD donor (Maastricht category III) with a body weight ≥40 kg. Intervention: In the intervention group liver grafts will be subjected to two hours of hypothermic, oxygenated perfusion at the end of SCS and before implantation. In the control group donor liver grafts will be preserved in accordance to standard practice by SCS only. Main study parameters/endpoints: The incidence and severity of symptomatic NAS as diagnosed by an Adjudication committee (who are blinded for the group assignment) by means of magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP).

Timeline

Start

2016-01

Primary completion

2020-01

Completion

2020-01

Publications

• van Rijn R, Endo C, Kucukerbil EH, Blokzijl H, Blondeel J, Cortes Cerisuelo M, Coenraad MJ, Darwish Murad S, Doukas M, Eker H, de Haas RJ, Huurman VAL, de Meijer VE, Monbaliu D, Schurink IJ, Slangen JJG, Polak WG, de Jonge J, Porte RJ. Long-term Follow-up After Hypothermic Oxygenated Machine Perfusion in DCD Liver Transplantation: Results of a Randomized Controlled Multicenter Trial (DHOPE-DCD). Ann Surg. 2025 Nov 1;282(5):717-724. doi: 10.1097/SLA.0000000000006876. Epub 2025 Aug 5.
• Endo C, van Rijn R, Huurman V, Schurink I, van den Berg A, Murad SD, van Hoek B, de Meijer VE, de Jonge J, van der Hilst CS, Porte RJ. Cost-effectiveness of Dual Hypothermic Oxygenated Machine Perfusion Versus Static Cold Storage in DCD Liver Transplantation. Transplantation. 2025 Feb 1;109(2):e101-e108. doi: 10.1097/TP.0000000000005232. Epub 2024 Oct 8.
• van Rijn R, Schurink IJ, de Vries Y, van den Berg AP, Cortes Cerisuelo M, Darwish Murad S, Erdmann JI, Gilbo N, de Haas RJ, Heaton N, van Hoek B, Huurman VAL, Jochmans I, van Leeuwen OB, de Meijer VE, Monbaliu D, Polak WG, Slangen JJG, Troisi RI, Vanlander A, de Jonge J, Porte RJ; DHOPE-DCD Trial Investigators. Hypothermic Machine Perfusion in Liver Transplantation - A Randomized Trial. N Engl J Med. 2021 Apr 15;384(15):1391-1401. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2031532. Epub 2021 Feb 24.
• de Vries Y, Berendsen TA, Fujiyoshi M, van den Berg AP, Blokzijl H, de Boer MT, van der Heide F, de Kleine RHJ, van Leeuwen OB, Matton APM, Werner MJM, Lisman T, de Meijer VE, Porte R. Transplantation of high-risk donor livers after resuscitation and viability assessment using a combined protocol of oxygenated hypothermic, rewarming and normothermic machine perfusion: study protocol for a prospective, single-arm study (DHOPE-COR-NMP trial). BMJ Open. 2019 Aug 15;9(8):e028596. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2018-028596.
• van Rijn R, van den Berg AP, Erdmann JI, Heaton N, van Hoek B, de Jonge J, Leuvenink HGD, Mahesh SVK, Mertens S, Monbaliu D, Muiesan P, Perera MTPR, Polak WG, Rogiers X, Troisi RI, de Vries Y, Porte RJ. Study protocol for a multicenter randomized controlled trial to compare the efficacy of end-ischemic dual hypothermic oxygenated machine perfusion with static cold storage in preventing non-anastomotic biliary strictures after transplantation of liver grafts donated after circulatory death: DHOPE-DCD trial. BMC Gastroenterol. 2019 Mar 12;19(1):40. doi: 10.1186/s12876-019-0956-6.

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