Prevention of Hepatitis B Virus Reinfection after Liver Transplantation

OBJECTIVE To discuss the preventive methods of hepatitis B virus reinfection after liver transplantation. METHODS Eighty eight liver transplantation recipients with HBV-related end-stage liver diseases including chronic fulminant hepatitis B,end-stage liver cirrhosis and liver carcinoma were analyzed retrospectively,and were given lamivudine pre-transplantation to prevent hepatitis B virus reinfection.Post-transplantation medicines of lamivudine were administered in 3 cases;lamivudine and hepatitis B immunoglobulin(HBIg) in 85 cases.The follow-up criteria included serum HBV,HBV-DNA,liver biopsy,immunohistochemical study of liver biopsy specimens and clinical manifestations.All of patients were followed-up 6 months at least.RESULTS Two of the three cases who taken lamivudine developed reinfection,the little time is 6 months following liver transplantation.There were three of eighty five cases taken lamicudine and HBIg(small dosage) developed reinfection.CONCLUSIONS Liver transplantation is an effective treatment for HBV-related end-stage liver diseases.Given lamivudine at the pre-transplantation could reduce the levels of the HBV virus copies.Lamivudine and HBIg post-transplantation offer effective prevention against hepatitis B virus reinfection.