Dear colleagues and friends,
ILTS thanks all who worked hard and travelled far to make the mid-May ILTS Annual Congress in Toronto a huge success. The meeting delivered a superb educational and networking experience, with a record-breaking 850 scientific abstracts and more than 1100 international participants. Symposia and workshops addressing important developments in transplant oncology, machine perfusion, precision medicine and perioperative care received wide acclaim, as did many other sessions in a strong multidisciplinary program. Innovation and debate are thriving in our community!
The Toronto Congress also hosted the first meetings of seven ILTS Special Interest Groups, who drafted plans to boost ILTS-sponsored education, research and networking in the future. And it marked an all-time high in ILTS membership (1370), with many new members coming from south and east Asia, and many early their careers. We thank all our members and our vital industry partners for making such a productive and inspiring event possible.
Congress lectures will be available to members on ILTS.org from mid-June, and the Vanguard Reports reviewing congress highlights will follow later in the month.
Also note key ILTS meetings coming up soon:
• Perioperative Care in Liver Transplantation (ILTS at the ASA, Orlando, October 18th)
• ILTS Consensus Conference on DCD, Liver Preservation & Machine Perfusion (Venice, January 31st)
And planning for next year’s congress in Istanbul, 6-9 May 2020, is already well underway. Save the dates!
Claus U Niemann
ILTS President
It has been a great privilege for me to serve ILTS as president-elect and president for the past two years. I would like to thank my dedicated colleagues on ILTS Council and many others who have worked together tirelessly to make our recent congresses and other initiatives such a success.
These efforts have been rewarded with substantial growth in ILTS membership, especially among younger colleagues and in emerging regions. ILTS is already the world-leading forum for education and research in liver transplantation but has an exciting new momentum. I wish this new generation and all our members every success. There is much more to come!
Nancy Kwan Man
ILTS Past President
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Help us connect the Liver Transplant community:
Forward this newsletter to your colleagues!
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ILTS Vanguard Teleconference: join live Wednesday 26 June 2019
These exciting case-based webinars run live online every 4-6 weeks, co-ordinated by Varia Kirchner and colleagues on the ILTS Vanguard Committee. Since January expert-led teams from University of Minnesota, Asan Medical Center Seoul, Paul Brousse Paris, University of Texas Southwestern, Mayo Clinic Jacksonville and University of Toronto have been featured.
If you have an interesting case-based topic that you would like to present in an ILTS Vanguard Teleconference, please contact Varia Kirchner at kirc0079@umn.edu.
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ILTS Perioperative Care in Liver Transplantation
The 2019 meeting in Orlando will give an overview of the latest news in Perioperative Care, focusing on the following topics:
- Use of factor concentrates and viscoelastic testing in liver transplantation
- Cardiovascular interventions in chronic liver diseases
- Management of intraoperative refractory vasoplegia
- ILTS Special Interest Group presentation on the management of cardiac conditions related to ESLD
Date: October 18, 2019
Location: AdventHealth, Werner Auditorium, Orlando, USA
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ILTS Consensus Conference: DCD, Liver Preservation & Machine Perfusion
The ILTS Consensus Conference 2020 will focus on the latest research and clinical trial results in liver machine perfusion technology and DCD liver transplantation.
Main topics:
- Standardization of functional warm ischaemia time for DCD livers
- Categorization of DCD livers using risk scores
- Acute kidney injury after DCD liver transplantation
- The need for new definitions of DCD liver grafts
- Current machine perfusion technology to reduce the incidence of early allograft dysfunction
- Updates on machine perfusion trials
This program is organized by the ILTS Special Interest Group for DCD, Liver Preservation & Machine Perfusion.
Date: January 31, 2020
Location: San Servolo Residential and Study Centre, Venice, Italy
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ILTS 2020 Annual International Congress
Join us to network and discuss the latest advances in the care of liver transplantation patients and receive state of the art updates in clinical and basic science. The annual meeting is attended by leaders in the field from all over the world. More than 1,200 professionals from over 50 countries who are dedicated to promoting and learning about scientific advances in liver transplantation will attend.
The goal of this Congress is to provide an excellent event to deepen the education and knowledge of scientists, surgeons, anesthesiologists, hepatologists, critical care physicians, radiologists, pathologists, nurses, patients and patient families.
Dr. Berenguer and Dr. Niemann, along with the local organizing committee, are looking forward to welcoming you in Istanbul in May 2020.
Date: May 6-9, 2020
Location: Istanbul, Turkey
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Transplantation (FREE TO ILTS MEMBERS)
Clinical Relevance of a Balance Training Program on Liver Transplant Patients. A Randomized Controlled Trial
Although some studies have reported significant improvements in physical function and strength after training programs on liver transplant (LT) recipients, there is a lack of knowledge on how it affects in static and dynamic balance. Read more
See commentary by Ryan Chadha
Liver Transplantation
Vascular Remodeling of Visceral Arteries Following Interruption of the Splenic Artery During Liver Transplantation
Splenic artery (SA) ligation can be performed during liver transplantation (LT) to avoid portal hyperperfusion, which is involved in the pathogenesis of both small-for-size and SA syndrome. The SA can also be used as an inflow for arterial reconstruction. Exceptionally, SA interruption or agenesis has been associated with positive remodeling of collateral arteries supplying the spleen via the left gastric artery (LGA), short gastric vessels, and the gastroepiploic arcade (GEA), with subsequent severe upper gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding. To determine incidence, magnitude, predictors, and clinical implications of vascular remodeling after SA interruption during LT, we identified 465 patients transplanted in the period 2007-2017 who had the SA ligated or interrupted at LT.
Read more
See commentary by Prashant Bhangui
Gastroenterology
Model to Calculate Harms and Benefits of Early vs Delayed Liver Transplantation for Patients with Alcohol-Associated Hepatitis
Early liver transplantation (without requiring a minimum period of sobriety) for severe alcohol-associated hepatitis (AH) is controversial— many centers delay eligibility until a specific period of sobriety (such as 6 months) has been achieved. To inform ongoing debate and policy, we modeled long-term outcomes of early vs delayed liver transplantation for patients with AH.
We developed a mathematical model to simulate early vs delayed liver transplantation for patients with severe AH and different amounts of alcohol use after transplantation: abstinence, slip (alcohol use followed by sobriety), or sustained use.
Read more
See commentary by Eleonora de Martin
Liver Transplantation
Risk Factors For Intracardiac Thrombus During Liver Transplantation
Intracardiac thrombus (ICT) is an intraoperative complication during orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) with high mortality. Patients with end stage liver disease have compromised coagulation pathways and when combined with stressors of surgery.
Read more
See commentary by Ryan Chadha
Annals of Surgery
Somatostatin as Inflow Modulator in Liver-transplant Recipients with Severe Portal Hypertension
To investigate the safety and efficacy of somatostatin as liver inflow modulator in patients with end-stage liver disease (ESLD) and clinically significant portal hypertension (CSPH) undergoing liver transplantation (LT) (ClinicalTrials.gov number,01290172).
Thirty-three patients undergoing LT for ESLD and CSPH were randomized double-blindly to receive somatostatin or placebo (2:1). The study drug was administered intraoperatively as 5-mL bolus (somatostatin: 500 μg), followed by a 2.5 mL/h infusion (somatostatin: 250 μg/h) for 5 days. Hepatic and systemic hemodynamics were measured, along with liver function tests and clinical outcomes. The ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) was analyzed through histological and protein expression analysis.
Read more
See commentary by Prashant Bhangui
Hepatology
Recurrence of hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia after liver transplantation: clinical implications and physiopathological insights
Liver transplantation (LT) has been proposed as a curative treatment in hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) with severe hepatic involvement. We provide a long-term evaluation of graft status after LT for HHT, with a focus on the risk of recurrence.
Read more
See commentary by Eleonora de Martin
Surgical Endoscopy
Pure laparoscopic living donor hepatectomy using the Glissonean pedicle approach (with video)
The use of pure laparoscopic donor hepatectomy has been increasing, with various advantages reported. However, the Glissonean approach has not been adopted despite its usefulness. The aim of this study was to introduce the Glissonean pedicle approach for laparoscopic living donor hepatectomy.
Read more
See commentary by Prashant Bhangui
Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology
Increased Risk of Death in First Year After Liver Transplantation Among Patients with Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis vs Liver Disease of Other Etiologies
An increasing number of patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) require liver transplantation. We compared outcomes of patients with liver diseases of different etiologies (NASH, hepatitis C virus [HCV]-associated liver disease, and alcohol-associated liver disease [ALD]).
We analyzed data from the United Network for Organ Sharing registry on 6344 patients who underwent liver transplantation for NASH, 17,037 for cirrhosis from chronic HCV infection, and 9279 for ALD.
Read more
See commentary by Eleonora de Martin
Transplantation Proceedings
Relationship Between Intraoperative Bispectral Index and Consciousness Recovery in Patients with Hepatic Encephalopathy Undergoing Liver Transplant
Although liver transplant (LT) improves liver function and restores symptoms of hepatic encephalopathy (HE), there is no index to predict the recovery of consciousness in patients with HE during LT. In this study, we evaluated the relationship.
Read more
See commentary by Ryan Chadha
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Last Month
1. Increasing Utilization and Excellent Initial Outcomes Following Liver Transplant of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV)-Viremic Donors Into HCV-Negative Recipients: Outcomes Following Liver Transplant of HCV-Viremic Donors. (link)
2. Factors Associated with Survival of Patients With Severe Acute-On-Chronic Liver Failure Before and After Liver Transplantation. (link)
3. Long term results of down-staging and liver transplantation for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma beyond the conventional criteria. (link)
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2019
1. Recipient age and mortality after liver transplantation: A population-based cohort study (link)
2. ILTS consensus statement on end-stage liver disease due to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and liver transplantation (link)
3. Immune-mediated graft dysfunction in liver transplant recipients with hepatitis C virus treated with direct-acting antiviral therapy (link)
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ILTS 2019 CONGRESS COMMITTEES AND AWARDS
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President
Nancy Kwan Man
ILTS 2019 Program Committee
Dmitri Bezinover
Valeria Mas
Yu Fan Cheng
Constantino Fondevila
Marina Berenguer
Prashant Bhangui
Nancy Jimin Liu
Paolo Muiesan
ILTS 2019 Local Program Committee
Laura A. Dawson
Vicky Lee Ng
Anton Skaro
Gonzalo Sapisochin
Markus Selzner
Stuart McCluskey
Marc Bilodeau
Constantine J. Karvellas
Sponsor Recognitions
Gold Congress Sponsor – Novartis
Silver Congress Sponsor – Astellas
ILTS Travel Awards
Suk Kyun Hong
Eleonora De Martin
Anupam Raj
Seohee Lee
Sapana Verma
Leif, Li Pang
Mihnea-Ioan Ionescu
Lorenzo A. Orci
Clare Marie Morkane
Roberta Angelico
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ILTS 2019 Program Chair
Claus Niemann
ILTS 2019 Local Program Committee
Nazia Selzner
Young Investigator Awards
Wei Yi Zhang
Xinxiang Yang
Keri Lunsford
Angela Maria Chen
Ivan Linares-Cervantes
Sarah Shalaby
Sunitha Vimalesvaran
Jorke Willemse
Jamil Alsahhar
David Wallace
International Travel Scholar Awards
Hala Mohsen Abdulsalam Abdullatif
Amanda Pinter Carvalheiro da Silva Botoen
Distinguished Service Awards
John Klinck MD, FRCA, FRCPC
David Grant MD, FRCSC
Chao-Long Chen MD
Rising Star Awards
Iris Elizabeth Minke de Jong
Robert J. Porte – Mentor
Richard Wallace Laing
Darius Mirza – Mentor
Tiffany Wong
Chung Mau Lo – Mentor
Hajime Matsushima
Koji Hashimoto – Mentor
Floris Johan Maria Roos
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TTS-ILTS Paired Transplant Centers Program
The TTS-ILTS Paired Transplant Centers Program is a collaboration between The Transplantation Society (TTS) and the International Liver Transplantation Society (ILTS) supporting new liver transplant programs in emerging economies. These centers are paired with an experienced unit in a developed country in a six-year program comprised of two-year stages.
The program was launched in April 2019, with two pairs selected to participate in the inaugural Year 1 group: Leeds, UK – Pondicherry, India (JIPMER), and University of California San Francisco – Costa Rica.
The pairs’ progress will be monitored by a joint TTS-ILTS committee, with progressive increases in funding over six years to a maximum of $15,000 per year per pair. The ultimate goal is for centers to graduate as local centers of excellence for regional liver transplant training and support.
The deadline for each year’s applications is January 1st with a program start date of the following April 1st.
For more information, go to www.tts-ilts.org |
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ILTS SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS
SIGs are being introduced to promote education, innovation and research in a wide range of topics. Seven topics have been approved: Oncology, Immunology, Infectious Diseases, DCD / Liver Preservation & Machine Perfusion, Cardiovascular Topics, Living Donation, and Precision Medicine & Biomarkers. Steering committees have been set up, combining the talents of highly motivated younger members and world-leading mentors, who have drafted initial SIG plans. Invitations to join SIGs will be sent to members indicating relevant interests on their ILTS.org profile pages, beginning in June/July 2019.
Click here for further SIG details. |
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ILTS Member Benefits:
- Up to 45% off ILTS 2020 Istanbul Congress registration!
- Unrestricted access to the ILTS Education Platform
- Subscription to the official ILTS journal Transplantation
- Eligibility for ILTS travel awards and scholarships
Click here to discover more about the ILTS Membership benefits.
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2nd International Conference on Fatty Liver (ICFL 2019)
ICFL 2019 will focus on the clinical needs and best practices for diagnosing and treating fatty liver diseases. The conference aims to raise awareness across all specialties and help providers guide and treat patients with fatty liver.
Date: June 27-29, 2019
Location: Berlin, Germany
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2019 Co-located LDN & Comprehensive DCD Workshops
ASTS is co-locating the Laparoscopic Donor Nephrectomy and Comprehensive Donation after Circulatory Death Workshops in 2019! Learners have the option to attend just one hands-on workshop or attend both workshops at a reduced registration rate.
Date: August 26-28, 2019
Location: Berlin, Germany
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The 7th Biennial Congress of the Asian-Pacific Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association (A-PHPBA 2019)
A-PHPBA 2019 promises to be a great occasion to present and discuss advanced techniques in the diagnosis, treatment, and surgery of HPB-related diseases. It is also a unique opportunity to network and share valuable academic research and cases.
Date: September 4-7, 2019
Location: Seoul, Korea
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13th Annual Conference of the International Liver Cancer Association
The International Liver Cancer Association (ILCA) is pleased to bring its 13th Annual Conference to the beautiful city of Chicago, USA. The conference will offer a multidisciplinary program with the goal of stimulating scientific debate and networking among liver cancer experts from all regions.
Date: September 20-22, 2019
Location: Chicago, USA
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International Master in Donation and Transplantation of Organs, Tissues and Cells
The 16th edition of the International Master in Donation and Transplantation of Organs, Tissues and Cells at the University of Barcelona will begin in October. This Master’s program merges academic training and practical experience within the same degree. It is a modular Master that can be completed through modules. It is a 60 ECTS blended training (online and face-to-face).
ILTS members who enroll in the professional modality of the Master receive a 5% discount on the registration fee.
Date: October 2, 2019 – May 31, 2020
Location: University of Barcelona, Spain
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