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Background: We examined the combined effects of donor age and graft type on pediatric liver transplantation outcomes with an aim to offer insights into the strategic utilization of these donor and graft options. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted using a national database on 0–2‐year‐old (N = 2714) and 3–17‐year‐old (N = 2263) pediatric recipients. These recipients were categorized based on donor age (≥40 vs <40 years) and graft type. Survival outcomes were analyzed using the Kaplan–Meier and Cox proportional hazards models, followed by an intention‐to‐treat (ITT) analysis to examine overall patient survival. Results: Living and younger donors generally resulted in better outcomes compared to deceased and older donors, respectively. This difference was more significant among younger recipients (0–2 years compared to 3–17 years). Despite this finding, ITT survival analysis showed that donor age and graft type did not impact survival with the exception of 0–2‐year‐old recipients who had an improved survival with a younger living donor graft. Conclusions: Timely transplantation has the largest impact on survival in pediatric recipients. Improving waitlist mortality requires uniform surgical expertise at many transplant centers to provide technical variant graft (TVG) options and shed the conservative mindset of seeking only the "best" graft for pediatric recipients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The number of programs offering a PTH fellowship has grown rapidly over the last 10 years. This study aimed to describe the clinical, didactic, procedural, and research experiences of recent PTH fellowship graduates. In addition, we sought to understand graduates' post‐fellowship professional responsibilities and their perception about the utility of the PTH fellowship. Methods: An anonymous survey was distributed from February to October 2020 through REDCap to all recent graduates (2015–2019) of an ACGME‐approved PTH fellowship program. The survey consisted of 49 questions focused on the PTH fellowship experience. Results were summarized using descriptive statistics. Results: Thirty‐eight of 43 graduates (88%) responded to the survey representing 12 PTH fellowship programs. The didactic experience varied; 97% received pathology lectures, 81% radiology lectures, 54% organ allocation lectures, 54% procedural lectures, 57% immunology lectures, and 43% live donation lectures. During the PTH fellowship, the majority of fellows performed >10 liver biopsies (82%) and >5 variceal bandings (58%); however, 63%, 32%, 8%, and 8% never performed paracentesis, variceal sclerotherapy, variceal banding, and liver biopsies, respectively. The majority of fellows (95%) completed a research project during PTH fellowship. Currently, 84% of graduates are employed at a transplant academic institution. All graduates recommended the fellowship. Conclusions: There is variability in the didactic, clinical, and procedural training among PTH fellowship programs. Although uniformly viewed as a beneficial fellowship year, there is an opportunity to collaborate to create a more standardized training experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adult liver transplant programs have heretofore been hesitant to perform liver retransplantation in adult patients who underwent primary liver transplantation as a child (P_A). Areas of concern include: (a) potential disruption in care when transferring from a pediatric to an adult transplant center; (b) generally inferior outcomes of retransplantation; (c) reputation of young adults for non‐adherence to post‐transplant regimen; and (d) potential higher work effort for equivalent outcomes. To examine these concerns, we reviewed data on all US liver adult retransplants from 10/01/1987 to 9/30/2017. We propensity matched the P_A patients to patients who received both primary and retransplantation as adults (A_A), with ≥550 days between transplants. A mixed Cox proportional hazards model with program size and time period of transplantation as random variables revealed that retransplantation of P_A patients produced no significantly different graft survival or patient survival rates than retransplantation of the matched A_A patients. Therefore, inferior rates of liver retransplantation in these patients and concerns about continuity of care in changing transplant programs are not as believed in the wider liver transplant community. In conclusion, liver transplant centers should be optimistic about retransplanting adults who received their primary transplants as children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Machine learning analyses allow for the consideration of numerous variables in order to accommodate complex relationships that would not otherwise be apparent in traditional statistical methods to better classify patient risk. The SPLIT registry data were analyzed to determine whether baseline demographic factors and clinical/biochemical factors in the first‐year post–transplant could predict ideal outcome at 3 years (IO‐3) after LT. Participants who received their first, isolated LT between 2002 and 2006 and had follow‐up data 3 years post–LT were included. IO‐3 was defined as alive at 3 years, normal ALT (<50) or GGT (<50), normal GFR, no non‐liver transplants, no cytopenias, and no PTLD. Heat map analysis and RFA were used to characterize the impact of baseline and 1‐year factors on IO‐3. 887/1482 SPLIT participants met inclusion criteria; 334 had IO‐3. Demographic, biochemical, and clinical variables did not elucidate a visual signal on heat map analysis. RFA identified non‐white race (vs white race), increased length of operation, vascular and biliary complications within 30 days, and duct‐to‐duct biliary anastomosis to be negatively associated with IO‐3. UNOS regions 2 and 5 were also identified as important factors. RFA had an accuracy rate of 0.71 (95% CI: 0.68‐0.74), PPV = 0.83, and NPV = 0.70. RFA identified participant variables that predicted IO‐3. These findings may allow for better risk stratification and personalization of care following pediatric liver transplantation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]