Cholestatic Diseases of Liver Transplantation

Cholestasis is a common finding after liver transplantation and usually signifies graft dysfunction. The most important factor in the evaluation of patients with cholestasis is an awareness of the disorders that commonly arise along a time continuum post-transplant. Therefore, the approach to cholestasis requires a systematic review of biochemical, histological, and radiographic data. This article considers the causes of cholestasis in liver transplant recipients, excluding those associated with biliary anastomotic stricturing. These causes include conditions as diverse as ischemia reperfusion injury, ABO blood group incompatibility, hepatic arterial thrombosis, cytomegalovirus infection, fibrosing cholestatic hepatitis secondary to hepatitis B and C viruses, recurrent primary sclerosing cholangitis, recurrent primary biliary cirrhosis, and chronic rejection. Also examined are management issues pertinent to these conditions and strategies used in preventing or diminishing the effects of cholestasis once established.