EXPERIMENTAL AND CLINICAL HOMOTRANSPLANTATION OF THE LIVER*

Abstract

Until the present time, whole-organ hepatic homotransplantation has been a disappointing procedure, both in experimental animals and in man. The operation itself carries a high immediate risk, especially in the dog, which is peculiarly subject to an anoxic hepatic injury termed “outflow block.” In reported canine experiments, the majority of animals have failed to recover from the acute effects of operation. Because of the fact that it has not been possible to obtain a consistently satisfactory preparation, evaluations of the efficacy of immunosuppressive regimens for the prevention of rejection have never been published.