Orthotopic liver transplantation in dogs receiving FK-506.

Abstract

Ten dogs that survived the perioperative events of liver transplantation were treated with 1 mg/kg/d oral FK. Eight of the recipients lived for at least 1 month postoperatively, and seven are still alive with normal hepatic function after 35 to 65 days. The consistency and good quality of results with this difficult transplant preparation using FK, in spite of its rumored great toxicity in dogs, have highlighted the importance of further developing the drug.