Fall 2010 - Henry Ford Health System

Intestine transplant (continued from Front Page)Surgeons at the Henry FordTransplant Institute offer thefull array of intestine transplantprocedures, including:• Isolated intestine transplant,for patients with short bowelsyndrome and no liver disease• Combined liver-intestinetransplant, for patients with shortbowel syndrome and irreversibleTPN-induced liver disease• Composite multivisceraltransplant, for patientswith short bowel syndromerequiring intestine, stomach,pancreaticoduodenal complex,and/or liver transplantationThe first successful intestinetransplant was performed in 1987 inKiel, Germany. Intestine transplanthas been approved by the U.S.Centers for Medicare and MedicaidServices since 2001. Nationally, 180intestine transplants were performedin 2009.According to the IntestinalTransplant Registry, the five-yearsurvival rate following intestinetransplant is 80 percent. Anotherbenefit of intestine transplant is thatthe majority of recipients no longerrequire TPN, thus eliminatingfrequent hospitalizations andTPN-related infections andcomplications.A track record of success“Implementation of a newtransplant procedure requiresserious preparation of the surgicalteam, as well as the pre- andpost-operative medical team, toensure patient safety and optimumoutcomes,” says Dr. Abouljoud,director of Henry Ford TransplantInstitute, which has had a livertransplant program since 1989.Dr. Abouljoud recruited Dr. Kazimito the Henry Ford TransplantInstitute from Indiana UniversityHospitals, which has one of themost active adult and pediatricintestine transplant programs in theUnited States. Dr. Kazimi completedhis surgical residency at Tufts -New England Medical Center inBoston, and is a graduate of theAlbert Einstein College of Medicinein Bronx, New York.The Small Bowel and MultivisceralProgram builds upon the HenryFord Transplant Institute’s highlysuccessful liver transplant program.Every year, Henry Ford surgeonsperform the most liver transplantsin Michigan. Dr. Abouljoud andcolleagues pioneered living-donorliver donation in Michigan, as thefirst to perform adult-to-adult livingdonorliver transplantation andminimally invasive surgery to dissectand remove a section of liver forliving-donor liver transplantation.The Henry Ford Transplant Instituteis one of the busiest and mosthighly regarded comprehensive,multi-organ transplant centers inthe United States. In addition tothe liver and intestine, the Instituteoffers transplantation of the kidneys,pancreas, lungs, heart, cornea, andbone marrow stem cells.Henry Ford’s transplant teams arehighly experienced in the mostinnovative approaches to organprocurement and transplant surgery.“Whenever possible, our surgeonsuse laparoscopic or robotic-assistedtechniques that provide living kidneyand liver donors with advantagescompared to traditional surgery,”says Dr. Abouljoud. ●Candidates for Intestine TransplantIntestine transplant may be considered after surgical alteration ofthe bowel doesn’t compensate for an inadequate absorption area,and when total parenteral nutrition (TPN) fails to achieve thenecessary nutritional requirements. The Centers for Medicare andMedicaid Services defines TPN failure as:• TPN-induced liver failure• Thrombosis of two or more central veins• Two or more episodes per year of catheter-related systemicsepsis that require hospitalization• A single episode of line-related fungemia, septic shock, or acuterespiratory distress syndrome• Frequent episodes of severe dehydration despite IV fluidsupplementation in addition to TPNTo refer a patient, contact the Henry Ford Referring Physician Office at 1-877-434-7470 or visit henryford.com/rpo.7