Severe COVID-19 after liver transplantation, surviving the pitfalls of learning on-the-go: Three case reports

BACKGROUND The novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has dramatically transformed the care of the liver transplant patient. In patients who are immunosuppressed and with multiple comorbidities, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has been associated with increased severity and mortality. The main objective of this report is to communicate our experience in the therapeutic management of SARS-CoV-2 infection in 3 liver transplant patients. Secondly, we stress the management and investigation of the contagious spreading into a liver transplant ward. CASE SUMMARY The patients were two women (aged 61 years and 62 years) and one man (aged 68 years), all of them having recently received a liver transplant. All three patients required intensive care unit admission and invasive mechanical ventilation. Two of them progressed severely until death. The other one, who received tocilizumab, had a good recovery. In the outbreak, the wife of one of the patients and four healthcare professionals involved in their care were also infected. CONCLUSION We illustrate in detail the evolution of a nosocomial COVID-19 outbreak in a liver transplant ward. We believe that these findings will contribute to a better understanding of the natural history of the disease and will improve the treatment of the liver transplant patient with COVID-19.