Liver transplantation in Japan: Registry by the Japanese Liver Transplantation Society

As of December 31, 2013, a total of 7474 liver transplants have been carried out at 66 institutions in Japan. This total included 7255 living-donor transplants and 219 deceased-donor transplants (216 from heart-beating donors and 3 from non-heart-beating donors). The annual total of liver transplants in 2013 decreased to 408, from 422 in 2012. The number of liver transplants from living donors decreased to 369, from 381, whereas the number of liver transplants from heart-beating deceased donors did not change significantly. The most frequent indication was cholestatic disease, followed by neoplastic disease. In terms of graft liver in living-donor cases, right-lobe graft was the most popular (36%). Patient survival following transplantations from heart-beating donors (1 year, 85.9%; 3 years, 82.6%; 5 years, 81.3%; 10 years, 73.8%) was similar to those from living donors (1 year, 83.8%; 3 years, 79.6%; 5 years, 77.1%; 10 years, 71.9%; 15 years, 67.8%; 20 years, 66.1%). Graft survival was very much the same as patient survival. As for ABO-incompatible transplantation, transplant period affected the outcome significantly, probably due to local infusion therapy and rituximab prophylaxis, which were introduced in many transplant centers after 2000 and 2004, respectively.