Faculty Bibliography

Introduction: Vascularized composite allotransplantation has redefined the frontiers of plastic and reconstructive surgery. The field has seen considerable advancement since its inception, with the first successful hand transplant in 1998 and the first partial face transplant in 2005. To date, over 40 bilateral hand transplants have been reported in the literature, along with 47 face transplants. Due to still limited available evidence and the heterogeneity of the sample population, little consensus exists on the anticipated timeline of functional recovery following vascularized composite allotransplantation. We hereby report on the early and accelerated functional recovery of a combined face and bilateral hand transplant recipient.
Method(s): A 21-year-old male was referred with sequelae of an 80% total body surface area burn sustained in a motor vehicle accident 1 year prior. The patient had extensive facial and bilateral upper extremity injuries. Serial debridement and split thickness skin grafting procedures left the patient with proximal digital syndactyly and distal digit amputations. Procurement and transplantation of the face and upper extremities was performed over a 23-h period in August of 2020. Postoperative functional assessment at predetermined time points included active range of motion, grip strength, sensory assessment, Carroll's Upper Extremity Function test, and the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand questionnaire.
Result(s): Functional assessments were performed at 3 and 6 months post-transplant. Range of motion, grip strength, Carroll's test scores (left = 58 at 6 months post-transplant vs 13 pre-transplant, right = 61 at 6 months post-transplant vs 20 pre-transplant) and Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand evaluation (37 at 6 months post-transplant vs 90 pretransplant) showed substantial improvement. The patient remained rejection-free during the first 9 months post-transplant and has had steady and progressive functional improvement. He is highly motivated and consistently demonstrates functional independence in activities of daily living.
Conclusion(s): Combined face and bilateral hand transplant is a feasible, comprehensive reconstructive solution for composite face and bilateral hand injury in the appropriately selected recipient. Patient motivation, psychosocial support, intensive physical and occupational therapy, and vigilant clinical and immunologic surveillance are essential features of postoperative recovery

Introduction: Acute rejection is exceptionally common in the first year after vascularized composite allotransplantation. Recipients with burns are at increased risk of developing donor-specific antibodies due to sensitization. Lymphocyte depleting induction with rabbit antithymocyte globulin is commonly utilized. We hypothesized that combination B- and T-cell depletion induction therapy is more efficacious in preventing acute rejection in the early post-transplant period.
Method(s): Our induction protocol calls for intraoperative administration of methylprednisolone (1000 mg) and rabbit antithymocyte globulin beginning intraoperatively (1.5 mg/ kg, cumulative dose 6 mg/kg over the first postoperative week) and rituximab (1000 mg administered on postoperative day 1) for thorough T and mature B-cell depletion. Standard infection prophylaxis is utilized. Donor-specific antibodies are monitored postoperatively with Luminex single-antigen microbeads (mean fluorescence intensity >= 1000 considered clinically significant).
Result(s): Our latest recipient was a 22-year-old male with 80% total body surface area burns. The donor was an ABOidentical, 47-year-old brain dead male. Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) mismatch was 0, 1, 0 (A, B, DR), and 2 HLA-DPB1. Donor-recipient complement-dependent cytotoxicity and flow cytometric T- and B-cell crossmatch were all negative. Abrupt rise in donor-specific antibodies on postoperative days 7 and 8 was treated with two rounds of plasmapheresis and intravenous immunoglobulin. Persistent wound colonization (Acinetobacter baumannii) was treated with meropenem, polymyxin, and tigecycline. The recipient experienced a single episode of acute rejection 9 months post-transplant, successfully treated with pulse doses of methylprednisolone (500 mg intravenous, daily) over 3 days. We suspect this may have been triggered by inflammation induced by revision surgery of all three vascularized composite allotransplantation components in the preceding month
Conclusion(s): We present our third consecutive vascularized composite allotransplantation recipient utilizing this novel immune strategy. In the context of the most extensive vascularized composite allotransplantation performed to date, acute rejection was prevented until 9 months post-transplant in this highly sensitized patient. Two previous recipients remained rejection-free for greater than 1 year post-transplant and have experienced only one rejection episode each to date. Acute rejection in vascularized composite allotransplantation may be better prevented by including rituximab in the induction immunosuppression strategy, and the risk of metabolic or severe infectious complications appears to be manageable

Transplanting hepatitis C viremic donor organs into hepatitis C virus (HCV)-negative recipients is becoming increasingly common; however, practices for posttransplant direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment vary widely. Protracted insurance authorization processes for DAA therapy often lead to treatment delays.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES/OBJECTIVE:After studying this article, the participant should be able to: 1. Appreciate the evolution and increasing complexity of transplanted facial allografts over the past two decades. 2. Discuss indications and contraindications for facial transplantation, and donor and recipient selection criteria and considerations. 3. Discuss logistical, immunologic, and cost considerations in facial transplantation, in addition to emerging technologies used. 4. Understand surgical approaches and anatomical and technical nuances of the procedure. 5. Describe aesthetic, functional, and psychosocial outcomes of facial transplantation reported to date. SUMMARY/CONCLUSIONS:This CME article highlights principles and evolving concepts in facial transplantation. The field has witnessed significant advances over the past two decades, with more than 40 face transplants reported to date. The procedure now occupies the highest rung on the reconstructive ladder for patients with extensive facial disfigurement who are not amenable to autologous reconstructive approaches, in pursuit of optimal functional and aesthetic outcomes. Indications, contraindications, and donor and recipient considerations for the procedure are discussed. The authors also review logistical, immunologic, and cost considerations of facial transplantation. Surgical approaches to allograft procurement and transplantation, in addition to technical and anatomical nuances of the procedure, are provided. Finally, the authors review aesthetic, functional, and psychosocial outcomes that have been reported to date.

Despite utilization of hepatitis C viremic organs for hepatitis C naïve recipients (HCV D+/R-) in other solid organ transplants, HCV viremic pancreata remain an unexplored source of donor organs. This study reports the first series of HCV D+/R- pancreas transplants. HCV D+/R- had shorter wait list times compared to HCV D-/R-, waiting a mean of 16 days from listing for HCV positive organs. HCV D+/R- had a lower match allocation sequence than HCV D-/R-, and this correlated to receipt of organs with a lower Pancreas Donor Risk Index (PDRI) score. All HCV D+R- had excellent graft function with a mean follow up of 438 days and had undetectable HCV RNA levels by a mean of 23 days after initiation of HCV-directed therapy. The rates of infectious complications, re-operation, readmission, rejection, and length of stay were not impacted by donor HCV status. A national review of potential ideal pancreas donors found that 37% of ideal HCV negative pancreas allografts were transplanted, compared to only 5% of ideal HCV positive pancreas allografts. The results of the current study demonstrate the safety of accepting HCV positive pancreata for HCV naïve recipients and advocates for increased utilization of ideal HCV positive pancreas allografts.

Solid organ transplant (SOT) candidates and recipients are at risk of significant morbidity and mortality from infection, including those circulating in the community from unexpected outbreaks. In late 2018-summer of 2019, a measles outbreak occurred in the New York City area, with a total of 649 cases reported. We developed a systematic three-part approach to address measles risk in our adult SOT program through: 1) identification of non-immune adults living in outbreak ZIP codes, 2) education focused on risk reduction for patients from outbreak ZIP codes and 3) risk reduction for non-immune patients. All waitlisted or previously transplanted patients residing in outbreak areas received a measles patient education handout. The electronic medical record of patients born in or after 1957 was reviewed for serologic evidence of measles immunity. Measles immunity testing was performed in patients without documentation of immunity. Patients who tested non-immune were offered MMR vaccination or intravenous immunoglobulin depending on their transplant phase and risk profile. Thus, we demonstrate successful implementation of a systematic risk assessment during a large measles outbreak to identify and protect at-risk SOT patients. As vaccine hesitancy persists, our strategies may be increasingly relevant to transplant centers and those caring for immunocompromised patients.

Background:The COVID-19 pandemic strained hospital resources in New York City, including those for providing dialysis. New York University Medical Center and affiliations, including New York City Health and Hospitals/Bellevue, developed a plan to offset the increased needs for KRT. We established acute peritoneal dialysis (PD) capability, as usual dialysis modalities were overwhelmed by COVID-19 AKI. Methods:Observational study of patients requiring KRT admitted to Bellevue Hospital during the COVID surge. Bellevue Hospital is one of the largest public hospitals in the United States, providing medical care to an underserved population. There were substantial staff, supplies, and equipment shortages. Adult patients admitted with AKI who required KRT were considered for PD. We rapidly established an acute PD program. A surgery team placed catheters at the bedside in the intensive care unit; a nephrology team delivered treatment. We provided an alternative to hemodialysis and continuous venovenous hemofiltration for treating patients in the intensive-care unit, demonstrating efficacy with outcomes comparable to standard care. Results:From April 8, 2020 to May 8, 2020, 39 catheters were placed into ten women and 29 men. By June 10, 39% of the patients started on PD recovered kidney function (average ages 56 years for men and 59.5 years for women); men and women who expired were an average 71.8 and 66.2 years old. No episodes of peritonitis were observed; there were nine incidents of minor leaking. Some patients were treated while ventilated in the prone position. Conclusions:Demand compelled us to utilize acute PD during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our experience is one of the largest recently reported in the United States of which we are aware. Acute PD provided lifesaving care to acutely ill patients when expanding current resources was impossible. Our experience may help other programs to avoid rationing dialysis treatments in health crises.

BACKGROUND:Authors have speculated that vascularized composite allotransplantation (VCA) recipients may require greater maintenance immunosuppression than solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients due to the higher antigenicity of skin. However, detailed comparisons of VCA and SOT immunosuppression regimens have been limited. METHODS:Hand and face VCA recipient immunosuppression data were collected through a systematic literature review. Kidney recipient data were obtained through a retrospective chart review of the authors' institution. Prednisone and mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) doses were compared between VCA and kidney recipients at predefined follow-up intervals (<1, 1-5, and >5 y). Tacrolimus target trough levels (TTTL) were compared at follow-up intervals of 1-5 and >5 y, and stratified into our institution's kidney transplant risk-based target ranges (4-6 ng/mL, 6-8 ng/mL) or higher (>8 ng/mL). RESULTS:Immunosuppression data were available for 57 VCA and 98 kidney recipients. There were no significant differences in prednisone doses between groups at all follow-up intervals. VCA recipient mean MMF dose was significantly greater at <1-y (1.71 ± 0.58 versus 1.16 ± 0.55 gm/d; P = 0.01). For VCA recipients, there was a significant difference (P = 0.02) in TTTL distribution over the three predefined therapeutic ranges (4-6 ng/mL, 6-8 ng/mL, and >8 ng/mL) between 1 and 5 y (24.0%, 20.0%, 56.0%, respectively) and >5 y (28.6%, 42.9%, 28.6%). CONCLUSIONS:At longer follow-up, VCA and kidney recipients receive comparable MMF/prednisone doses, and most VCA recipients are treated with TTTL similar to kidney recipients. Further research may improve our understanding of VCA's complex risk/benefit ratio, and enhance informed consent.