Expanding Donor Criteria: Outcomes of Marginal Criteria Liver Graft Utilization in the Early Phase of a New Transplant Program.

OBJECTIVES

Persistent organ shortages have driven increased use of marginal criteria liver grafts in transplants. We conducted a retrospective single -center analysis of liver transplants performed from November 1, 2023, through January 31, 2025, to compare short-term outcomes between marginal criteria grafts and standard criteria grafts.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

Donors were classified according to established definitions of extended criteria, and the assessed outcomes included peak liver enzymes, Model for End -Stage Liver Disease scores, and posttransplant complications.

RESULTS

Of 18 transplants, 12 (66.6 % )were marginal criteria grafts. Peak levels of alanine transaminase and aspartate transaminase, Model for End -Stage Liver Disease scores, and overall complication rates were comparable between groups. One recipient of a marginal criteria graft died from primary graft failure, and 1 required a retransplant.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that, with careful donor -recipient selection and perioperative management, marginal criteria liver grafts can achieve acceptable short -term outcomes and safely expand the donor pool.