Primary human hepatocyte transplantation in the therapy of hepatic failure: 2 cases report

Liver failure is the end stage of hepatopathy with unfavorable prognosis. In two patients with liver failure, viable primary human hepatocytes, obtained from resected liver tissue of patients with hepatolithiasis, were transplanted into the spleen by interventional therapy through femoral arterial cannula. After transplantation, the patients' clinical symptoms and liver function were significantly improved. However, their bilirubin increased within six days following transplantation. One suffered from hepatic coma and give up treatment and the other patient died forteen days after transplantation. It is technically safe to treat liver failure by intrasplenic transplantation of adult hepatocytes and the clinical efficacy has been confirmed. How to make transplanted hepatic cells proliferate and functionally survive is the key point to maintain continuous improvement of the recipient's hepatic function.