Is rejection a diffuse or localized process in small-bowel transplantation?

Utilization of endoscopy to both visualize and selectively biopsy an intestinal allograft has become the standard for early recognition and treatment of intestinal allograft rejection. Despite the widespread acceptance of the need for selective mucosal biopsies, it has not been shown that the histological features of intestinal allograft rejection are either localized or occur as part of a more diffuse phenomenon within a tubular allograft. To resolve these issues, 88 ileoscopies were performed in 12 small-bowel allograft recipients and mucosal biopsy samples were obtained at 5, 10, and 15 cm, respectively, from the ileal stoma. Each mucosal biopsy was labeled, processed, and evaluated individually for the presence and severity of any evidence for allograft rejection. The data obtained suggest that intestinal allograft rejection is a diffuse process, and biopsies obtained randomly from an ileal graft are likely to demonstrate evidence of allograft rejection when such is present. © 1994 Springer-Verlag New York Inc

Reply to Comment on "Quantum Phase Transition of Randomly-Diluted Heisenberg Antiferromagnet on a Square Lattice"

This is a reply to the comment by A. W. Sandvik (cond-mat/0010433) on our paper Phys. Rev. Lett. 84, 4204 (2000). We show that his data do not conflict with our data nor with our conclusions.Comment: RevTeX, 1 page; Revised versio

Liver Transplantation for Alagille's Syndrome

Twenty-three children with Alagille's syndrome and end-stage liver disease underwent liver transplantation with cyclosporine and low-dose steroid immunosuppression. Two to 9 years (mean, 4.4 years) after surgery, 13 (57%) of the children were still alive, with normal liver function. Three of the fatalities were due to cardiovascular failure secondary to associated cardiopulmonary disease. Mortality was higher among patients who had more severe cardiac disease and patients who had previously undergone a Kasai procedure. Although it has a higher than average risk, liver transplantation can be efficacious in patients with Alagille's syndrome and end-stage liver disease. (Arch Surg. 1993;128:337-339). © 1993, American Medical Association. All rights reserved