Neurological complications after liver transplantation

Abstract

This was a single-centre, prospective study to assess the frequency of neurological complications and their impact on prolonged hospitalization in 137 liver transplant patients presenting between September 1997 and June 2010. Neurological complications were seen in 22 (16%) patients during their postoperative stay in the intensive care unit. Complications included new-onset, recurrent headache (five patients), generalized seizures (four patients), dysarthria (two patients), delirium with agitation (three patients), persistent flapping tremor (two patients), alteration in level of consciousness (three patients), central pontine myelinolysis (one patient), myopathy (one patient) and visual hallucinations (one patient). Seizures were associated with immunosuppressive drug toxicity (tacrolimus). Myopathy presenting as quadriplegia was diagnosed by muscle biopsy. The patient with central pontine myelinolysis lived in a persistent vegetative state for 2 years and died of pneumonia. In conclusion, neurological complications are frequently encountered after liver transplantation, and are an important cause of severe morbidity and prolonged intensive care unit and hospital stay. © 2011 Field House Publishing LLP.