OSTEOARTICULAR COMPLICATIONS AFTER LIVER-TRANSPLANTATION

Between January and December 1989, among 396 patients receiving liver transplantation, 27 have developed 33 post-transplantation osteoarticular complications (27 non septic and 6 septic episodes). After liver transplantation, non septic complications are distinct from the pattern observed after kidney transplantation with a lower prevalence of avascular bone necrosis (n = 4) but a higher prevalence of new vertebral fractures (n = 18) and presence of stress fracture (n = 3). This difference is probably caused by the lower steroids dosage in liver transplantation and by the preexisting bone status which is different in kidney and liver graft recipients. These complications are essentially observed in cirrhosis (n = 12) and primary biliary cirrhosis (n = 10). Staphylococcus aureus is found in 5/6 osteoarticular infections whereas extra-osteoarticular (essentially intra-abdominal) infections are mainly due to Gram negatif bacteria and candidiasis. Finally, 2 patients presented hypertrophic osteoarthropathy associated with chronic graft rejection, reversible after liver retransplantation.