To investigate the long-term survival (survival time of ≥10 years) of the recipients after liver transplantation.

Clinical data of 104 patients who achieved long-term survival after liver transplantation in the 900th Hospital of Joint Logistics Support Force of Chinese PLA from January 2005 to December 2010 were retrospectively analyzed. Among them, 91 patients were male and 13 female,aged from 15 to 71 years, with a median age of 45 years. Prior to liver transplantation, 77 cases were positive and 27 cases were negative for HBsAg. The informed consents of all patients were obtained and the local ethical committee approval was received. The incidence of biliary complications, de novo or recurrent malignant tumors, de novo or recurrent hepatitis B virus infection (hepatitis B), infection, renal function damage, metabolic complications, cardio-cerebrovascular complications, rejections and causes of death after liver transplantation were observed.

The long-term survival rate after liver transplantation was 46.0%(104/226), including 30 cases of primary liver cancer, 3 cases of cholangiocarcinoma, 64 cases of liver failure and 7 cases of hepatolenticular degeneration. Postoperative follow-up time was ranged from 120 to191 months, with a median of 142 months. During the postoperative follow-up, 10 cases of biliary complications, 5 recipients developed malignant tumor recurrence, 9 cases of de novo tumors, 6 cases of recurrent hepatitis B, 5 cases of de novo hepatitis B, 15 cases of pulmonary infection, 5 cases of tuberculosis infection, 22 cases of renal function damage, 34 cases of hypertension, 31 cases of diabetes mellitus, 29 cases of hyperlipidemia, 7 cases of coronary atherosclerotic heart disease and 18 cases of rejections. 6 recipients died during follow-up, including 3 cases of pulmonary infection, 2 cases of de novo and/or recurrent malignant tumors and 1 case of chronic rejection.

Postoperative biliary complications, de novo and recurrent of malignant tumors and hepatitis B, infection, renal function damage, metabolic complications, cardio-cerebrovascular complications, rejections exert significant effects upon the long-term survival of the recipients after liver transplantation. Pulmonary infection, de novo and recurrent malignant tumors are the major causes of death.