Background: After intestinal transplantation, close allograft monitoring especially during the early postoperative period is crucial since the intestine is a highly immunogenic organ. Current protocols are based on endoscopic and histologic examination with the latter one being linked to the risk of bleeding and perforation.
Aims: Evaluation of the diagnostic value of endoscopy utilizing magnification to predict acute cellular rejection compared to routine allograft biopsies.
Methods: Fourteen patients underwent the protocol with longitudinal zoom endoscopic and histological graft monitoring during the first year after transplantation. The intestinal mucosa was analyzed during endoscopy utilizing the SASAKI score while a minimum of two biopsies were taken during each examination. A new graduation of severity for acute cellular rejection based on the findings of the SASAKI score is established.
Results: Endoscopic findings of 385 examinations and more than 1000 intestinal allograft biopsies were analyzed. A total of 7 acute cellular rejection episodes in 6/14 patients occurred. Allograft endoscopy was able to diagnose ACR with a sensitivity of 76% and a specificity of 82%.
Conclusions: Our results will be critical for refining protocols for allograft monitoring after intestinal transplantation thus paving the way towards less invasive measures.
Keywords: Acute rejection; Endoscopic surveillance; Intestinal transplantation; Zoom-endoscopy.
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