SUMMARY: Skin is one of the target tissues of rejection in face transplants and, because of its easy accessibility, has become the gold standard in the diagnosis of rejection. The allograft contains deeper tissues where rejection can occur, but samples cannot be obtained because of difficult access. Deep tissue changes were monitored on computed tomographic scans of the midface in six face transplant recipients with the help of image segmentation. The maxillary sinus was identified as a dynamic anatomical compartment. Observed changes in volume of the aeration relative to the opacification (aeration coefficient) of the maxillary sinus were quantified with the help of image segmentation. Changes in the aeration coefficient as a surrogate of mucosal swelling were quantified and related to time, treatment, and skin rejection grade. Lower aeration coefficients were found only in patients with transplanted maxillary sinus mucosa. Pathologic changes were not observed in face transplant recipients with a native maxillary sinus. The data show that the aeration coefficient was significantly lower at the time of biopsy-proven allograft rejection. Neither mechanical, nor infectious, nor medication side effects sufficiently explain the findings presented herein. The authors' findings are important to consider for clinical management of face transplant patients who receive parts of the sinonasal tract. The authors identify a potential radiologic biomarker of deep tissue allograft rejection. In the future, the proposed methodology might prove useful in monitoring deeper dynamic tissue changes in vascularized composite allografts and might help in designing patient-specific, individualized treatment strategies.

• MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• počítačová rentgenová tomografie MeSH
• rejekce štěpu diagnóza   etiologie   patologie   prevence a kontrola   MeSH
• respirační sliznice patologie   transplantace   MeSH
• retrospektivní studie MeSH
• sinus maxillaris diagnostické zobrazování   patologie   MeSH
• štěpy z kompozitní tkáně diagnostické zobrazování   patologie   MeSH
• transplantace obličeje škodlivé účinky   MeSH
• výsledek terapie MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

BACKGROUND: Identifying a donor for facial vascularized composite allotransplant recipients can be a lengthy, emotionally challenging process. Little is known about the relative distribution of key donor characteristics among potential donors. Data on actual wait times of patients are limited, making it difficult to estimate wait times for future recipients. METHODS: The authors retrospectively reviewed charts of nine facial vascularized composite allotransplant patients and provide data on transplant wait times and patient characteristics. In addition, they analyzed the United Network for Organ Sharing database of dead organ donors. After excluding donors with high-risk characteristics (e.g., active cancer or risk factors for blood-borne disease transmission), the authors calculated the distribution of relevant donor-recipient matching criteria (i.e., ethnicity, body mass index, age, ABO blood group, cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, hepatitis C virus) among 65,201 potential donors. RESULTS: The median wait time for a transplant was 4 months (range, 1 day to 17 months). The large majority of United Network for Organ Sharing-recorded deaths from disease were white (63 percent) and male (58 percent). Female donors of black, Hispanic, or Asian descent are underrepresented, with 7, 5, and 1 percent of all recorded deaths from disease, respectively. Potential donors show cytomegalovirus and Epstein-Barr virus seropositivity of 65 and 95 percent, respectively. The number of annual hepatitis C-positive donors increased over time. CONCLUSIONS: Actual facial vascularized composite allotransplant wait times vary considerably. Although most patients experience acceptable wait times, some with underrepresented characteristics exceed acceptable levels. Cytomegalovirus-seropositive donors present a large portion of the donor pool, and exclusion for seronegative patients may increase wait time. Hepatitis C-seropositive donors may constitute a donor pool for underrepresented patient groups in the future.

• MeSH
• časové faktory MeSH
• cytomegalovirové infekce krev   diagnóza   epidemiologie   přenos   MeSH
• Cytomegalovirus izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• Hepacivirus izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• hepatitida C krev   diagnóza   epidemiologie   MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• retrospektivní studie MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• seznamy čekatelů MeSH
• vaskularizovaná kompozitní alotransplantace normy   statistika a číselné údaje   MeSH
• výběr dárců normy   statistika a číselné údaje   MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH