Sequential transplantation of the liver–kidney–heart from different donors: a case report

BACKGROUND: Multi-organ transplantation has emerged as a viable treatment strategy for patients afflicted with multiple organ failure or significant organ dysfunctions. Despite the promising therapeutic outcomes, this approach also amplifies the risk of organ rejection, infection, or neoplastic growth. We present a unique case of a patient who sequentially underwent liver, kidney, and heart transplantation, all sourced from different donors. This case brings forth intriguing possibilities about the interplay between cardiovascular diseases and complications arising post-transplantation, thereby enriching our understanding of comprehensive transplant immunomodulation and cardiovascular disease prevention. CASE SUMMARY: A 59-year-old male with chronic alcohol misuse developed liver cirrhosis in 2012 and subsequent kidney failure in 2018 due to alcoholic liver disease, type II diabetes, hyperlipidaemia, and severe hypertension. Subsequently, an incident of extensive transmural myocardial infarction (Killip III) warranted a heart transplant in 2022. Post-transplant, the patient was maintained on a standard immunosuppression regimen with regular post-operative follow-ups. No signs of rejection were noted 1-year post-final transplantation under standard immunosuppression. DISCUSSION: The presented case exemplifies the potential and feasibility of sequential multi-organ transplantation. The multifaceted interplay between the transplanted organs and the immunosuppressive pharmaceuticals likely exert distinct influences on transplantation immune regulation, possibly diverging from the dynamics observed in single-organ transplantation. A comprehensive exploration of the mechanisms governing immune responses in the context of multi-organ transplantation could yield valuable insights for mitigating graft dysfunction. Furthermore, the rapid progression of atherosclerosis observed after liver and kidney transplantation necessitates further scrutiny to elucidate potential correlations with the post-transplantation state.