Emergency Liver Transplant in Patient with Child-Pugh Class C Cirrhosis and Strangulated Umbilical Hernia

Abstract

The authors report the case of a patient who presented with small bowel obstruction while awaiting liver transplant for Child-Pugh class C cirrhosis. He underwent emergency liver transplant with resection of the small bowel after the obstruction did not improve with conservative management. The authors believe this is the first case of successful emergency liver transplant with resection of the small bowel in a patient with decompensated Child-Pugh class C liver cirrhosis and strangulated umbilical hernia. This case suggests the possibility of improved outcomes of emergency hernia repair in patients with liver cirrhosis when small bowel resection is combined with liver transplant.