Volkert A L Huurman

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Verified

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• MD PhDTransplant Surgeon
• Consultant at Leiden University Medical Centre

Background Donor livers from older donation after circulatory death (DCD) donors are frequently discarded for transplantation because of the high risk of graft failure. It is unknown whether DCD livers from older donors benefit from dynamic preservation. Methods In a multicenter study, we retrospectively compared graft and patient outcomes after t...

Background Intraportal pancreatic islet transplantation is a treatment option for patients with severe beta cell failure and unstable glycemic control. However, this procedure is associated with loss of beta cells after intrahepatic transplantation. Islet delivery devices (IDDs) implanted at extrahepatic sites may support engraftment and improve su...

Near-infrared fluorescence imaging with indocyanine green (ICG) is increasingly being used in the field of image-guided surgery. Although ICG is considered non-nephrotoxic in current literature, caution is advised for the use of ICG in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD), including kidney transplant recipients. Therefore, a scoping...

Background Ex situ machine perfusion of the donor liver, such as dual hypothermic oxygenated machine perfusion (DHOPE), is increasingly used in liver transplantation. Although DHOPE reduces ischemia/reperfusion-related complications after liver transplantation, data on cost-effectiveness are lacking. Our objective was to evaluate the cost-effective...

Purpose In an effort to reduce waitlist mortality, extended criteria donor organs, including those from donation after circulatory death (DCD), are being used with increasing frequency. These donors carry an increased risk for postoperative complications, and balancing donor-recipient risks is currently based on generalized nomograms. Abdominal nor...

Background In June 2021, the first robot‐assisted donor nephrectomy (RADN) was performed at the Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), the Netherlands. The goal of this study was to investigate whether this procedure has been implemented safely and efficiently. Methods RADN was retrospectively compared to laparoscopic donor nephrectomy (LDN) per...

Pancreas transplantation after donation after circulatory death (DCD) is increasingly performed due to an increase in DCD donation and a shortage of DBD donors suitable for pancreas donation. In DCD pancreas transplantation, the organ suffers from a prolonged period of warm ischemia inherent to circulatory death and time to cold perfusion. The effe...

The purpose of pancreas or islet transplantation is to restore glycemic control in order to mitigate diabetes-related complications and prevent severe hypoglycemia. Complications from chronic pancreas allograft rejection may lead to transplantectomy, even when the endocrine function remains preserved. We present first evidence of a successful HLA i...

Hypothermic machine perfusion (HMP) provides preservation superior to cold storage and may allow for organ assessment prior to transplantation. Since flavin mononucleotide (FMN) in perfusate has been proposed as a biomarker of organ quality during HMP of donor livers, the aim of this study was to validate FMN as a biomarker for organ quality in the...

Laparoscopic donor nephrectomy (LDN) is the current gold standard in kidney donation. Mini-incision open donor nephrectomy (MINI) techniques have been used extensively but have become less popular. The aim of the present study was to compare the results and safety of a non-muscle-splitting MINI technique with the current gold standard of LDN. A sin...

Objective: This study investigates whether liver grafts donated after circulatory death (DCD) that are declined by the entire Euro-transplant region can be salvaged with abdominal normothermic regional perfusion (aNRP). Summary background data: aNRP is increasingly used for DCD liver grafts because it prevents typical complications. However, it...

Acceptance of liver grafts from donors after circulatory death (DCD) largely remains a “black box”, particularly due to the unpredictability of the agonal phase. Abdominal normothermic regional perfusion (aNRP) can reverse ischemic injury early during the procurement procedure, and it simultaneously enables graft viability testing to unravel this b...

Purpose: Although pancreas allograft thrombosis (PAT) incidence has progressively decreased, it remains the most common cause of early graft failure. Currently, there is no consensus on documentation of PAT, which has resulted in a great variability in reporting. The Cambridge Pancreas Allograft Thrombosis (CPAT) grading system has recently been de...

Assessment of specific β-cell death can be used to determine the quality and viability of pancreatic islets prior to transplantation and hence predict the suitability of the pancreas for isolation. Recently, several groups have demonstrated that unmethylated insulin (INS)-DNA is correlated to β-cell death in type 1 diabetes patients and during clin...

Background: Recently, continuous nonoxygenated hypothermic machine perfusion (HMP) has been implemented as standard preservation method for deceased donor kidneys in the Netherlands. This study was designed to assess the effect of the implementation of HMP on early outcomes after transplantation. Methods: Kidneys donated in the Netherlands from...

Background Transplantation of livers obtained from donors after circulatory death is associated with an increased risk of nonanastomotic biliary strictures. Hypothermic oxygenated machine perfusion of livers may reduce the incidence of biliary complications, but data from prospective, controlled studies are limited. Methods In this multicenter, co...

After renal transplantation, there is a need for immunosuppressive regimens which effectively prevent allograft rejection, whilst preserving renal function and minimizing side effects. From this perspective, mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) therapy is of interest. In this randomized prospective, single-center, open-label trial, we compared MSCs infus...

Purpose : Although pancreas allograft thrombosis (PAT) incidence has progressively decreased, it remains the most common cause of early graft failure. Currently, there is no consensus on documentation of PAT, which has resulted in a great variability in reporting. The Cambridge Pancreas Allograft Thrombosis (CPAT) grading system has recently been d...

Background Deceased donor kidneys are preserved in cold hypoxic conditions. Providing oxygen during preservation might improve post-transplant outcomes, particularly for kidneys subjected to greater degrees of preservation injury. This study aimed to investigate whether supplemental oxygen during hypothermic machine perfusion (HMP) could improve th...

Background Deep neuromuscular block is associated with improved working conditions during laparoscopic surgery when propofol is used as a general anaesthetic. However, whether deep neuromuscular block yields similar beneficial effects when anaesthesia is maintained using volatile inhalation anaesthesia has not been systematically investigated. Vola...

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is one of the most common hereditary disorders. Once progressed to end-stage renal disease, kidney transplantation may be needed. Whether and when to perform a (bilateral) native nephrectomy in case of end-stage renal failure are issues under debate. At our institution, with a growing number of l...

Background: Abdominal Normothermic Regional Perfusion (aNRP) for donation after circulatory death (DCD) is an emerging organ preservation technique that might lead to increased organ utilization per donor by facilitating viability testing, improving transplant outcome by early reversal of ischemia, and decreasing the risk of unintentional surgical...

Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and preliminary effects of a multicomponent intervention to decrease sedentary time during and shortly after hospitalization. Design This is a quasi-experimental pilot study comparing outcomes in patients admitted before and after the implementation of the intervention. Setting The s...

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) hold promise as a novel immune‐modulatory therapy in organ transplantation. First clinical studies have used autologous MSCs, however the use of allogeneic ‘off‐the‐shelf’ MSCs is more sustainable for broad clinical implementation however has the risk of causing sensitization. We investigated safety and feasibility o...

Introduction: The success of pancreas transplantation, in combination with a stable number of available allografts has resulted in an increasing waiting list. This study investigated donor potential by expanding age and Body Mass Index (BMI) criteria. Methods: All reported donors in the Netherlands between 2013 and 2017 were analysed. Risk asses...

Pancreas transplantation is the most successful treatment option for patients with autoimmune type 1 diabetes. However, the surgical procedure is associated with high morbidity rates. The present case report describes a patient receiving simultaneous pancreas/kidney transplantation. After initial success, he develops a pseudoaneurysm of the iliac Y...

Background: Profound neuromuscular blockade (NMB) during anaesthesia has been shown to reduce postoperative pain scores, when compared with a moderate block. We hypothesised that profound NMB during laparoscopic donor nephrectomy (LDN) could also improve the early quality of recovery after surgery. Objectives: To compare the effectiveness of pro...

Introduction Complete graft thrombosis is the leading cause of early graft loss following pancreas transplantation. Partial thrombosis is usually subclinical and discovered on routine imaging. Treatment options may vary in such cases. We describe the incidence and relevance of partial graft thrombosis in a large transplant center. Methods All cons...

Simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplant is the ultimate therapy for patients who have uncontrolled and complicated type 1 diabetes mellitus with end-stage renal disease. The combined pancreas transplant provides a euglycemic milieu for the kidney and protects it from recurrence of diabetic complications. Our patient, a 41-year-old woman with end-st...

Background/objectives After years of growth in many pancreas transplant programs, UNOS has reported declining transplant numbers in the USA. This precipitating trend urges for an evaluation of the transplant numbers and scientific productivity in the Eurotransplant region and the UK. Methods We performed a trend analysis of pancreas transplantatio...

Simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplant is currently standard therapy to achieve long-term insulin-free euglycemia in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus and concomitant end-stage kidney failure. A patient with symptoms of encephalopathy caused by hyperammonemia and with new-onset iron deficiency anemia was admitted to our institution 20 months...

To date live laparoscopic donor nephrectomies (LLDN) are frequently performed. The most common complications entail bleeding, wound infection, and incisional hernia. Here we discuss a 50-year-old patient with a severe less known complication, namely, postoperative persistent neuropathic pain in the scrotum and left upper leg. Satisfactory pain cont...

Background: Evidence indicates that low-pressure pneumoperitoneum (PNP) reduces postoperative pain and analgesic consumption. A lower insufflation pressure may hamper visibility and working space. The aim of the study is to investigate whether deep neuromuscular blockade (NMB) improves surgical conditions during low-pressure PNP. Methods: This s...

Pancreatic islet isolation and transplantation are complicated procedures, indicated for a carefully selected group of patients. After isolation from the pancreas, the islets are infused into the portal vein. Allogeneic islet transplantation is performed in patients with diabetes mellitus, who suffer from severe hypoglycaemic events and/or progress...

Introduction: Donation after circulatory death (DCD) pancreas transplantation has been shown to be an additional way to deal with donor organ shortages. The results of 5-year DCD pancreas transplantation are presented. Methods: A retrospective, single center analysis (2011 - 2015) was performed to compare the results of donation after brain deat...

Background: Fluorescence cholangiography using indocyanine green (ICG) can enhance orientation of bile duct anatomy during laparoscopic cholecystectomy. To ensure clear discrimination between bile ducts and liver, the fluorescence ratio between both should be sufficient. This ratio is influenced by the ICG dose and timing of fluorescence imaging. W...

Background: Tumor recurrence after radical resection of hepatic tumors is not uncommon, suggesting that malignant lesions are missed during surgery. Intraoperative navigation using fluorescence guidance is an innovative technique enabling real-time identification of (sub)capsular liver tumors. The objective of the current study was to compare fluo...

Background Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) may serve as an attractive therapy in renal transplantation due to their immunosuppressive and reparative properties. While most studies have used autologous MSCs, allogeneic MSCs offer the advantage of immediate availability for clinical use. This is of major importance for indications where instant treat...

An overview of 30 years of pancreas transplantation at a high volume center. Analysis of patient survival- and graft survival-associated risk factors. All pancreas transplantations performed in our center from January 1, 1984, till December 31, 2012, were evaluated. Covariates influencing pancreas graft survival were analyzed using both univariate...

Background: Kidney transplantation has improved survival and quality of life for patients with end-stage renal disease. Despite excellent short-term results due to better and more potent immunosuppressive drugs, long-term survival of transplanted kidneys has not improved accordingly in the last decades. Consequently there is a strong interest in i...

Transplantation of isolated islet of Langerhans cells has great potential as a cure for type 1 diabetes but continuous immune suppressive therapy often causes considerable side effects. Tapering of immunosuppression in successfully transplanted patients would lower patients' health risk. To identify immune biomarkers that may prove informative in m...

Hepatocellular adenoma (HA) is an increasingly prevalent benign liver tumor that is strongly associated with use of oral contraceptive medication. The diagnosis is often made after abdominal imaging in female patients with sudden abdominal pain, with or without signs of hemorrhage. Especially larger adenomas are of potential hazard to patients, bec...

The metabolic outcome of islet cell transplants in type 1 diabetic patients is variable. This retrospective analysis examines whether differences in recipient characteristics at the time of transplantation are correlated with inadequate graft function. Thirty nonuremic C-peptide-negative type 1 diabetic patients had received an intraportal islet ce...

After an initially successful islet cell transplantation, a number of patients return to C-peptide negativity, and therefore immunosuppressive therapy is discontinued. Some are then found to have developed Graves disease. We examined the risk of Graves disease after immunosuppression. Immunosuppressive therapy was stopped in 13 type 1 diabetic isle...

Islet or beta cell transplantation provides a promising cure for type 1 diabetes patients, but insulin-independency decreases frequently over time. Immunosuppressive regimens are implemented attempting to cope with both auto- and alloimmunity after transplantation. We analysed the influence of different immunotherapies on autoreactive and alloreact...

Islet cell transplantation can cure type 1 diabetes, but allograft rejection and recurrent autoimmunity may contribute to decreasing insulin independence over time. In this study we report the association of allograft-specific proliferative and cytokine profiles with clinical outcome. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were obtained of 20 islet rec...

A 71-yr-old male kidney transplant recipient suffered from delayed graft function. Eighty days after transplantation complete obstruction of the proximal ureter was observed, complicated by recurrent urinary tract infections. Two months later, the donor kidney was removed because of infectious complications and inadequate arterial perfusion. Histol...

An immunogenic peptide (p277) from the 60-kDa heat shock protein (hsp60) arrested beta-cell destruction in non-obese diabetic mice. A randomized, double-blind, phase Ib/II clinical trial of DiaPep277 peptide treatment was performed in recent-onset type 1 diabetes patients with remaining insulin production. We studied the immunological efficacy of t...

Trial protocol. (0.07 MB DOC)

Characteristics of immune reactivity and clinical parameters per patient. (0.14 MB DOC)

Stimulation Indices of pre-transplant proliferation against GAD (grey) or IA-2 (black) of patients that were insulin independent at one year (A); patients reaching insulin-independence that was lost before week 52 (B); and patients that never reached insulin-independence (C). (D) Stimulation Indices per group. Insulin-dependent and -independent pat...

CONSORT Checklist. (0.06 MB DOC)

Islet cell transplantation can cure type 1 diabetes (T1D), but only a minority of recipients remains insulin-independent in the following years. We tested the hypothesis that allograft rejection and recurrent autoimmunity contribute to this progressive loss of islet allograft function. Twenty-one T1D patients received cultured islet cell grafts pre...

Cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA4) is a potent inhibitory co-stimulatory molecule believed to be involved in type 1 diabetes and other autoimmune diseases. An association has been reported of both mRNA expression and serum levels of the soluble splice variant of CTLA4 (sCTLA4) with type 1 diabetes. Furthermore, recombinant fusion proteins CTL...

Type 1 diabetes results from a T-cell mediated autoimmune destruction of insulin-producing pancreatic beta-cells. The 60-kDa heat-shock protein (hsp60) is one of the known target self-antigens. An immunogenic peptide from hsp60, p277, arrested beta-cell destruction and maintained insulin production in newly diabetic non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice. A...

This case report describes a young female patient presenting with acute intra-abdominal hemorrhage originating from a large tumor in the liver, most likely a hepatocellular adenoma. The bleeding was stopped by selective embolization of right hepatic artery branches. Subsequently, partial hepatectomy was performed after 6 mo. Macro- and microscopic...

This case report describes a patient diagnosed with ongoing portal venous gas, initiated by a rather common Campylobacter enterocolitis and maintained by septic thrombophlebitis and possibly by chronic cholecystitis. Cholecystectomy attenuated the patient's septic condition. The etiology of portal venous gas determines both the patient's prognosis...

Simultaneous pancreas-kidney (SPK) transplantation in type 1 diabetic patients requires immunotherapy against allo- and autoreactive T-cells. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is a major cause for morbidity after transplantation and is possibly related to recurrent autoimmunity. In this study, we assessed the pattern of CMV viremia in SPK transplant...

CTLA-4 is a negative regulatory molecule upregulated on activated T cells; however, its role in induction and maintenance of transplant tolerance is not well understood. The characteristics and effects of a novel mouse anti-rat CTLA-4 antibody (Ab) (242B58) were examined using fluorescence-activated cell sorter, mixed lymphocyte reaction, enzyme-li...

Type 1 diabetes is a common, multifactorial disease in which T cell autoimmunity plays an important role. Important research advances in recent years have fuelled the expectation that a definitive cure for the disease can be achieved for a large number of patients. In the first part of this thesis, the considerable clinical and immunological potent...