AMPUTATION NEUROMA OF THE HEPATIC HILUM AFTER ORTHOTOPIC LIVER-TRANSPLANTATION

Amputation neuromas following biliary surgery have been previously reported. There are no descriptions, however, of amputation neuroma following liver transplantation. Serial hilum sections taken from 93 hepatectomy specimens obtained during the clinical course of 262 consecutive orthotopic liver transplantations revealed 26 amputation neuromas (27.9% of the specimens examined). The finding was confirmed by immunohistochemistry with numerous S-100 protein positive cells intermingled with neurofilaments interrupting the perineurial layer of cells testing positive for epithelial membrane antigen. Neuromas were found in liver specimens obtained between 89 and 775 days post-transplant (mean time, 211 days). The incidence of neuroma was higher in specimens resected more than 3 months post-transplant. There was only one symptomatic patient, who died from extrahepatic cholestasis demonstrated at autopsy to be caused by a hilar neuroma obstructing the main bile duct.