Liver transplantation for heat stroke: current status and challenges
10.12464/j.issn.1674-7445.2025207
- VernacularTitle:热射病的肝移植治疗：现况与困境
- Author:
Yisheng KANG
1
;
Bing WANG
1
Author Information
1. Surgical Intensive Care Unit, Tianjin First Central Hospital, Tianjin 300192, China.
- Publication Type:ReviewArticle
- Keywords:
Heat stroke;
Liver transplantation;
Liver failure;
Disseminated intravascular coagulation;
Chronic rejection;
Multiple organ dysfunction syndrome;
Systemic inflammatory response syndrome;
Exertional heat stroke score
- From:
Organ Transplantation
2025;16(6):970-975
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
With global warming, the threat of high temperatures is increasing, and the incidence of heat stroke has reached new highs. As a systemic disease of multiple organ dysfunction caused by a failure of thermoregulation, acute liver failure is one of the most severe manifestations of heat stroke and has an extremely high fatality. Heat stroke is usually treated with supportive therapy, and most patients improve after such treatment. However, some patients still face death. Therefore, acute liver failure caused by heat stroke has been recognized internationally as one of the super-urgent conditions of liver transplantation. There are some reports of successful liver transplantation for heat stroke, but due to the lack of clear indications and timing for surgery, as well as the consensus recommendations of “ten early actions and one prohibition” in China, the situation is somewhat difficult. This article reviews the definition, diagnosis and pathophysiological mechanisms of heat stroke, summarizes the current status of liver transplantation for heat stroke, and discusses the indications and timing for liver transplantation in the treatment of heat stroke.
