Sepsis after liver transplantation: a report of one case and interpretation of International Guidelines for Management of Severe Sepsis and Septic Shock

  Objective  To summarize the treatment experience of sepsis after liver transplantation.

  Methods  The clinical features and treatment methods of 1 patient developing sepsis after liver transplantation, who was admitted and treated in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University in September 2014, were retrospectively studied. The interpretation of International Guidelines for Management of Severe Sepsis and Septic Shock (SSC Guidelines) and relevant literature were reviewed.

  Results  One male patient at the age of 50 years old developed high fever and decrease of blood pressure at 1 d after liver transplantation, and was diagnosed as septic shock. The symptoms were relieved after the appropriate treatment like goal-directed fluid resuscitation, anti-infection and blood purification, etc. And the patient was discharged in stable conditions.

  Conclusions  It is easy to develop infection after liver transplantation and the fatality rate of sepsis caused by infection is high. Once the sepsis occurs, clinicians must perform early goal-directed therapy and bundle therapy according to the SSC Guidelines positively, and select the appropriate drugs according to the pathogen culture results in order to reduce the fatality rate.