Exploring auxiliary liver transplantation in the era of transplant oncology - A proposal for a new liver splitting program (ALERT-50)

Total hepatectomy and liver transplantation has emerged as a game-changing strategy in the treatment of several liver-confined primary or metastatic tumors, opening the new era of transplant oncology. However, the expansion of indications is going to worsen the chronic scarcity of organs, and new strategies are needed to enlarge the donor pool. A possible source of organs could be developing split liver transplantation (SLT) programs. We propose to refer donors aged 18-50 years unsuitable for pediatric patients and donors aged 50-60 years for split evaluation. This will generate new small left lateral grafts that can be used for RAPID procedures, based on a national waiting list specifically for non-HCC oncologic patients. Centralized imaging review will streamline the donor-recipient matching process and address organizational challenges. Additionally, adopting an ex-situ splitting technique during hypothermic oxygenated machine perfusion could further enhance logistical efficiency and improve graft viability. The proposed protocol (ALERT 50) will therefore promote the development of oncologic indications without affecting the standard waiting list and without competing with urgent or pediatric patients.