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Split-brain syndrome after hepatic transplantation: a tacrolimus-related vasculitis?

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Abstract

An unusual case of inter-haemispheric disconnection syndrome occurring in a patient who had undergone hepatic transplantation is presented. The underlying disorder, at first wrongly interpreted as encephalitis, was found to be severe, diffuse cerebral vasculitis. The hypothesis that treatment with tacrolimus might have caused, or at least favoured the vascular damage is discussed.

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Abbreviations

HCV:

hepatitis C virus

ITT:

inter-haemispheric transmission time

MELD:

model end stage liver disease

MRI:

magnetic resonance imaging

OLTx:

orthotopic hepatic transplantation

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Padova, Via Giustiniani, 2, 35128, Padova, Italy

    Sara Montagnese, Sami Schiff, Anna Biancardi & Piero Amodio

  2. Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Padova, Padova, Italy

    Carlo Poci & Giuseppe Realdi

  3. Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy

    Pamela Iannizzi & Daniela Mapelli

  4. Department of Neurosciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy

    Renzo Manara & Chiara Briani

Authors
  1. Sara Montagnese
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  2. Sami Schiff
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  3. Carlo Poci
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  4. Pamela Iannizzi
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  5. Anna Biancardi
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  6. Renzo Manara
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  7. Chiara Briani
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  8. Daniela Mapelli
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  9. Giuseppe Realdi
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  10. Piero Amodio
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Piero Amodio.

Additional information

S. Montagnese and S. Schiff contributed equally

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Montagnese, S., Schiff, S., Poci, C. et al. Split-brain syndrome after hepatic transplantation: a tacrolimus-related vasculitis?. Metab Brain Dis 25, 155–159 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11011-010-9192-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11011-010-9192-z

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