Registration and Continental Breakfast

8:00 a.m.

Welcome and Opening Remarks, Dixon B. Kaufman, MD, PhD, Chief, Division of Transplantation, University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics; Mark Leenay, Chief Medical Officer, OptumHealth Care Solutions

8:15 a.m.

Advances in Pancreas Transplantation, Dixon B. Kaufman, MD, PhD
Pancreas transplantation for the treatment of diabetes is being done with increasing frequency. Highly refined surgical techniques, advances in more effective immunosuppression regimens, and early recognition of symptoms of rejection have led to increased survival rates in both graft and patient. Recent research has shown that with a careful donor selection, not only short-term but also long-term pancreas graft function and, therefore, good metabolic control can be achieved for the diabetic patient.

9:00 a.m.

Management of the Highly Sensitized Patient, Arjang Djamali, MD
One of the biggest challenges in the current era of transplantation is to locate suitable organs for highly sensitized patients. Several programs are currently implementing methodologies that allow for an acceptable mismatch. The basis of these programs includes defining those HLA antigens the patient did not form antibodies to fight against. Alternative approaches strive to desensitize patients in order to transplant despite an original positive tissue crossmatch. This session will offer recent advances in offering transplantation to highly sensitized patients.

9:45 a.m.

Break

10:00 a.m.

Transplant for Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphomas and Relapsed Hodgkin’s Disease: Autologous vs. Allogeneic vs. No Transplant, Walter L. Longo, MD
Approximately 65,000 people were diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in the United States in 2010, and the incidence of the disease is on the rise, doubling since the 1970s. High-dose chemotherapy followed by stem cell support may be offered to a subset of this population. For patients with relapsed Hodgkin’s disease, high-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplant are considered when patients experience an early relapse. How does the transplant team know which transplant to offer and when? This session will answer questions about the most appropriate transplant approach, including the option of no transplant at all.

10:45 a.m.

Use of Alternative Donors in Allogeneic Transplant: Why Consider Cord Blood Transplant or Haploidentical Transplant? Mark B. Juckett, MD
The rapidly expanding field of stem cell biology has resulted in a dramatic improvement in our understanding of the biologic basis of transplantation. With the emergence of peripheral blood progenitor cells (PBPCs) and umbilical cord blood, alternative sources of stem cells are available. In addition, for 70 percent of those patients who do not have an HLA-identical sibling, haploidentical stem cell transplantation is a treatment option. The most optimal source of stem cells continues to be an area of active clinical investigation. Learn how these alternative sources of stem cells are impacting the future of transplantation.

11:30 a.m.

The Path to Transplant for Patients With Multiple Myeloma, Natalie S. Callander, MD
Despite the introduction of new treatment options for multiple myeloma, autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplant remains an important part of standard of care for patients less than 75 years of age. While transplant does not offer a cure when compared to chemotherapy treatment alone, transplant has demonstrated a clear survival advantage even when new treatments are considered. In addition, a second unplanned transplant after symptomatic relapse can often provide excellent and cost-effective disease control. This session will outline the challenges patients face while on the path to transplant.

12:15 p.m.

Lunch (provided)

1:15 p.m.

Left Ventricular Assist Devices (LVADs): The Emerging Standard of Care for Bridge to Transplant and Destination Therapy, Takushi Kohmoto, MD, PhD
Circulatory assist devices were initially designed to support patients in hemodynamic crisis, but today they might be used for a wide range of clinical conditions. LVADs represent a promising option as a destination therapy for advanced-stage heart-failure patients who do not respond to conventional therapy and are not good candidates for heart transplantation. For those candidates who consider transplantation, the use of the ventricular assist device has acquired an important role in the management of end-stage heart failure and serves as a bridge therapy pending organ availability. In this session, you will learn about the current standard of care for the use of LVADs and how this is implemented into the clinical setting.

2:00 p.m.

Heart Failure Care: What It Means and Why It Is Best Provided at a Heart Transplant LVAD Center, Maryl R. Johnson, MD, FACC
Nearly 5 million Americans are living with heart failure, and 400,000–700,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. Heart transplantation is an option for some patients, but during this late stage of failure, over 50 percent of persons on a waiting list will die before receiving a donor heart. The wait time can vary from days to months, but outcomes are impacted by the degree of effective management the heart failure patient receives prior to transplant. Learn during this session how valuable a transplant center is in managing end-stage heart failure and the treatment options that are available only at this level of care.

2:45 p.m.

Break

3:00 p.m.

Lung Transplant for Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD): Medical and Surgical Aspects, Nilto C. De Oliveira, MD, and Keith C. Meyer, MD
The term “interstitial lung disease” actually refers to a broad category of a variety of illnesses with diverse causes, treatments and prognoses. The clinical characteristics of patients when they initially seek medical care are similar for many of these disorders, and clinical data must be carefully and thoughtfully reviewed to reach an accurate and confident diagnosis of specific forms of ILD. Many forms of ILD can lead to irreversible pulmonary fibrosis, profound impairment in lung physiology and premature death. The only therapy shown to prolong life in patients with end-stage lLD that cannot be stabilized with medical therapies is lung transplantation, but this intervention carries a significant risk of mortality. Learn about evolving concepts concerning disease-management strategies that include both medical and surgical management options.

3:45 p.m.

Concepts in Lung Rejection, Keith C. Meyer, MD
Acute and chronic allograft rejection remains a significant problem in lung transplantation. The majority of patients experience at least one episode of acute rejection in spite of the advances in immunosuppressive medication. The major cause of delayed morbidity and mortality in lung recipients is bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS), which is recognized as representing chronic allograft rejection. This session will offer insights into the complex care of these posttransplant patients and explain how evolving management strategies are changing the outcomes for these patients.

4:30–6:30 p.m.

Get-Acquainted Reception and Clinical Simulation Center Tours
You are invited to join us for complimentary drinks, hors d'oeuvres and music during this Wisconsin-style tailgate party. Gather information from exhibitors, mingle with colleagues, and get acquainted with staff members from the UW Health Transplant Program, UW Health Blood and Bone Marrow Transplant Program, American Family Children’s Hospital, and UW Health Organ Procurement Organization. Thirty-minute tours providing hands-on experiences at UW’s new Clinical Simulation Center will be available beginning at 4:30 p.m. Space is limited; registration is required! Click here for more information.

Continental Breakfast

8:00 a.m.

Opening Comments

8:15 a.m.

The Management of Delayed Graft Function (DGF) in the Outpatient Setting, R. Michael Hofmann, MD
Up to 30 percent of deceased-donor kidneys and 5 percent of living-related donor kidneys may have some degree of DGF. When patients have DGF, their transplanted kidney makes little or no urine and dialysis may be required, temporarily, until the kidney begins to function properly. This session will review the risks, treatment, costs and challenges in treating DGF and the advantages of treatment in the outpatient setting.

9:00 a.m.

The National Kidney Registry and Paired Kidney Exchange, Karen Miller, RN, BSN, CCTC, and Brenda Muth, NP
Approximately 10 people die every day waiting for a kidney transplant. The need for kidneys for transplantation is far greater than the supply. Paired kidney exchange is an emerging, innovative way to address this shortage and allow more patients to receive life-saving kidney transplants. The National Kidney Registry is one paired-exchange program in which more than 50 transplant centers participate and has facilitated a donor-recipient chain involving 60 people. Learn about how paired exchange is transforming kidney transplantation.

9:45 a.m.

Break

10:00 a.m.

Virtual Crossmatch and State-of-the-Art Methods in the Histocompatibility Laboratory, Thomas M. Ellis, PhD, D (ABHI)
Pretransplant crossmatching has almost completely eliminated hyperacute antibody-mediated rejection and has become a mandatory requirement for kidney transplantation. The single most important technological advancement in virtual crossmatching has been the development of solid-phase assays such as Luminex for HLA antibody screening and identification. Learn about the function of the virtual crossmatch and how this has changed the field of transplantation.

10:45 a.m.

Multidisciplinary Approach to Primary Liver Tumors in Patients With Cirrhosis, Joshua D. Mezrich, MD
Cirrhosis is one of the leading causes of liver cancer. As there are a variety of treatment options for these patients, a multidisciplinary approach can ensure the optimal treatment path is followed. Learn about liver transplantation for these patients, as well as other medical and surgical options.

11:30 a.m.

Liver Transplant and Antibody-Mediated Rejection, Alexandru I. Musat, MD
Although the liver has long been regarded as resistant to antibody-mediated rejection, it is now thought that preformed donor-specific antibodies and a positive crossmatch in ABO-compatible liver transplants is associated with rejection and graft loss. This session will focus on current and emerging treatment of antibody-mediated rejection in liver transplantation.

12:15 p.m.

Lunch (provided)

1:15 p.m.

Thirty Years of Experience With Donation After Cardiac Death (DCD), Anthony M. D’Alessandro, MD
Donation after cardiac death has been an end-of-life option for patients and families for more than 30 years. Prior to the introduction of brain-death laws, it was the way in which all organs were recovered. Although donation after brain death offers better outcomes and the ability to recover the heart, lungs, liver, pancreas, kidneys, and intestines, a person can donate after cardiac death. Because of the shortage of organs available for transplantation, and with improved medications and surgical techniques for DCD, a person can still save lives without the diagnosis of brain death. The session will offer an historical perspective on DCD donation and review the current clinical considerations.

2:00 p.m.

Advances in Islet Transplantation, Dixon B. Kaufman, MD, PhD
Islet transplantation for the treatment of diabetes mellitus in select individuals is considered an experimental procedure. However, this procedure is on the road to FDA assessment as a therapeutic treatment. Consistent manufacturing processes for obtaining islets, combined with advances in more effective immunosuppression regimens, are leading to a safe and effective treatment with improving islet graft survival rates. Recent research indicates that good metabolic control can be achieved for the diabetic patient though islet transplantation.

2:45 p.m.

Novel Immunosuppressive Medications, John D. Pirsch, MD
Over the past 50 years, the transplant community has seen great advancement in immunosuppression medications. Improved therapies have been associated with better graft survival rates. However, the risks of long-term immunosuppression present a number of challenges for the clinician and there are promising new medications that help address some of these challenges.

3:30 p.m.

Adjourn