Widespread hemorrhagic necrosis like that shown above,
is characteristic of severe humoral rejection. However,
this degree of damage is not commonly encountered unless the
recipient receives recipient-compatible blood products that contain
a large amount of anti-donor antibodies.
This passively administered antibody can continue to fuel
the humoral rejection reaction.
For example, this O recipient of an A liver received
30 units of type O blood. It likely contained enough anti-A
antibodies to make the reaction much worse than it
might have otherwise been.
Please mail comments, corrections or suggestions to the
TPIS administration at the UPMC.
