Late graft dysfunction after liver transplantation for primary biliary cirrhosis: disease recurrence versus chronic graft rejection.

Possible recurrence of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) in the transplanted liver has been reported. We discuss a case of presumed PBC recurrence after liver transplantation. However, the patient's full documented 9-yr follow-up after liver transplantation confirmed the diagnosis of chronic liver graft rejection instead of recurrent disease. This case report underlines not only the difficult differential diagnosis between recurrent PBC and chronic rejection, but it also stresses that complete follow-up, including strict morphological follow-up, is necessary before definitive conclusions can be drawn.