Abdominal complications of haematopoietic stem cell transplantation can occur early (0-100 days) or late (>100 days) post-transplant.
Complications
Early
- bacterial infections, e.g. pseudomembranous colitis
- fungal infections, often affecting the oesophagus or as hepatic/splenic microabscesses
- viral infections, e.g. CMV gastroenteritis or hepatitis
- hepatic veno-occlusive disease (a.k.a. hepatic sinusoidal obstruction syndrome)
- haemorrhagic cystitis
- acute graft versus host disease (GvHD), most commonly affecting skin, liver, gastrointestinal tract
- drug-induced hepatotoxicity
- typhlitis
- benign pneumatosis intestinalis
Late
- chronic GvHD
- can also manifest as haemorrhagic cystitis
- often treated with steroids, which has its own complications (e.g. avascular necrosis)
- post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder