Among the following solid organ transplants, graft-versus-host disease is most frequently seen after transplantation of which organ, because of the large amount of donor lymphoid tissue transferred?
- A Kidney
- B Liver
- C Small intestine ✓
- D Heart
Correct answer: C. Small intestine
Explanation
Small bowel transplantation carries the highest risk of graft-versus-host disease among solid organ transplants because the graft contains abundant donor lymphoid tissue in Peyer patches and mesenteric nodes; donor T cells then attack host tissues. Liver transplantation carries a lower but real risk, while heart and kidney grafts contain comparatively little lymphoid tissue, making them rare causes of GVHD.
Reference: Schwartz's Principles of Surgery, 11th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.