Indications for liver transplantation in pediatric patients.
Orthotopic liver transplantation has become a widely accepted therapy for children with end-stage liver disease.  Several factors need to be kept in mind when advocating this procedure in pediatric patients. These include the following:  (1) Liver transplantation is a high-risk procedure with a 10-15% mortality in the best of circumstances.  (2) Recipients require long-term drug administration and have a potential for chronic disability.  (3) The procedure is extremely expensive.  (4) The long-term survival remains unknown.  (5) Newer techniques and procedures need to be carefully evaluated.  These factors, and the indications and contraindications for this procedure are discussed in this overview.
Whitington
P F
PF
Departments of Pediatrics and Surgery, The University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine and the Wyler Children's Hospital, IL.
Emond
J C
JC
Black
D D
DD
Whitington
S H
SH
Boone
P
P
Smith
C
C
Thistlethwaite
J R
JR
Broelsch
C E
CE
D002648:Child; D000075202:Contraindications; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends*; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000639:trends*