title: Cumulative experience with pediatric living related liver transplantation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study reports the authors' cumulative experience with pediatric living related orthotopic liver transplantation.
  
  
  METHODS
  The charts of all patients who received living-related liver transplantation to study complications of transplant surgery, immunosuppression, rejection, and overall survival rate were reviewed retrospectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Between November 1992 and October 1998, 30 children underwent living-related liver transplantation. Patients were between the ages of 3 months and 7 years of age (mean, 28 months). All received left lateral segmental living-related transplants. At the time of transplant, 14 of 30 patients were listed as United Network of Organ Sharing (UNOS) status 3, 11 were listed as UNOS status 2B, and 5 were listed as UNOS status 1. Indications for transplant included biliary atresia (n = 21), alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency (n = 2), hepatitis C (n = 2), giant cell hepatitis (n = 2), hepatoblastoma (n = 1), valproic acid toxicity (n = 1), and hemangioendothelioma (n = 1). All donors were parents except for one uncle. There were no major donor complications. Minor complications included wound infection (n = 4), ventral hernia (n = 2), postoperative gastric dysmotility (n = 2), and 1 case of central line-related pneumothorax (n = 1). All but 4 recipients received primary tacrolimus immunosuppressive regimens, and the other 4 underwent conversion from cyclosporine. Initial tacrolimus therapy was begun at 0.15 mg/kg/dose PO/NG every 12 hours. Concomitant immunosuppression included methylprednisolone and mycophenolate mofetil. Fifty-three percent of patients experienced at least 1 episode of rejection, and 27% experienced multiple episodes. Immediate postoperative complications included primary nonfunction (n = 2), vascular thrombosis (n = 3), biliary leaks (n = 3), and infections (n = 17). Two patients (n = 2) required retransplantation. Complications of immunosuppressive therapy included persistent systemic hypertension (n = 6), renal tubular acidosis (n = 3), short-term hyperglycemia (n = 2), neurotoxicity (n = 2), nephrotoxicity (n = 2), food allergies (n = 8), and posttransplant lymphoproliferative disease (n = 4). All patients with PTLD were treated with immunosuppression reduction or withdrawal. Two of 4 had disease progression requiring chemotherapy. The majority of complications were treated with dose adjustments. There were 4 early deaths (13%): 1 of primary nonfunction, 2 of sepsis, and 1 of arrhythmia and renal failure. There was 1 late death of recurrent disease. Twenty-five patients (83%) are alive at 3 months to 6 years post-transplant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Living-related orthotopic liver transplantation is an effective intervention for pediatric patients with end-stage disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21287, USA.
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Colombani
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Prabhakaran
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Maley
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wise
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schwarz
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Klein
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007223:Infant; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects; D019520:Living Donors; D011183:Postoperative Complications
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents