Intestinal transplantation for children with short bowel syndrome.
Intestinal transplantation has emerged as a feasible alternative in the treatment of children with short gut syndrome. The challenges in the management of these patients include maintaining a tight balance between the degree of immunosuppression necessary to prevent graft-versus-host disease and rejection. At the same time, this amount of immunosuppression is associated with a high risk for lymphoproliferative disorders and intestinal-derived sepsis. Current 3-year patient and graft survival rates are 55% and 50%, respectively. The indications, morbidity, and timing for referral are discussed.
Reyes
J
J
University of Pittsburgh, Thomas E. Starzl Transplantation Institute, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, USA.
D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D007422:Intestines / Q000637:transplantation*; D016377:Organ Transplantation / Q000379:methods; D012778:Short Bowel Syndrome / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*