The role of intestinal transplantation in the management of babies with extensive gut resections.
OBJECTIVE
Modern neonatal care, surgical treatment, and total parenteral nutrition (TPN) have improved survival rate for babies with extensive gut resections. The authors examined the role of intestinal transplantation in the treatment of these patients.


METHODS
The authors reviewed all pediatric intestinal transplants performed for short bowel syndrome at our center (70 transplants performed between Aug 1994 and Feb 2002). Factors affecting patient survival were analyzed.


RESULTS
Older patient age at the time of transplant was a significant factor favorably affecting patient survival (P =.031). Trends toward better survival rates were observed in those transplants performed more recently (P =.063), in those patients with greater body weight (P =.084), in those not hospitalized at the time of transplant (P =.14), and in those without concomitant liver failure (P =.12). Three-year survival rate for patients greater than age 2 years and without liver failure was 90%. However, 32% of our recipients underwent transplant at age less than one year, and most in this group (75%) had concomitant liver failure.


CONCLUSIONS
For babies with irreversible intestinal failure, intestinal transplantation is a life-saving option. Results, which have recently improved, are best when transplantation compliments more conservative surgical treatments and TPN. However, there is a subset of patients who have liver disease early requiring urgent transplant.
Kato
Tomoaki
T
Division of Liver and GI Transplant, and Department of Anesthesia, University of Miami, School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA.
Mittal
Naveen
N
Nishida
Seigo
S
Levi
David
D
Yamashiki
Noriyo
N
Miller
Barbara
B
Gonzalez
Monica
M
Ruiz
Phillip
P
Madariaga
Juan
J
Nery
Jose
J
Gelman
Barry
B
Thompson
John
J
Gyamfi
Anthony
A
Tzakis
Andreas
A
D000367:Age Factors; D001835:Body Weight; D002675:Child, Preschool; D020345:Enterocolitis, Necrotizing / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D020139:Gastroschisis / Q000601:surgery; D006627:Hirschsprung Disease / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy / Q000379:methods; D007223:Infant; D007409:Intestinal Atresia / Q000601:surgery; D045822:Intestinal Volvulus / Q000601:surgery; D007422:Intestines / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000601:surgery / Q000637:transplantation*; D017093:Liver Failure / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D016035:Pancreas Transplantation / Q000401:mortality; D010289:Parenteral Nutrition, Total; D012086:Reoperation / Q000401:mortality; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012778:Short Bowel Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D013270:Stomach / Q000637:transplantation; D015996:Survival Rate