title: Liver transplantation for biliary atresia: 19-year, single-center experience.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In this study, we describe our 19-year experience with liver transplantation as the definitive treatment for congenital biliary atresia.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a retrospective study of 115 liver transplants from 1984 to 2003 in 85 patients with congenital biliary atresia. We determined the impact of era of transplantation (1984-1993 and 1994-2003), recipient age (< 1 and > 1), prior portoenterostomy, and type of surgery (whole-, reduced-, and split-liver transplant) on the outcome of the transplant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall long-term survival is 83%. Survival is greater in the more-recent era. No impact of age or prior portoenterostomy on survival was seen. Split-liver grafts showed superior graft survival, whereas reduced-liver transplants had the worst overall graft survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results confirm that long-term patient survival after liver transplantation for congenital biliary atresia is excellent. When required, partial liver grafts provide excellent long-term outcome.
authors.affiliation: Division of Organ Transplantation, Department of Surgery, University of Wisconsin Medical School, 600 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53792-7375, USA.
authors.forename: L Thomas
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Chin
authors.forename: Anthony M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: D'Alessandro
authors.forename: Stuart J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Knechtle
authors.forename: Luis A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Fernandez
authors.forename: Glen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Leverson
authors.forename: Robert H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Judd
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Spaith
authors.forename: Aydin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dalgic
authors.forename: Hans W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Sollinger
authors.forename: Munci
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kalayoglu
mesh_terms: D001656:Biliary Atresia / Q000601:surgery*; D006085:Graft Survival; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis