Pediatric liver transplant: results of a single center.
OBJECTIVE
Liver transplant in the pediatric population has become an accepted treatment modality for children with end-stage liver disease. In this study, we analyze our experiences with pediatric liver transplant at our center.


METHODS
Since September 2001, 8 deceased-donor and 96 living-donor liver transplants have been done in 101 children (mean age, 6.7 +/- 5.5 years; range, 2 months to 17 years). The children's charts were reviewed retrospectively.


RESULTS
Indications for liver transplant were cholestatic liver disease (n=17), biliary atresia (n=24), Wilson's disease (n=16), fulminant liver failure (n=18), hepatic tumor (n=13), and other (n=13). The median pediatric end-stage liver disease score was 23.1 +/- 11.1 (range, -8 to 48). The median follow-up was 24.2 +/- 19.4 months (range, 1-77 months). Three children underwent retransplant. The main complications were infections (25.9%) and surgical complications (39.5%) (including biliary complications and vascular problems). The incidence of acute cellular rejection was 42.3%. Sixteen children died during follow-up, and, at the time of this writing, the remaining 85 children (85%) were alive with good graft functioning, showing patient survival rates of 90%, 85%, and 83% at 6, 12, and 36 months, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
In conclusion, the overall outcomes of pediatric liver transplantation at our center are quite promising.
Haberal
Mehmet
M
Department of General Surgery and Transplantation, Baskent University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey. rektorluk@baskent-ank.edu.tr
Sevmis
Sinasi
S
Karakayali
Hamdi
H
Ozcay
Figen
F
Moray
Gokhan
G
Yilmaz
Ugur
U
Torgay
Adnan
A
Demirhan
Beyhan
B
Arslan
Gulnaz
G
D000293:Adolescent; D001656:Biliary Atresia / Q000601:surgery; D002102:Cadaver; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002780:Cholestasis, Intrahepatic / Q000601:surgery; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006084:Graft Rejection; D006527:Hepatolenticular Degeneration / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D017114:Liver Failure, Acute / Q000601:surgery; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000401:mortality; D019520:Living Donors; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012086:Reoperation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome