[Pediatric liver transplantation in 20 consecutive children].
OBJECTIVE
To summarize the clinical efficacy of pediatric liver transplantation, and investigate the characters of pediatric liver transplantation in their indications, surgical procedures and postoperative management.


METHODS
From August 2000 to March 2007, 23 liver transplantations were performed on 20 children, aging from 6 months to 13 years old. The most common indications were biliary atresia, Wilson's disease, glycogen storage disease and urea cycle defects. Surgical procedures included 4 living donor liver transplantations, 1 Domino liver transplantation, 5 split grafts, 10 reduced liver grafts and 3 whole cadaveric grafts. The triple-drug (FK506, steroid and MMF) immunosuppressive regimen was used in 19 children, except one children using cyclosporine.


RESULTS
Three children died of primary non-function, heart failure and abdominal infections respectively during peri-operative period, and the mortality was 15.0%. Nine children showed different post-operative complications including 2 hepatic artery thrombosis, 1 portal vein thrombosis, 1 acute rejection, 3 biliary leakage, 2 biliary stricture, 2 intestinal fistula, 3 abdominal infection, 1 pulmonary infection and 1 heart failure. Cumulative patient survival rates at 6-month, 1-and 2-year were 80.0%, 73.9% and 73.9%, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Liver transplantation is an effective option to cure the liver disease of children with end-stage. Different surgical procedure could be chosen according to the children's age and body weight.
Shen
Zhong-Yang
ZY
Oriental Organ Transplant Center, Tianjin First Central Hospital, Tianjin 300192, China.
Zhu
Zhi-Jun
ZJ
Zang
Yun-Jin
YJ
Zheng
Hong
H
Deng
Yong-Lin
YL
Pan
Cheng
C
Chen
Xin-Guo
XG
Wang
Zi-Fa
ZF
Zheng
Wei-Ping
WP
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007223:Infant; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000628:therapy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents