Living donor liver transplantation in 43 children with biliary atresia: a single-center experience from the mainland of China.
BACKGROUND
There is no large-cohort report on living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) for biliary atresia (BA) patients from the mainland of China. This single-center study describes our initial experience with 43 LDLTs for BA patients aged two years or younger.


METHODS
In this study, the eligibility criteria were BA as the primary diagnosis and two years of age or younger. From October 2006 to December 2010, the clinical data of 43 LDLTs, including pre-operative evaluations, surgical techniques, postoperative complications and outcomes of donors and recipients, were retrospectively analyzed.


RESULTS
Donor graft type was the left lateral segment with compatible ABO blood groups. Forty-three recipients were selected in this study. The median patient age at operation was 9 months (range 6-24), and the median body weight was 8 kg (range 5.7-12.5). Fourteen (32.6%) recipients received Kasai operations before liver transplantation. The overall one- and two-year cumulative survival rates for grafts and recipients were 81%, 81% and 76%, 76%, respectively. No donor mortality was encountered, with a minimal morbidity and no long-term sequelae. Nine out of 43 recipients died. Postoperative complications of recipients were biliary leakage and refluxing cholangitis (11/43, 25.6%), hepatic artery thrombosis (4, 9.3%), pulmonary infections (4, 9.3%), portal vein thrombosis (3, 7.0%), wound disruption (3, 7.0%), acute rejection (3, 7.0%), cytomegalovirus infection (2, 4.7%), and intra-abdominal bleeding (1, 2.3%).


CONCLUSIONS
Despite the relatively low survival rates due to lack of experience initially, LDLT still provides encouraging outcomes for pediatric recipients with BA, even small children under two years old.
Department of Liver Surgery, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Jian-Jun
JJ
Zhu
Qiang
Q
Xia
Jian-Jun
JJ
Zhang
Feng
F
Xue
Xiao-Song
XS
Chen
Qi-Gen
QG
Li
Ning
N
Xu
D000017:ABO Blood-Group System; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001656:Biliary Atresia / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D002681:China; D005260:Female; D006085:Graft Survival; D006648:Histocompatibility; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007223:Infant; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality; D019520:Living Donors; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
D000017:ABO Blood-Group System; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents