title: Kasai hepatoportoenterostomy in South Australia: a case for 'centralized decentralization'.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recent follow-up studies have demonstrated significant improvement in overall survival as well as survival with native liver following geographic centralization of services to three centres in the UK. However, this model has not been replicated in countries with relatively low population density such as Australia and Canada.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective evaluation of all patients born with biliary atresia (BA) in South Australia from 1989 to 2010 was performed. Thirty-one patients with BA were discovered. Two patients were excluded because the initial Kasai procedure (KP) was performed interstate. Outcome parameters measured were (i) clearance of jaundice (bilirubin of less than 20 μmol/L, by 6 months); (ii) survival with native liver; and (iii) overall survival. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were plotted for both survival with native liver and overall survival.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The incidence of BA in South Australia between 1989 and 2010 was 7.48 per 100,000 live births. Following KP, clearance of jaundice was achieved in 42.9% of patients. Five-year actuarial survival with native liver was 55.2%, and overall 5-year actuarial survival was 89.3%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of KP performed at Women's and Children's Hospital from 1989 to 2010 can be considered comparable with international benchmarks. Based on these results, we propose the creation of a 'centralized' pool of surgeons in Australia to help continue providing 'decentralized' care of BA.
authors: Orthopaedic Department, Modbury Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
authors: Chen Gang
authors: CG
authors: Tu
authors: Department of Paediatric Surgery, Women's and Children's Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
authors: Sanjeev
authors: S
authors: Khurana
authors: Department of Paediatric Surgery, Women's and Children's Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
authors: Richard
authors: R
authors: Couper
authors: Department of Paediatric Surgery, Women's and Children's Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
authors: Andrew W D
authors: AW
authors: Ford
mesh_terms: D019985:Benchmarking; D001656:Biliary Atresia / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D011171:Portoenterostomy, Hepatic / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013021:South Australia; D066231:Surgeons / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Kasai; Kasai procedure; biliary atresia; centralization; hepatoportoenterostomy